How did we get here?

Although I have been crafting for as long as I can remember, I have not always been a cross stitcher. I have been a quilter, a crocheter, and a crafter for years, but cross stitch is fairly new to me.

I started cross stitching when my oldest daughter was about 6 months old. You know, when they start needing more attention than just making sure they are loved, fed, rested, and changed. In those beginning days I could still quilt and sew to my hearts content (as long as I scheduled it during naptime). One day I found myself frustrated that my little sweetheart was not longer going to let me live my life the way that I had planned. Life was up to her now. I needed something to feed my crafty bug, that I could put down and pick back up easily. No extra set-up and cleanup. Not having to be worried about losing my spot or count while I finish a row of crochets while she screamed for something.

I found cross stitch. My friend Shannon posted on her Instagram a picture of a project she was working on, it was a Frosted Pumpkin pattern called Pumpkin Passport. “What an adorable thing to put in a little girl’s room” I thought as I immediately bought the pattern and the kit for it online. Time to teach myself a new craft/skill. I started working on it the second it got in my hands and I was right, this was a great craft to pick up and put down while my little one demanded my attention.

Then I fell down the flosstube rabbit hole. I was tempted by other gorgeous patterns and designers. I couldn’t just work on this one project!! My WIP (work-in-progress) list grew and grew. I changed my preference on fabrics to work on and Pumpkin Passport got pushed to the wayside.

After numerous starts and finishes I finally decided to get back to what brought me to this craft and get it finished! I completed it on December 9^th last year.

Pumpkin Passport by the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery

Things I Know for Certain

March is Market Month in the Cross Stitch Community. Market is an event that takes place in Nashville, TN that brings designers and shop owners into the same event for everyone to co mingle. It is an opportunity for designers to show off finished pieces of their designs and a place for shop owners to stock up their shops. This upcoming and exciting event has really inspired me to get on top of my design game. I put some time into getting this project finished, just before it hit the one year mark and got right on top of designing some new pieces.

This is my first nod to Practical Magic, one of my most favorite movies and a quote that needs to be displayed on any witchy woman’s wall! It is called Things I Know for Certain and it is stitched on Picture this Plus 32 count linen in Shale and finished into a wall hanging. I’ve got another Practical Magic Stitch in the works and its in my q-snap and won’t be replaced until it is completed!

I am so excited to continue my designing journey as this pattern has given me so much inspiration to push forward! I will be branching out from the witchy vibes, but currently the only two patterns in my shop fit into that world. My YNYMO (You Know You’re Missing Out) Market (not actually gonna be there) Release will be my new Practical Magic piece, and from there, you’ll get two pieces that come from the surf world. Where we go from there is still living up in my brain somewhere and I have to dig it out!

The toughest part of designing for me is the idea. Once that exists, the design can get out of my head pretty quickly! Hopefully I’ll be back next week with a new pattern and maybe even a Flosstube video. I’ve gotta put it out there that I’m gonna start doing them again, to help motivate myself. It is time to get back into that habit!