I've been cross-stitching since I was 12 (and I still have that first project locked away in a trunk). My Step-Granny got me started because she couldn't teach me to crochet or knit (I just couldn't get it - whether it was the teacher or student we may never know, I never tried to crochet or knit again). But needless to say, cross-stitching stuck and I'm still doing it. I did also try embroidery (which my Mother used to do), but it was too hard with all the different kinds of stitches.
Most people find it funny that I can cross stitch because I'm such an impatient person. I think there is actually a very easy explanation and it's the explanation that defines me...OCD. Cross-stitching is all about counting, counting the number of little colored X's you make in a row, and what are OCD's known to do? Count. I catch myself doing it all the time in my head. Yes, I know, my math skills may suck, but numbers constantly run through my head, but here I go digressing again.
My first large project took me years...almost 10 to be exact. I would work on it solidly for months, then wouldn't touch it for years. I graduated high school, started college, quit college, moved towns, changed jobs, even got married all while doing this, and to this day, I've never done such a complicated project. Most of these stitches are two different colored strings put together. It was crazy! But without further ado:
I did a couple of projects during the "marriage years" (which only lasted two years...two terrible, horrible, miserable years):
This project hung for years, but the frame broke a few years ago and I didn't take care of it, so it's yellowing and is frayed pretty badly (I used to use tape on my projects to attach them to the stretcher bars...I didn't realize the long-term effects). Plus, I trimmed it horribly to fit the frame in the first place. I actually found the same project on ebay (even though it hasn't been sold for years), so I'm gonna re-do it someday. I have the whole set of these (there were four). I've done another one too.
After my divorce, I didn't stitch for a long time. I kept buying projects and built a huge stash, but never did any. Then, one trip to Disney World, they suddenly had cross stitches! Yea me! A new renaissance was born!
This one is mounted with it's matching pin:
This is the largest project I've ever done:
This is non-disney, but it was a nice distraction:
This was originally supposed to be on black material, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, and I'm glad I didn't:
Another of the mouse sets:
I'm not going to frame those until they are all done together and they can have matching frames.
I've done projects for other people (the giant Jesus head I did for my Grandmother still haunts me...who knew there was so many colors of brown in the world!). Some were more fun than others, some I was glad I did, some I wish I could have back. I've got a few of the little Disney character faces I display at work and everytime I finish a large project, I do one of those as a "cool down".
I've emptied out my stash through the years...and restocked it. I could literally sit and stitch constantly for the rest of my life and never finish what I have in my current stash (which now consists mainly of Disney projects). Because I have stitching software and can make my own projects, I constantly make even more stash! Maybe one day when I win the lottery, I can spend all day stitching (but then I probably won't want to!).
Most people find it funny that I can cross stitch because I'm such an impatient person. I think there is actually a very easy explanation and it's the explanation that defines me...OCD. Cross-stitching is all about counting, counting the number of little colored X's you make in a row, and what are OCD's known to do? Count. I catch myself doing it all the time in my head. Yes, I know, my math skills may suck, but numbers constantly run through my head, but here I go digressing again.
My first large project took me years...almost 10 to be exact. I would work on it solidly for months, then wouldn't touch it for years. I graduated high school, started college, quit college, moved towns, changed jobs, even got married all while doing this, and to this day, I've never done such a complicated project. Most of these stitches are two different colored strings put together. It was crazy! But without further ado:
I did a couple of projects during the "marriage years" (which only lasted two years...two terrible, horrible, miserable years):
This project hung for years, but the frame broke a few years ago and I didn't take care of it, so it's yellowing and is frayed pretty badly (I used to use tape on my projects to attach them to the stretcher bars...I didn't realize the long-term effects). Plus, I trimmed it horribly to fit the frame in the first place. I actually found the same project on ebay (even though it hasn't been sold for years), so I'm gonna re-do it someday. I have the whole set of these (there were four). I've done another one too.
After my divorce, I didn't stitch for a long time. I kept buying projects and built a huge stash, but never did any. Then, one trip to Disney World, they suddenly had cross stitches! Yea me! A new renaissance was born!
This one is mounted with it's matching pin:
This is the largest project I've ever done:
This is non-disney, but it was a nice distraction:
This was originally supposed to be on black material, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, and I'm glad I didn't:
Another of the mouse sets:
I'm not going to frame those until they are all done together and they can have matching frames.
I've done projects for other people (the giant Jesus head I did for my Grandmother still haunts me...who knew there was so many colors of brown in the world!). Some were more fun than others, some I was glad I did, some I wish I could have back. I've got a few of the little Disney character faces I display at work and everytime I finish a large project, I do one of those as a "cool down".
I've emptied out my stash through the years...and restocked it. I could literally sit and stitch constantly for the rest of my life and never finish what I have in my current stash (which now consists mainly of Disney projects). Because I have stitching software and can make my own projects, I constantly make even more stash! Maybe one day when I win the lottery, I can spend all day stitching (but then I probably won't want to!).
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