Embroidery and Chopsticks!?

By Mary Corbet at Needle 'n Thread.com

No, no. We are not embroidering with chopsticks. But we are embroidering in the company of chopsticks. And I don’t mean that annoying piano piece we all learned as kids – you know, the one that can effectively drive even the most resilient person nuts in a matter of seconds?
I really do mean chopsticks, as in Asian eating instruments.



This is a solution that’s often used in Japanese embroidery when you need just a bit of extra tension – inserting a stick or a chopstick where needed, to add extra tension.


By inserting the chopsticks between the lacing and the side slats on the slate frame, I was able to get just that tiny bit of tension that I needed, and that I couldn’t get from adjusting the lacing because there was no room to pull the fabric closer to the slats. It worked really well!
And I discovered something else. When you just need a touch more tension, it’s much easier to insert a chopstick than it is to untie and tighten up the laces on the frame. It almost feels like cheating.
And I bet if I had to, I could insert two chopsticks. Or three! Or the whole set!

Next time you need a tad of tension on your slate frame – try a chopstick!