As a kid I would usually have just one project going at a time. I would select a kit from the mess of them on the low shelf at the Michael’s craft store in the mall. When I was able to earn my own money, this was a fun way to spend it. Sorting the floss. Ironing the aida cloth into folds to find the center. Putting painters’ tape on the edges to stop the fraying. Using my magnet set to hold the pattern and keep track of my place. My youthful eyes and hands loved a new cross stitch project.

Example of cross stitch kit from my childhood

I still love a new project. I developed a serious case of “startitis” as a knitter – often casting on and purchasing yarn for more projects than I could finish in a lifetime. I would knit every day and never finish anything. Projects would begin and then stall: the cuff of a sock, 400 stitches cast on for a shawl, or the yarn neatly balled up in a project bag. I decided to make a change and try to give my attention to a project long enough to finish it. It worked – I found that I am mostly a maker for the final product – while I do enjoy the process of making, too.

Layout of my pumpkin embroidery project.

I just sent a completed autumn theme hoop over to my mom. It’s time again for a new project. I knew I wanted to keep it in the fall colors – that inspiration is all around me now, and that is what felt appealing. I also hung up some of my fall décor around the house and noticed a glaring lack of pumpkins. I need a hoop with a pumpkin. A maroon fabric and variegated floss jumped out at me. Then a small stall in getting started. The pumpkin hoop in my mind is all filled in – and I admire dense fill stitches like satin stitch, but I don’t love doing them especially for a great big pumpkin. I remembered a tiny bit of orange fabric left in the scrap bag and decided to try an appliqué pumpkin. Now for the fun part of playing with stitches and figuring out when it is done. Updates to come – for now this is the start…

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