When I had doctor appointments in November, I picked up my cross stitching again. I don’t seem to cross stitch much over the summer. There are so many other things to do.
I was working on this…. It’s a Lizzie Kate design. Oh I love her things.
Over the few weeks I continued working on it on and off. Then I found a Lizzie Kate Facebook group. Then I started following the hashtag Lizzie Kate on Instagram. Then I started reading the cross stitch blog Priscillas. Her blog is fun but she decorates WAY MORE THAN I EVER WOULD…but she has inspiring ideas for finishing cross stitch projects.
Well that lead to me watching her Floss Tube on Youtube. That’s when I found out something that might be the death of me….Cross stitchers have UFOs. I never knew that. I never knew that was something a cross stitcher could have. I thought that was exclusively for quilters. OH NO!! I felt like I should cover my ears and say “blah-blah-blah”. I don’t think it is something I should have ever found out. Seriously. I can’t have cross stitch UFOs and quilt UFOs…can I????
You can see the rabbit trail this all took me on.
I found out the cross stitch UFO thing about the same time I screwed up the count on my project. Well if that doesn’t make a person want to start a new project I don’t know what does….
So, I started this….
This happened in 5-10 minute increments over nap time. I have one little boy that won’t lay still and go to sleep so if I sit by him for a few minutes…really only 5 or 10, he’ll go to sleep. So for a few days I’ve taken this and stitched a letter or two waiting for him to go to sleep. (reason #568 why I like my job. I have a reason to cross stitch on the job ;) )
I slowed down on this here as I don’t want to make the leaves the the bright colors they are so need to pick new colors. (I also learned people do that really…I had no idea) How freeing….and how dangerous. (I’m still more of a newbie cross stitcher-obviously)
Well I started feeling guilty about having a UFO. Really. Do I want two projects going on? Not really. I don’t want to start that habit with cross stitch. It’s enough having the problem with quilting….so, I went back to the first project.
What I did isn’t terrible but I’m off too much to completely correct it. I’m off in spacing a bit. It happened when I was stitching in the car I think. If I didn’t tell you, or if you didn’t stitch it yourself, I don’t think you’d notice but it took me a bit to figure out how to do a few things to make it right….
So…with that finished, do you think I went back and did the “Grateful, thankful, blessed” one…Nope. I started this one. The companion project to the one above.
I am only a few stitches in….
…but, OH NO!!!!!!!!
As I am now sitting at the computer writing this I just discovered that I really am NOT DONE with the first project. There is suppose to be a stitched basket at the end of the top row of words. AHHHHHH!!! How can this be? I now have THREE projects going.
This will not do. I have to go finish that basket. I can live with two projects going at the same as long as one doesn’t become a true UFO but I really can’t have three projects going on at once…or can I? I do it with quilting all the time….Hmmm.
To be continued….
P.S.
Remember my dilemma about cross stitching lights. Well Janet B sent me one…and me not knowing bought one (two actually). I’ve been testing them out but there’s been no one awake to take a picture when I’m stitching in the evening so I haven’t written a post yet…soon I hope. Thanks Janet for thinking of me.
I read multiple books at same time – just like sewing. Some times my brain likes something complex to expand my skills, sometimes something fun and sometimes something EASY. My Aunt calls them no-brainers. We all have times when we can’t turn off some of life’s stressors running rampant in our brains. During those times we need a project or book that doesn’t require all our concentration and allows us to slow down again.
I LOVE reason #568!
Thou shall not panic over more than one project. You are human and we are so happy you have joined our group of multiple projects. Sometime I seem to have the attention span of a teeny tiny itty bitty nat. Today I found three almost finished and it didn’t cause me to panic at all. They just jumped to the top of my list like a big old wet frog.
Please keep us updated on the lights. Our little apartment is dark (only 1 small window in the living room area) so I have to save up to buy a light to work on things even during the day.
As for UFO’s we quilters and knitters have them so why not needlepointers, too? You could keep one upstairs in your sewing room and one downstairs to work on here and there! I think it’s a great idea to switch between quilting and ………….. lol
I no longer have cross stich UFOs – I gave them away. Now everyone else has my UFOs. Let’s not talk about quilt UFOs!
Jo, Jo, Jo…..of course cross stitchers have UFOs. Anyone who does painting, sewing, woodworking and so on will have UFOs. Michaelangelo had UFOs. I usually don’t work on more than 1 or 2 at a time but it depends on the eyes, having a wedding commitment (I do wedding samplers for very close family & friends), or if something new just grabs me. My oldest cross stitch UFO is 30 some years old, and I have another that is about 10. I’ve done a couple of hundred of pieces if you count ornaments; so what is 1 or 2 unfinished projects? Cross stitch is my first love, I took up quilting when I couldn’t see to cross stitch. My oldest quilting UFO is a piece my grandmother started in the 60’s, my mother then worked on it, I will work on it but I plan on leaving it to my daughter to work on also. My pile of unfinished cross stitched pieces about equals the number of quilt tops I have done but never quilted. It happens.
