I think a lot of people are multicraftual-they know and practice more than 2 or 3 crafts. In no particular order I cross stitch, knit, crochet, embroider, tat, and sew (nothing major, easy stuff and repairs).
But every crafter started with that One Craft, the one that got them head first into making things with their hands, doing something relaxing and fun, then enjoying the finished piece, whether it is useful or just hangs on the wall/tree/child/etc.
Cross stitch was my gateway craft. I learned from my brother’s friend way back when I was 13 or 14. I’m 36 now, so that’s 20+ years of cross stitching!! woohoo! I’ve learned so much and messed up a lot and I’m still stitching. I learned to crochet and knit in 2008. I’ve embroidered since Jr High (did anyone else take Home Ec? I loved that class) and taught myself to tat in 2012. I think I need to learn a new craft every year or two gotta stay sharp! If only I had eight arms…I could do all of them at once. ;-)
Anyway, I mention cross stitch because it’s my favorite of the crafts, and as such, I have a lot of WIPs and starts laying around. Last year I dedicated time to finishing up yarny projects and I’m happy to say I got it down from 30+ open projects (oof) to under 12. I finished all but one gift that was promised, and that one is coming along just fine. I had a hard time last year-I got really stressed out and my anxiety went through the roof. Crafting usually helped me before but I was so tense, I started lots of projects in 2015, thinking how fun they would be and how fun it is to start something, but then I’d get busy or run out of steam, and never finish them. That would add to the anxiety and I would hear the old “you can’t even finish what you start” nonsense my panic monster loves to talk about.
Well I showed her! Check out my ravelry page to see how much I finished/frogged if you want. So now I’m back to knitting and crocheting for fun, not as a frantic exercise to relax.
And back to the point: this year I’m working through those cross stiches! I collected so many patterns and kits, and then I had a hint of mortality and realized I might not have time to finish them, even if I live to 100, lol. So I gave a way a lot of patterns, a few kits, to make room for the ones I want to do. I have about 10 unfinished objects/projects (UFOs). One is a gift for my folks, but there’s no rush on that. I try to finish gifts first. This one is definitely getting done this year, hell or high water.
Time for pictures! I organized everything into two places: storage for patterns and kits to be done later and a nice project bag for the UFOs.
Picture dump ahead! Hard hats on!
I’ve been posting about Yei, here is my latest progress!
I have Yei in my roll up bag. Once I finish it I’ll put the Jack (pumpkin) kit in there for my next finish. Yei doesn’t have any backstitch and Jack has very little, making them a lot faster to finish!
All those pictures. Those are just the big ones-I didn’t count all the wee little stitches, Satsuma Street, Debbie Patrick’s Winchester House and San Francisco Rowhouse and other patterns I want to do someday!
Hi, my name’s Kat, and I have a cross stitch obsession.
I love it.
P.S. Links:
Masquerade by Ink Circles
P.P.S. I hope you like the blog so far! I’ve had fun writing it. Go forth and craft today!!