Many stitchers keep a calendar and plan all their projects ahead. Some plan a project start for birthdays of all their family members, plus other starts on holidays. I haven’t gotten as far as planning specific projects for all the important days but Vince had a birthday recently and I wanted to start something for his birthday. I wanted it to be something that had meaning. I thought about doing “Land That I love” but that isn’t really anything that specifically reminds me of Vince.
I was looking at some of my charts and this one jumped out and said “Stitch Me!” Always Thankful by Erica Michaels.
Thankful is my 2021 Word of the Year and I am always thankful for Vince so it seems like the perfect start for his birthday, even though I’m a few days late starting it. It’s the thought that counts, right?
I’ve been wanting to stitch something a bit small and try stitching “in hand” (without a frame) and using the sewing method. It has to be faster but I’m not sure how my hands will feel about it. So, this piece is small enough that I can try that.
I have all the called for thread, as well as the called for fabric but I’m not sure if I want to use that fabric.
My preference is the above fabric. I love the blue in it.
Addie likes this one but I think it’s a bit boring but maybe, I’m still on the “boring” level and should use this one. I don’t know. Too much going on tonight to do any stitching so I’ll think about it and tomorrow, once Addie is gone, I plan to start it.
Denise M Russart says
A perfect pattern choice!
Jo Kramer says
Judy…I stitch using a morgan hoop. BUT I don’t keep the fabric tight. I keep the fabric loose and I can still do the sewing stitch. I tried stitching in hand but hated it. My hand and wrist would cramp up. This is my favorite way to stitch.
danielle says
Love that chart! And I love the fabric you said is your favorite. My question though is – does the blue in the fabric match the blue thread too much?
Judy Laquidara says
It doesn’t look like it will blend too much but I can always change the blue to a different shade when I get to that point if it does blend. I just love the blue splotches though.
Ruth Chow says
I have always cross-stitched in-hand using the sewing method and I love it. (Except it does not seem to be possible to use the sewing method if you are going over one thread of linen.) I used to scrunch up the material to get to the middle, but then a friend showed me a better way–to roll up the left or right side, depending on where you are stitching, and hold the roll in your non-stitching hand. It keeps the fabric a lot neater.