Cross stitch fabric quandary

[foxtrottango]

I am currently stitching 3 large projects from the Cross Stitch Gold magazine. They are by Joan Elliott and are of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel. I plan on getting the three framed as a set.

I have completed the Cinderella one and am just about to finish Sleeping Beauty. I am going to try and put photos on my profile. Today I was planning to buy the fabric for Rapunzel.

My problem is the fabric. The Cinderella one was first, it is on Polstitches hand dyed fabric as directed by the designer. The only direction as to the type of fabric was that it needed to be 28 count evenweave. I'm not particularly experienced with specialty fabrics. The options were Jobelan or Brittney Lugana. With no instruction from the designer I did some research and decided to go for the Lugana. For the Sleeping Beauty the only direction was white 28 count evenweave. Options were given for a dyed fabric though so I plumped for another hand dyed Lugana to keep it the same as Cinderella. (Stay with me ).

Rapunzel was the last in the series to be published so had already completed Cinderella and started Sleeping Beauty. This one does have instructions for the fabric, it wants a particular hand dyed fabric but rather then just 28 count evenweave it directs to use Jobelan!!! I can get the colour in either fabric so that is not the issue.

So, (finally), my question is this. I understand from research that Jobelan is slightly 'shinier' and softer than Lugana. I am concerned though that if I use a different type of fabric it will no longer match the other two designs. I am wanting them hung close together. Do you wise mumsnetters think the difference will be noticeable. I am a sucker for following instructions to the letter and it goes against my mindset to use Lugana when it specifies Jobelan but I really, really want them to match and don't want one standing out. There is quite a lot of exposed fabric on Rapunzel, more than the other two. Do any of you think it will make the blindest bit of difference and do you think I should go for Lugana or Jobelan?

Please help as I am useless with decisions!!!!

I am the sort of person who takes instructions as suggestions, so I would use Lugana so it matches.
I very often simply use whatever fabric I have to hand, even going as far to change thread counts and they always come out fine.

I'd use the Lugana too :) I think it is possible to get too hung up on the specifics, and make things more expensive than they need to be. You're the one putting them on the wall, you use whatever fabric you like.

Thanks for the replies. You are both right. I'm going to go with the Lugana. I know its nice to stitch on and it will match the other two. Its important that we have the set. Ive got dreams of them ending up in a nursery for my pfb (unfortunately mother nature intervened with 2 previous pregnancies). I do get too hung up on little details. Its my project, Lugana it is

Thanks for the help. I can get the Lugana with no misgivings now

Sorry to hear about your troubles :( It sounds like a lovely set to go in a baby's room. I think if you picked the other fabric, you would always look at them and think they didn't match, it would spoil all your hard work for you. You need to be happy with them, and it sounds like you will be, with the Lugana.

Thank you. Im on the mend now and we are hoping to start ttc'ing again next year . I just hope if we have a boy he likes fairy stories as these piccies are ending up in his room regardless .

I have ordered the Lugana. Youre absolutely right, i will always know that the fabrics are not the same and thats the type of thing that would really bug me!!!!
Thanks for the help. I would have driven myself mad!!!

I've come in a bit late for this, but just wanted to say that the lady who runs Polstitches is very helpful and if you ring her, she can advise on fabric issues. There is also a lovely bunch of ladies who are in FB group - Polstitches Hand Dyed Fabrics/Designs (including Joan Elliott herself!!!) who regularly discuss these sorts of questions, and would be thrilled to see any pics or notes about WIPs or completed projects.

I am a complete wuss and don't use evenweave but find the Polstitches dyed aida is lovely - have done a few nice projects with it now, and after Christmas will be starting another one.

Thank you . I love Joan Elliotts designs. Its a good idea contacting Polstitches. I hadnt even thought of it!!! I will email them.

Evenweave is a lovely fabric to work on. I have plenty of spare evenweave so if you fancy experimenting with it feel free to PM me and I'll be more than happy to send you some