Something Old, Something New

Now that autumn has arrived, I've been inspired to stitch something for Halloween. I found a small Bent Creek kit that I'd forgotten I'd had -- Hello, My Name is Boo. I stitched it in about a day and even did the little bit of finishing needed. The kit included the pre-made pillow, buttons and tag. So it was just a matter of sewing it up, and I was done.

Because Boo was such a small piece, it didn't completely satisfy my Halloween urge. So I pulled out a long-abandoned UFO -- Just Nan's Girls' Night Out. There was very little I had left to do: one over-one face, a little backstitching, the witches' hair, and the broom bristles.

As I was working on this, I was wondering why I had put it aside. Probably something else caught my attention. But I was really enjoying it, and feel a sense of accomplishment that I turned a UFO into a finished piece. Well, finished in terms of the stitching. I don't know if I'll do anything with it. Right now it is part of my Halloween display of cross-stitch that I hang on my shelves.

Renewed Hope for an old UFO

A while ago, I wrote about the potential for saving UFOs. One of the posts was about a kit I bought while on a trip to Paris. After stitching about a quarter of the design I realized that the fabric wasn't big enough. So, the piece was cast aside, never to be touched again. Well, on my recent trip to Paris, I had an "aha!" moment. Of course, a visit to Les Bonheur des Dames, one of my favorite places in Paris and where I bought the kit two years ago, was on the top of my list of things to do. Located under the archways of Le Viaduc des Arts on Avenue Daumesnil, the shop is spacious and carries many wonderful designs. I was particularly tempted by their tablecloth kits, but given the cost and the exchange rate, I resisted. (I happen to have a kit with that cup design that I could potentially use for a tablecloth. So many designs, not enough time...) Of course, I didn't resist everything that caught by eye. I bought a few things that will be gifts for friends throughout the year. For myself, I picked up Madame La Chef. It came packaged in a plastic egg with a whisk charm that was too cute to resist . . . and it was on sale. How could I pass it up?

Another wonderful thing about the shop is that they have tons of stitched models hanging on the walls. And the vaulted ceiling gives them loads of space for that. So I take my purchases to the cash register, and while the saleswoman is ringing everything up, I'm admiring all the models. Now, for the aha moment. Right behind the register are models of the seasonal designs of which Juillet, my abandoned piece, is one. Lo and behold, it hits me. They are all done over one. I'm sure you've guessed by now that I was stitching my kit over two. Of course, when I got home, I pulled out the kit. Right on the front it says "petit point," which of course, means stitch over one thread. What a silly mistake on my part. Oh well, c'est la vie. Now having seen those models and realizing my mistake makes me want to try again with this design. And I'm sure I can find a piece of fabric somewhere in my stash, ya think?

Can This Project Be Saved?

Part II: “I can’t forgive the constant flirting with newer projects.”

No two projects are alike. With some, you’re happy to put in the time, and can take the project to completion. Others prove to be more difficult. Often abandoned for greener pastures. In the second installment in the series, we look at how a stitcher can be lured away from a long-term commitment to a project and what it might take to bring them back together. We’ll hear from both sides –- stitcher and project –- and get expert advice from the project therapist who will determine if this project can be saved.

The Project’s Turn (Drawn Thread’s Sampler Game Board): It was a wonderful beginning. We went away for a stitching retreat at Wyndham. I was honored that my stitcher picked me out from her extension stash to go on a stitching retreat in Connecticut. I knew she had other projects in the works that were still hanging around – Spot of Tea II from Samplers and Such, which was very close to being done, but never made it; and Girls Night Out from Kreinik, a kit with Milkpaint silks, which were all the rage for a time but you never hear about them now. It didn’t matter to me. I knew I had a lot to offer – I’m a game board with 32 houses and an equal number of wonderful motifs, including a pretty terrific bee. There was no question in my mind that I could keep her interest.
Sure we had some time apart. What stitcher and project don’t? At first, it was for little things: a bee scissor fob, and a string of Bent Creek designs -- Eagle on an Egg, Pop!, A.Bee.C. But then there were more substantial pieces coming between us: La-D-Da’s Leaping Cat, that little French number, Coeur de Provence, from Rouge du Rhin (both of which were completed but are nowhere to be found) and a Chessie and Me Christmas ornament. And that's just in one year!

We started to grow apart. There were longer and longer stretches of time when she didn't bother with me. For awhile, I was relegated to a traveling project, as big as I am. It became a “tradition” to stitch me on occasional trips to Stitching Pretty in Maryland. Even that stopped eventually. Oh, she’d pick me up now and then because she felt guilty, but I can’t remember the last time she did.

The Stitcher’s Turn: I haven’t given up on the Game Board. I know I haven’t worked on it for a long time, and there have been many, many others along the way. But I still think of it as a WIP, not a UFO. It’s not the Game Board’s fault. It has everything I love. I really have no excuse. I want to work it out.

The Project Therapist’s Turn: I think these two have a real chance. But the stitcher really has to make an effort to include Sampler Game Board. I recommend that they set aside an hour to two a week to get reacquainted. It may take some time, but I think they can make it to the end.

Can This Project Be Saved?

What stitcher hasn't experienced that rush of excitement when starting a new project? You gather the fabric, fibers and embellishments needed, and you settle into your favorite stitching spot to make those first stitches. But that level of attraction and excitement often can’t be sustained. With some projects, you find a comfortable rhythm, putting in the needed time and attention that keeps it on track and fulfilling. Other times, it gets too difficult and demanding. Progress you were making is wiped out by a moment of carelessness and miscounting. Your interest wanes, and soon you cast the project aside and take up with another. In this four-part series, we’ll take a look at why projects turn into UFOs. We’ll hear from both stitcher and UFO, and find out, with the help of a UFO therapist, whether there can be a happy ending or will the project remain forever a UFO.

Part I: “It was only a summer fling.”

The Stitcher’s turn:

I first spotted Juillet in Le Bonheur des Dames in Paris. It was July, 2004, and I was on a business trip. I was taking a couple of days to enjoy the city before the business part of the trip began. The hotel where I was staying was only a short distance from the shop, so I decided to have a look around. The red poppies instantly caught my eye. It had been a long time since I worked on a floral design and had been thinking about picking one out. The fact that Juillet was a kit with linen and DMC was also in its favor. I left with it that day, brought it home to Brooklyn and started it as soon as I could.

It was going along really well. I was enjoying the blues, greens, and of course, the red poppies. I had been working on the right half of the design and when I reached the poppies at the bottom, it suddenly struck me. There wasn’t enough fabric. I was so disappointed. I tried to tell myself to continue on. It didn’t matter. Adjust the bottom. But it just didn’t seem worth it. I knew it was just a summer fling, so I put it away.

The UFO's turn:

Is it my fault that she didn’t measure the fabric before she started? It didn’t have to be this way. She could have substituted different fabric. She does it all the time. She still could. Eh, Americans. What can you expect? They are so fickle.

The UFO Therapist’s turn:

The stitcher was experienced enough at the time to realize that kits can sometimes be unreliable. She definitely should have measured the fabric before starting. The kit did cost 16 euros. It seems a shame not to try again. It wouldn’t really cost anything since the stitcher can substitute some linen or evenweave and replace the used DMC from her stash. But given the stitcher’s lack of interest and the amount of time that has passed, there doesn’t seem to be much hope for this project.

Next week -- Part II: "I can't stand the constant flirting with newer projects."

Note: I got the idea to write a satirical post about unfinished projects from I Help You Blog's 101 Great Posting Ideas for Your Blog.