Works in Progress. . . my friend, Kayla (also known as your daughter) told me it is all in the wording. . .HA!
You crack me up!! Honestly I have never understood people who copy a quilt pattern in exactly the same colors as the pattern!! I have never done that…honestly I have trouble not adding my own spin to quilt patterns as well! I’m sure even painters have UFOs!! They are common with creative people who get pulled by other things to create!
Years ago a woman who was my mother’s age and babysat my children told me her cross stitch projects were works-in-progress that could be quickly finished for a wedding gift or an auction item gift. She liked having a few pieces that were nearly done for that reason. I’ve always remembered that because it’s the first time I’ve ever heard it. And I’ve never felt that bad about my UFOs since.
I can’t stop chuckling over this post!!! Lady, if you could see my creative space! I have 3 quilts to sandwich and finish, 2 epp wips, 1 regular paper piecing project going, too many projects on the needles to count without serious thought, (mostly socks, but a shawl, & a curtain are in there too), 2 crochet afghan wips, a needlepoint cushion cover, for a chair which I no longer own, and 3 large crosstitch pieces which have been in progress for YEARS! I have plans and fabric for at least 5 more quilting projects and 2 skirts I’ve been meaning to make. I recently gave away an embroidery project when I realized that I was only keeping it out of guilt. It was very freeing hahaha!
I just picked up Cross stitch again and have at least a 15 year old project I’ve been working on. Its Holly Hobby stitching on a quilt and I’ve made a mistake on the left side of the quilt. I’m trying to figure out if I should just try to make it look like the quilt is draped so I dont have to rip it out. I’ve enjoyed the resurgence of this craft!
Has anyone tried LED bulbs for better lighting? I use the daylight ones. What a difference!! I have vision trouble from auto accident – not my fault – and they really help. They don’t get hot, are cheaper to use (not purchase) and last longer. Regular and CFL’s were hot. My sewing “studio” is just half a wall in bedroom 8’x3’ by window. Hot bulbs really affected sewing time in warm weather (no AC).
Jo, no one knows there is supposed to be a basket at the end of the row. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Hi JO! Even if you have more than 2 stitching projects going at once, they wouldn’t take up much space…Some days we just aren’t in the mood for a particular project! A week or so ago you posted an embroidery project where the blue thread bled when you soaked it. Have you tried color catchers? Or perhaps this link has info that might help. /www.colorwaysbyvicki.com/save-my-bleeding-quilt.html#/
I just completed my granddaughters birth cross stitch. She will be 17 this year!! I started it 2 weeks before she was born and then started having problems with my eyes. Then we moved to a home with 8 acres. Did not know what we were getting into. Then I took care of my step Dad, then I got more involved with Church, volunteering and quilting. Its not a real babyish cross stitch, have seen too many of those at garage sales. Will have it framed and give it to her on her Birthday. So yes, Jo, cross stitchers do have ufos too!
I cross stitch almost everyday and am blessed with a large window that gives me natural light but I also gave a light that sits close to me…I stitch during the day and read at night…never bored..
I have two giant baskets of UFOs. It’s nothing to panic about. It’s just proof of boredom. I get back to them eventually…but I usually stitch the date in a corner, so I can remember just how long ago I started. They all end up framed on a wall sooner or later.
I look forward to reading about the lights. I’ve been hemming and hawing about which to get.
I had to chuckle at your story. My sister-in-law is an avid cross stitcher, so I knew she worked on several different projects at a time. but a couple of years ago my brother was telling how she watched people cross stitch and talk about cross stitching on the internet!! I had to laugh and tell him that quilters do that too (Bonnie’s quiltcam). He just shook his head!! LOL
I have a few 30 year old UFO’s in my stash…my daughter might end up finishing them!
I need to tell you a true story here. In around 1975 I became acquainted with quilt-making at my church, where a bunch of the much older ladies were making quilt tops and tying them or hand quilting them. Around 1981 I took a class where we were to do some project, and another gal showed quilt as you go… I had inherited 2 quilts from family, and decided to investigate quilt making over the next decade. I read every book available, which was not much at that time. I checked out every book in the library and read them cover to cover, learning every block name. Then we moved and I did that again. I also got into cross stitch, and learned some valuable lessons that help me understand so much about an Aunt who did embroideries “with no Knots!” as Grammie said. By 1990 I had finally begun making some quilt blocks, and had to choose which hobby I would pursue. Quilts are bigger, more useful, easier and less FUSSY in my reckoning, so that is what I chose. I did however keep making some and collecting book patterns for some years. (Still have them!) In 2011 I packed up all my stuff, because we were moving again, and I still have those cross stitch items in storage! Do you really think it is time to find them and sell them to unsuspecting newbies via the internet?
YES…SELL THEM Jean, You haven’t grabbed them up yet to do. You likely never will.