Listener

Thank you, kona, for sharing. What is it that drew you to cross stitch?

Thank you for including the url. I think I might be an iconoclast at heart. Craft is for everyone who is interested, and is willing to have a go...all ages, both genders, all nationalities.

I totally agree. Every piece of craft received...or woodwork...or hand-made card...etc. bears the time and effort that someone gave with love.

Regarding favourites made by others... I have a tablecloth that has embroidery stitches by my grandmother...many fond memories of her and her stitching. My children love a quilt made by an elderly woman for a sale to support a local charity. It's just a heap of old denim jeans cut up into squares, sewn together, and then quilted using hand ties. It's warm, and soft, and beaten up...and still takes pride of place. My beloved wife made the one that takes the cake for me. She used random scraps of red material, stitched together into a large heart, with blanket stitch so that the joins are obvious. This is on a cream background, with a patterned red border. She then stitched a phrase from "How to Make an American Quilt" in a circle around the heart-- "Young lovers seek perfection. Old lovers learn the art of sewing shreds together and of seeing beauty in a multiplicity of patches." Gets me every time I see it.

Thank you, SMG. I'm way too ornery to worry about what anyone thinks about my hobby...but your dad sounds like the kind of person I would have liked. Isn't that the beauty of gifts? All of us get a different bundle, just for us.

Way to go! The baptism dress sounds wonderful...any chance of a photo when you're done?

I love this story. I can't remember how many times I've gotten irritated at instructions...I would have done the same welding, except they would have been my hooks! Otherwise, your resourcefulness is stunning. I would have loved to see that chambray shirt before it finally disappeared.

Keep going everybody. I'll be back in two days. Anybody want to share what their favorite handmade item is that someone else did?

Now that's what I call endurance. Welcome back to you and yours!

Here are some thoughts for those who are hesitant to learn a new craft skill. If I was going to write a book, I'd call it... LISTENER'S GUIDE TO THE COLORFUL WORLD OF MISTAKES. I have unpicked hundreds of rows of knitting in every possible sort of yarn...wool, cotton, acrylic, bamboo. I have unpicked thousands of machine stitches...after sewing fabric back-to-front, upside down, and wrong side out. I have never done a single cross-stitch that did not require several hours of undoing and redoing. But best of all is my very first attempt at knitting. I did a basketweave sweater for myself. It was beautiful. It took forever. Did I mention that I learned to knit from a book? The book failed to mention that when joining yarn at the end of the ball, it is best done at the beginning of the row. I joined it wherever it ended. Twelve months later it started to unravel at 10 different spots. Moths would have been a more merciful end. This thought: mistakes happen...rather than fear them, I've learned to stay awake, and learn from them, and laugh (later) that some lessons are best learned only once.

Cooking's good. I've never had much luck in that department. Good luck with your crochet!

Outstanding. We have smocking to die for...we have puffed sleeves that are perfect...we have a white outfit that is stunning. I am not worthy.

Aww...shucks, Missy.

I had a quick peak. I love the lavender/wisteria color. They really are beautiful.

We moved our kitchen to what used to be a double garage. The old kitchen, with appliances removed, now is the biggest stash room ever.