Tuesday 1 March 2011

Hobbying!

The trouble with bear-making is that it begins as a hobby, then worms its way into your soul and before you know it, you're running a business!  That's how things happened for me anyhow ... and the trouble with running a business, is that before you know it, you no longer have a hobby ...

The perfect cross stitch kit for me?!

Every so often, I crave a totally un-bear related project and this year, I have decided to try my hand at cross-stitch.  The odd thing is, despite making bears for my living, I have never been terribly confident with hand sewing.  Yes, I can embroider a nifty nose, close a seam and twiddle a little with stitchery now and again, but I'm conscious that embroidery for me has always been a bit of a challenge.  I blame it on being a hopeless leftie - while my right handed friends' stitches flowed in one beautifully neat, praiseworthy direction at school, mine were a confused, unpraiseworthy shambles!

Several of my sisters enjoy cross stitch and I am in awe of their expertise.  I am approaching this project with an 'if they can do it, surely so can I?' attitude ... (whilst privately keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I don't make an utter 'big sister' fool of myself!)

My sister Lynda's beautifully neat cross stitch tapestry work ...

Being me is never straightforward.  I'm not sure why I can't allow myself to take an uncomplicated approach to learning a new skill and simply purchase a simple kit, but no, much as I'd prefer it to be, that's really not my style and knowing me, I've probably bitten off far more than I will ever be able to chew.  Ah well, if nothing else, I can safely say I had fun sourcing the perfect kit and the ideal daylight lamp ...

Several hours later ...

As I can never face bear-making straight after a show, I'm giving myself a spot of 'Paula time' this week in the hope I will bond with my latest hobby.  I settled myself into my armchair today for a few intensive hours, familiarising myself with my sewing frame, threads and charts; needless to say it didn't begin well ... several restarts later, I have what to me looks a totally inadequate amount of sewing to show for my time and now I'm wondering whether I can spare ten years or so to actually complete this latest project!

5 comments:

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  2. Cross-stitching nice hobby to do, just find middle on chart and on your canvas linen run running stitch from top-bottom and left-right and will go much easy as you know where you are in both pieces.If you do an hour or so every day you get used to it and wii go faster,could finish by May.
    Hope you come right and enjoy process.
    All the best Natali

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  3. I love doing cross stitch but boy have you picked a big project to start with. Cross stitch is easy, once you have found a place to start you just follow the pattern along and it really is just small stitches.
    Look forward to seeing the finished result, I hope you enjoy your new hobby.

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  4. Crikey Paula, as Megan said, that's a big design to start with!

    From what I remember, the cross-stitch magazines have free little kits on the front. Mug coasters and greetings cards etc.

    You will get the hang of it! Every new thing takes a little time.

    Hugs, Sarah x

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