Saturday, April 30, 2011

A Stich in Time

I've mentioned before how much I enjoy crossstiching. It feeds my creative side while not requiring too much creative effort on my part. :)I get to just follow instructions, and beauty follows. Win!

Even better, I can do it while watching TV so I get to feed my ADD side. Often, when we all relax by watching TV in the evenings, it can feel like a waste of time. I like to be with my family but don't always fully enter into every show chosen. Sewing give me a chance to be with everyone while still accomplishing something. This also works when I'm watching shows that are my 'guilty pleasures'. Right now this is catching up on the first 6 seasons of Desperate Housewives which we borrowed from friends. Many TV shows don't require my full attention and crossstiching fits the bill perfectly.

About 10 years ago I made my mother and mother-in-law 'Grandma' t-shirts with this iron-on saying and all their grandchildren's names written with puffy fabric paint.  Two years ago when I was chatting with my mom, she mentioned that she had enjoyed the shirt so much that it had finally worn out. I couldn't believe it when a couple days later, while browsing my favorite aisle in Michael's, I found the exact same design as the original iron-on but in a crossstich design. There was only one left, AND it was on clearance! What are the odds??


I didn't get to start working on it right away because I was working on another large project, but did get that one bow on the right nearly done. In just the last two or so weeks I've done the rest of what you see there. I'm flying through this. It's kinda addicting too. I can't wait for lunch break and after dinner time to get some stitching done.

I've never worked with this exact medium before. Normally I work with plain crossstich fabric and enter the stiches according to the design. To work on a printed fabric with no holes is a new challenge. I'm enjoying it. 


As you can see, I have a ways to go. The design is 14"x14". I'm not sure if I will turn it into a pillow or a wall hanging. Whatever I choose to do, I will have to figure out a secure way to deliver this to my mom. The last project that I did took me two years and when I mailed it to my friend, the package arrived empty! It was a highly personalized project so I can't imagine what someone would want with it.

Guess what a fringe benefit is of all this stitching? I snack less. Keeping my hands busy during downtime makes me less likely to eat out of boredom. Plus I want to keep my hands clean. Of course, I'm sitting down a lot so I'm not sure how it will all balance out.....

Getting all this work done is another blessing to being husband-less. But, to tell you the truth, I'm running out of happy ways to look at Tom's absence. It's been over a month. I'm ready for June to get here already.

3 comments:

  1. I'm sure hoping the time flies by and Tom is back with you before you know it. A lovely project btw.

    lol, I love to knit and always bring a little project with me when we drive anywhere. (Because face it Kansas landscape all looks the same and when you drive anywhere here it's at a 40 minute drive, minumum.) I'm a bit ADD too but my husband hates it because he is just sure I'll poke my eye out with the knitting needles or something! Can't wait to seee the finished product :)

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  2. I did a lot of cross stitch when I was younger, and I know there is a box of it up in the attic. You're going to inspire me to get it out :)

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  3. What a pretty project! I'm so glad that someone loves counted cross-stitch because I can't stand it. Probably because I can't count...

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