Photograph:
CatLane
Unfi nished projects lurking in your cupboard? Our
manbroiderer understands and is here to help...
ellodearreaders! IthoughtI’d
taketimetoaddressanold
stitchingissue–WIPs,here’s a
sneakpeekofwhatIhaveto
sayabouttheminmyupcomingbook,
TheMrXStitchGuidetoCrossStitch.
WorksInProgress(WIPs) arethe
baneofanystitcher’s life,andnearly
everyonewillhaveatleastone
unfi nishedpieceintheirstash.Letme
helpeaseyourpotentialtensions
abouttheseWIPs!
MyoldestWIPisten.She’sagraffiti
patt ern,stuckonascrollframeandshe
sitsinacornerofacupboardinmy
office.Onceayearwecelebrateher
birthdaywithanunrolling,scratching
ofchinandlightdusting,thenshe
goesbackinthecupboard.WillI
fi nishher? Unlikely. CanIbearto
throwheraway?Notatthemoment,
I’veputabout30hoursintoher.
It’s hardtoknowwhattodowith
WIPs,butthemostimportantthingis
tonotbeatyourselfupabouttheir
existence.Forsomepeople,WIPsare
affectedbycommitmentissues,but
moreoftenthannotaWIPisjustabig
projectthatgetsabitboring.Aproject
whereyou’restitchinglargespacesof
thesamecolourismonotonous,and
there’snoshortcuttocompletingit.
Myfavouritecopingmechanismfor
WIPsistohaveatleastthreeprojects
onthegosimultaneously,ofdiff ering
colours,sothatifIgetboredofa
particularpalett e,Icanchangeto
somethingfreshformyeyes.Achange
isasgoodasarestinthiscase.Ifyoudo
havebigareasofcolourtoplough
through,it’s goodtoembracethe
meditativenessofitall,asthestitching
requireslitt lethought(countingnot
withstanding)andyoucanfi nda
rhythmandenjoytheprocess.
Listeningtoyourfavouritechill-out
musicwhilegoingforthebigboysisa
greatwaytofi ndapace,andifyouuse
atwin-pointedneedle,you’llbedone
beforeyouknowit.
Inshort,dearreader,donotfret
aboutyourWIPs.Ifyou’veboughta
gooddesignyou’llfi nishitintheend
becauseit’llgosomewherespecial.
Ifyoucan’tfi nishaproject–Inever
fi nishedTheKissbyKlimt(70,
stitches)becausetoomanyelements
endedupbeingoutofalignment–
makeartwithit!Turnwhatyou’ve
doneintoapatch.Fillintherestwith
randomcoloursandframeit.Burnit
inaceremonyinhonourofthe
stitchinggods.Leaveitinacupboard
butcelebrateitsbirthdayonceayear.
Dowhateveryouwant,butenjoyit;
yourcrossstitchesshouldbringyou
peaceandjoy, notguiltandangst.
You’llbeokay,Ipromise.
It’s hard to knowwhatto do with WIPs,
but the mostimportantthingis not to beat
yourselfup abouttheir existence
http://www.mrxstitch.com
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Findmeonline:
Inside the mindof
H
Three of my many WIPs;
from 2010 (top),
2013 (middle), and
2015 (bottom)
CRAFTY THOUGHTS