Cross stitching is a hobby I’ve had since I was about 10 years old (I think?) or maybe even younger, if you count my first needlepoint projects. My mom cross stitched. My grandma cross stitched. I guess you could say it’s in my DNA to be a cross stitcher! At any rate, I used to be much more prolific with my projects, finishing multiple kits per year and even giving them as gifts. Now that I have kids, two jobs and other things vying for my time, I don’t do it as much as I used to. A couple of months ago, I took it up again to finish up a Christmas stocking for my son.
This is a tradition that has been carried down from my own mother. She made homemade stockings for my brothers and me – mine was needlepoint and theirs were cross stitch. So, when I had children of my own, I decided to carry on the torch and make them stockings, too. Maria’s was finished early in her life but poor Lucia had to wait until two years ago for hers! She’s was nearly 7 years old! (I told you I’m not as prolific!) I’ve been finishing up Christopher’s, determined not to make him wait another five years! But, more on that in a future post.
As I worked on his stocking, I neared the end and ran out of a color I needed. I literally needed maybe six or seven strands and ran out. This always happens. I mean, I must have hundreds of DMC floss in the craft room but, of course, this is the color I don’t have. I sent my husband and daughter out to A.C. Moore for more, but they came back with a different style of floss – it was the correct color, but too thick for me to use. It was then that I remembered mom’s floss collection. I figured it had to be still in the house. Dad wouldn’t know what to do with it. So, I texted him, asking if she had DMC floss #746. He found a teeny tiny bit! Plus, he found much, much more.
The following morning after church, he gave me a giant box of all the cross stitch stuff he found. Maria and I eagerly combed through it as soon as we got home. She had complete kits, never opened, including smaller ones for the girls. She had blank hand towels on which you could cross stitch designs. She even had a needlepoint kit, which I’m pretty excited about since I love needlepoint. Best of all? She had hundreds of DMC floss colors, including all of my late grandma’s, as well.
I spent most of the afternoon and evening winding DMC floss around little paper bobbins. It was therapeutic after all that binge cross stitching I had been doing to complete that stocking! I love all the colors and it was a great, mindless activity to get them all wound. I’m nearly done and the next project will be to organize them in order of number into all the plastic boxes we have to store floss.
My next project is a Last Supper kit, by Janlynn my husband gave me last Christmas. I’m feeling a renewed energy around my cross stitch hobby now with all my newfound haul. I’m even thinking about making one of my New Year’s resolutions to commit to 30 minutes a day, three times a week to cross stitching. I really do love it. It de-stresses me and it’s fun! It’s the getting into it that gets me.
Oh, while I was winding floss, I was drinking the most lovely red that came in my latest First Leaf shipment. International Archives: France 2016 Mouvedre France was so yummy and, really, the best wine I’ve had in a long while. It was perfect for sipping along with organizing. What hobby will you recommit to in 2018? Comment below! Cheers!
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