I asked this in the loop method thread, but thought maybe it merited its own thread on the board.
I was intrigued to read that many of you use the pin stitch to anchor your thread at the beginning and/or end of your stitching. I'd never heard of the pin stitch so I went to YouTube and found a couple tutorials. I'm intrigued and may give it a try. Do people find the pin stitch works on the 26 count traditional groundcloth? And does it hold firm even if/when the finished piece is washed? Those are the two questions that are giving me pause.
To update, I've been experimenting with both starting and finishing with the pin stitch. I think my methods are a little eccentric, but they seem to be working. To start, I do the pin stitch on the diagonal, making it one of the legs of the first cross stitch. Then, because I am paranoid about it holding, I do a second pin stitch on the diagonal, making it one of the legs of the second cross stitch. To finish, I do a vertical pin stitch, and then tuck my thread behind 5-6 stitches on the back just to be extra certain. I think I'm a pin stitch convert, even with my eccentricities.
Yes, it holds firmly on the 26 count. Again, the trick or goal is to somehow get your needle yo pierce and go through the strand of floss. This grabs it securely.