Cross stitch without frame

[wozz90]

Does anybody here stitch without a frame of any sort? I've seen it mention a few times in various places and just wondered how easy people find and whether many people prefer to stitch this way?

[Eliste]

Have tried it and hate it. I can't keep my tension even enough that I like the outcome.

[jworek528]

I've only done so on small projects with very stiff aida

[LucyInTheSky]

I stitch with a hoop. I had a few stitches left on my thread but the hoop was in the way. I pulled off the hoop and was stitching the last few without putting the hoop on, since it was just a few stitches. I almost screamed. I don't know what it was but it was so difficult to maneuver and stitch and took me forever for those 3 stitches (but dangit, I won't waste that fraction of a cm thread!)

[Pyper]

I much prefer to stitch without a hoop/frame, unless the fabric is very soft and floppy. I find frames frustrating and keep banging my hands on them, and also find it harder to stitch on a stretched flat surface. Instead I hold my work very close to where I stitch, and if it is a larger piece of cloth, roll it up so that it doesn't get in the way.

[Delver01]

I hate frames. All loose hand stitching here

[Firehawke]

I like to keep my aida rolled up in my left hand as I'm working. I've tried hoops, but they just weren't for me!

[Batboard]

I couldn't work with it loose, I've tried a lot of things and I love scroll frames. Plus, I can use two hands on scrolls simultaneously and I stitch a whole lot faster. I hate having to push the needle with one hand than switch hands holding it to use the other on the back or bring my hand around to get on both sides. I use left on back and right on front and I can stitch much faster, although I love the idea of not having to worry about hoops and frames and stuff, it just doesn't work for me, plus the it drives me nuts not having equal tension on all sides.......I think i might have some OCD tendencies...hmmm

[ezsebeth]

I've done both.

When I first started cross stitching, I used no hope or frame. And the stitches turned out okay. You couldn't tell (or, I as a noob couldn't tell). But my mum also cross stitched without a hoop, so I got it from her.
No using a hoop does have an advantage, you can stitch so much faster than when you use a hoop (at least for me). Your needle doesn't have to go to the back of the work, you can just pass the needle through the right holes in one go.

A frame and a hoop does give some oversight over the work you've done. I like a frame more, but that's because I can use both my hands when I'm stitching and I can see all my work that I've done more clearly.

Why not try both and see what works for you?

[LinkIsMyHomeboy]

I've done both. Larger projects I find it easier to use a frame, but for most of my smaller projects I don't use a frame/hoop. I find they just get in the way when they're small.