Knit Life
It’s a Cross Stitching Shame
It’s been a while since Megan-Anne and I posted a knitshame. Knitshaming is kind of like dog shaming, but for knitters, crocheters, spinners, and generally anything having to do with fiber artistry. That project you’ve had sitting in a bin for three years, knitshame. That scarf you’ve frogged six times, knitshame. But, there is more to it than pointing out deep dark yarn-based secrets. The idea is to confess these things so we can see that there is nothing to be ashamed of since we all do it.
This week’s knitshame comes to you straight from Megan-Anne’s cross stitch obsession. My dear sweet sister loves cross stitch — or so she says. She has a lovely collection of kits. Here are a couple I found while searching for a tape measure the other day.
I was with her when she bought these Ruth Sanderson kits and if memory serves correctly, it was over three years ago. After a little more digging, because what’s the point of being sisters if you can’t dig up more dirt to point and laugh at, I found the cross stitched map she’s been working on for almost TEN years.
Of course, it would take over ten years to finish a cross stitch of this size when you only work on it for one week out of the year after remembering that you love to cross stitch… and then you remember you’re filled with impatience and need something with more instant gratification like knitting.
This one even comes complete with a coffee stain! Because no Lattes and Llamas project is complete until one of us has spilled caffeinated goodness on it.
Then, of course, there is Megan-Anne’s collection of embroidery floss, which has never been touched other than to add new colors.
Is there something about crafty people and their need to collect crafts? I’m just as guilty of it as Megan-Anne. One day I’ll share with you my prodigious collection of scrapbooking supplies or all that stuff from my painting phase. But, we can’t be the only artistically inclined people who have the urge to try all of these things and then end up with a horde of untouched leftovers.
~ Jac
Do the contents of the embroidery floss tin represent our untapped creativity and adventurousness or does it represent our failures?
I look at all the embroidery floss, and even though I do NOTHING with floss and haven’t since my grade school days of friendship bracelets, I covet it. Look at the colors! Think of the possibilities! This is partly why I have a large collection of scrapbooking and jewelry-making supplies in my craft room. I think a lot of crafty people are so creative that they can see the joyous possibilities in a lot of different areas, and maybe we’re seeking more avenues to find our crafty joy. In any case, no, you’re not alone!
Definitely not alone. I’m ashamed to look at the cross stich kits….. one of a train started for my husband many years ago when we still had model trains in the house (they have since moved with the kids)…. also some crochet (which I never do any more) and various other crafts along the way….. oil and water paints, sculpture, tatting, drawing, writing….. you name it, I’ve probably tried it.
I did some light spring cleaning this weekend and found a bunch of SMALL cross-stitch kits that aren’t even open! Really… quite shameful…
Oh my goodness, I’ve got the Woodland Enchantress kit in my to-do pile too (although I don’t remember coming across it during the move…) I’m not too bad with unfinished projects but I don’t think my crochet blanket will ever grow to its required size
Oh, this looks familiar! My knitshames include untouched lengths of fabric (I will DEFINITELY make dresses and skirts from them someday) and boxes and jars of random beads which I fully intend to make into the most amazing jewellery. But a lot of the time, I end up putting these things to completely unanticipated uses… So I reckon that makes knitshames a clear sign of our untapped creative potential. Hurrah!
I dread to think of what a cross stitch shame would look like for me! So many unopened kits and unused charts and piles of magazines. And don’t even get me started on finished projects waiting to be framed. But I’ll get around to one day right? Haha.
I was working on cleaning out my cross stitch stash just a few hours ago… :) I have several kits that I will never get rid of, even if I never stitch them. I just can’t bear to give it up. I have a kit that’s been “in progress” for probably ten years, too.