Aries watches tv, and I like to read. But sometimes I'll be kinda listening and/or watching whatever he has on, and then I like having something in my hands to work on. Many years ago, when I was young and could see better :-P I started working on a little counted cross-stitch set of the 12 days of Christmas - early-American versions, as opposed to the more-common English stuff. I'd done two and started on the third (a crazy-inducing black and white Barred Plymouth Rock hen, instead of a French one, whatever that is), when the days started getting longer. So I stashed them away in the closet. And there they sat.
Around Thanksgiving this year, needing something to work on, I dug them back out and have been diligently plugging away on them again. They're a nice little handwork size - fitting within a 5" hoop. I figure I'd better get them finished while I can still focus on that 18-count material - that's 18 teeny x's to the inch (what was I thinking!).
And then, I started on that damn swan-a-swimming, working with white and cream threads on ivory material! It was almost like working in braille. I could feel the raised threads of the x's better than I could see them. That one I finally finished up in the mornings, sitting in front of the east window so I could see what I was doing.
Working on teeny cross-stitches kinda starts messing with my mind after a while, too. I stop seeing parts of x's, and start focusing on the empty diamond spaces in between instead - sort of a negative space kind of thing. Or half an x looks like a natural extension of the one diagonally above it. It takes some concentration to readjust back to seeing where I need to start the opposite-side slashes, in the middle of that diagonal.
4 comments:
Yes, those are beautiful! You're cracking me up, too :-) Sometimes I put on two pair of my reading glasses when I'm sewing something that's teeny tiny or black on black! It's just like wearing a magnifying glass perched on my nose. Seriously, tho, it works good.
You do Beautiful work my dear. My mother and I used to own and operate a needlework and quilt shop in my town for over 40 years, so we did complicated embroideries for churches and needlepoint chair seats, and later quilting, which I was not a fan of. My mother retired after 40 years of the shop. I cannot embroider because of the same problem, sight. So I hook rugs and it is very forgiving.
Love your blog.
Stay warm
Those are lovely. I did cross stitching from about the age of 11 to maybe 23 and then I discovered quilting, then knitting and that has taken up my free time since. I keep thinking I should get another cross stitch pattern. Hand work is such a nice way to spend cold winter nights, especially with hubbies who watch tv!!
Lisa
Same here, had SUCH a problem threading needles. Then I bought this http://www.amazon.com/Over-Neck-Lighted-Ultraviewer-1-5x/dp/1880059312 and never looked back ! It might work for you....
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