Winner - Winner! Chocolate fudge cake for dinner!
At times I have been spoken of as never finishing what I start - regarding my needlework + art & craft projects.
Au contraire mon Capitan!
(Spoken in the sassy voice of Q)
There are a myriad of reasons. The main reason is this. I'm somewhat prone to depression. Most people who are highly creative are. It seems to me to be the nature of the beast. A very persistent, unkind beast.
Hang with me peeps while I tie it together for youse.
Some creative types, specifically needleworkers, get a sort of euphorial high when starting a new design. It's so new, different, exciting, captivating.
To me?
It feels the same way that falling in love feels. Heightened bliss.
Sometime between almost halfway through the project, the euphoria begins to wear off. The needlework designers crank the designs out faster than most stitchers can busy their fingers to turn that blank fabric into a glorious display of beauty, showcasing their skill.
Many designers, I have found, do the designing then they have professional stitchers work from the pattern, noting errors or making improvements as they stitch.
After the stitching, then there is the added touches of beads, charms, sparkling fibers. Some people gently hand wash the fabric before doing the beading, charms, fibers, some do it after. Some people even wash it before and after. Then, there is the pressing & stretching or "blocking"
Once that is done, it is professionally framed by a very experienced crafts person who specializes in custom stretching & finishing of needlework.
The finished masterpiece is photographed then, it's all put together in the pattern format as in a single sheet or booklet or leaflet. Sometimes it's put in protective plastic with a "header" bearing the designers logo, printed on heavy paper. The paper is at the top, stapled to close the top of the protective plastic.
Have you ever fallen in love?
My aunt says that people don't fall in love, they fall in horse crap, not knowing what they have fallen into.
Some people go through their lives going from romantic relationship to the next, then, the next. Those endorphins are so powerful!
This makes my endorphin gathering by starting another project to get that delicious, happy, blissful feeling sound much more safe!
*******************************************************************************
Why is it that once begun
Creative joys diminish
Starting again is more fun
Than it ever is to finish
*******************************************************************************
Another reason or maybe it's an excuse (pick one!) is that a lot of stitching is seasonal. Christmas ornaments, Christmas decor. Easter decor, patterns for St Patrick's Day, beautiful Autumn scenes. Then there's also gifts for loved ones birthdays, wedding gifts, new baby gifts. Sooooooo much more!
If the seasonal item (Christmas is a major snag) isn't finished once the holiday is over, it tends to be put to the side in favor of spring & summer stitching.
It might be picked up once the holiday season starts up the following year or it might not be picked up for 2 years.... or ....ever.
Shout out to my stitcher buddies, nodding their heads, smiling, with a sheepish grin. No hanging your head in shame you floss licker!
In 2021, I remedied 2 very bad habits I knew were not good for me. Shhh.
I'm not going to tell you what they were.
These are not New Years Resloutions. They are simply clearing out negative habits that were bringing me down.
For 2022, I resolved to finish projects I had started awhile back. A beautiful band sampler that I had barely started, no, I won't tell you how long ago! With the spirit of Christmas in the air, I decided that it was time to continue stitching until it was completely finished.
I did it!
Another habit I have had to really work on was photos.
I hate to have my picture taken even more than I hate taking pictures. It's part of my charm.
A dear friend who often asks me to send her a picture of what I'm doing, what my craft projects look like, has given me that sweet & gentle nudge to get over it, start taking more pictures. So, I have.
Sticking with this Christmas sampler to completion, you get to watch it grow! Although I make changes from the pattern to suit my own personal taste, peeps ~ here it is!
My sincere apologies, my stitching is much better than my photography.
I present to you; Christmas Ribbons designed by Nan Caldera, one of my favorite design companies ~ Just Nan.
I love the stitched ribbon at the bottom!
Here it is, all finished. It's soaking in a cool water rinse after being gently hand washed in a mild soap (Suave shampoo!) Next, I will press it right side down, then, send it to my professional framer. I attached a silver 2022 charm as my own personal touch.
Some stitchers go fast, I like to savor it, enjoy it, revel in the feeling of the soft silks & cottons on a gold needle as they glide through the linen. As I stitch, I'm feeling the endorphins in a sweet rhythm I love. This beautiful needlework represents 70 hours of my life. My career is one that I had dreamed of, hoped for, I truly love it! When it actually found me. My language skills saved my life. I was barely making it, looked like I was gliding along. Underneath, I was paddling at full speed, living on 1 egg a day for a long time. The ex huzz screwed me royally in the divorce. While he had the career I had helped him build, I had next to nothing to live on. It was only my needlework that gave me happiness, calmed me, comforted me.
In the rhythm of the needle there is music for the soul. ~ Nan Caldera
No comments:
Post a Comment