Stitching Story Featuring Local Stitchers Carrie & Hollie

Carrie's Stitching Story


  • When did you start cross stitching? I started back in the mid to late 1980's. I didn’t do any of the sewing or needlework, Girly stuff, when I was growing up. It wasn’t till I got married and started having kids that I started to get it to it. I wanted to make stuff for them. It all started with Christmas, Christmas is a big deal. They all needed Christmas stockings I started with my first one, it was one of the secquin felted kits. For the next child I did crewel work, the 3rd child it was more traditional embroidery. By the 4th child when I got to hers (in the late 80's) it was stamped cross stitch. By the last one it was a full on counted cross stitch kit. So I have this crafting progression. In about 3 years I went from nothing to being hooked on cross stitch. And I have been hooked ever since. 

  • Do you still have the original stockings? Yes and I was going to bring them today. But for some unknown reason they are not where they should be and I cant find them. 

  • So what did you bring as your first piece you finished? Of course it is another Christmas thing. This one I did in in 1990 it was out of a book called “All through the house” it was in the Vanessa Ann Collection. I was in to self framing as well, we were young and poor so I figured out how to do it myself. At that time I still believed in the cross stitch police so it was done with all the colors they called for. 

  • Why do you love cross stitch? There are a lot of reasons, I cant just sit and do nothing I need something in my hands. I am not artistic, I mean I cant draw a straight line with a ruler. So this lets me create things and I like that. I have something to show for it. Its relaxing, honestly where else can you stab something 20,000 and get away with it? 

  • What is your favorite finished piece? Its like asking me to pick my favorite child, I just cant do it. But I brought this one (Knelling Santa) it pulls together a lot of the things I have learned over the years. When I started it was Aida all the way. This was done on evenweave, it was a kit but I didn’t use much out of the kit. I changed the fabric, the sheep are done with Wisper Floss, there are 10 different shades of Wisper in the sheep. I did the Baby Jesus skin one over one. You can see that Santa is done 2 over 2 he is a old man and should look kinda rugged. The Baby I wanted to look more fragile and the one over one really does that. I finished this one in 2014. 

  • How many projects do you have going at one time? A lot... as I have probably about 20 kitted up with some stitching done. I rotate through if I get bored with them or if something else comes up that I need to do or something cute comes out.

     

Hollie's Stitching Story

 

  • When did you start cross stitching? Probably about 20 years ago. When I was about 8 to 10ish.

  • Who taught you? My mom (Yes that would be Carrie)

  • Why did you start, I mean you were only 8 years old? Well she was always stitching and we always wanted to be a part of what she was doing. So eventually when we had the coordination she taught me and my other sisters how to stitch.

  • So what did you bring as your first piece you finished? Its some teeny tinny little hearts. So my mom stitches backwards from what I do. She crosses her x differently. So when she taught me she taught me the way she did. But from the beginning I was counter intuitive. So this heart (top) is stitched the way my mom stitches and this heart (bottom) is stitched the way I stitch now, which is backwards from each other. So definitely not a show off piece the only reason I keep it is cause it is my first.

  • Let me explain that when you are stitching you want all your bottoms to go one direction and the tops to go the other direction. For me all my bottoms go from bottom left to top right (/) and the tops go the other way. But for you they go... I cross it, I go top left (\) to bottom right then cross it.

    It doesn’t matter either way as long as your consistent. But it is funny when two people stitch backwards from each other.

  • Did you stitch consistently since you were 8 or did you stop in your teen years? I did stitch pretty consistently since then. This piece that is my favorites I picked up and then at the time I decided it was to big and over my head. 

  • When did you start it (your favorite)? Probably towards the beginning of high school so about 14 / 15 years ago. So I had been stitching for a couple years but decided it was big to advanced and it went into a box for about 10 years. Then I pulled it out a couple years ago and by that time I had been doing bigger pieces and thought this isn’t that big I can do this!

  • Let's show your favorite. It's the Earth Angel from Lavender and Lace.

  • You did it on linen. Yeah and that was before I knew you. We found it at one of the other shops that were around at that time. I had gotten through the just sleeve was before I decided it was too complex.

  • So what is it that drew you, well, not what was is it that you to drew you to it-- I can see what drew you to it, she is beautiful. But why is she your favorite? Well parley because she was one of my first finished big pieces. One of the first that shows a skill level. A more advanced piece with the beading and stuff. I think it is on of the first times I had done bead work. Its the colors I like.

  • What is it about cross stitch that you love? Just the ease, well not the ease of it cause its not just mindless and easy. It does take some talent and concentration. But I enjoy watching the picture come to life. You are going along with a color adding other colors and all of the sudden at the end you have a picture. Its that creating something new.

  •  How many pieces do you have going at one time? More then I should. I usually only work on one or two at a time. But I have probably at lease a dozen started. So it just depends on what I am in the mood for and stuff as to which ones that I will actively work on.

  • Would you recommend cross stitch to somebody? I do, I actually have recommend it to a couple friends that are looking for something new and a little bit different to do . It doesn’t have to be big and complex it can be something small. Its what ever you want to put in to it.

 

I want to thank Carrie & Hollie for sharing their stitching stories with us.
 
Now I want to hear from you. What is your stitching story? Comment below.
Enjoy & Happy Stitching - Donnett

 

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