Cross-Stitch

I lived in the dormitory my first year of college. At Ouachita, you had girls' dorms and boys' dorms, and if you were one and went in the other, you could only go in the lobby, and that was only before something like 10 p.m. If it was the weekend I think it was midnight. The reason I lived in the dormitory only for my first year was because Hubby and I got married between our freshman and sophomore years.

So during my freshman year, one of the RA's was at the desk doing cross-stitch. I had tried needlepoint when I was growing up at some point, and for me it was a nightmare. This cross-stitch looked like it might be up my alley.

So I did what anyone in a very small Arkansas town would do. I went to Wal-Mart and looked for a kit. That is, after I talked my boyfriend and future Hubby into driving me there.

I read directions. I always have. It has to do with my OCD I think. So when the directions told me to use two strands, I tried. The directions didn't tell me that the floss is actually already made up of six strands and you have to separate it. I finally got all twelve strands through my needle and started stitching.

After a few stitches things just didn't seem right, so I went up and asked the RA about it. I honestly don't remember if she laughed at me, but I still laugh thinking about it. She explained what I needed to do to use my floss.

The only cross-stitch I've ever done is counted cross-stitch. It's the left-brain math girl in me. I've done a couple on linen and use stretcher bars for them. Otherwise I just hold the fabric in my hands and don't use hoops or anything, even on the big stuff, including this Grandma Moses' reproduction.

The entire surface of this cross-stitch is stitched. The frame size is roughly two feet wide, if that gives you an idea how big it is. It took me a little over a year to do when I was in college after Hubby and I got married.

Here are two more of my favorites. The patterns were by Charles Wysocki. The first one I did over 15 years ago, probably closer to 20, and the other one I did while we lived in Virginia.

I have a lot more patterns by Wysocki in my drawer to do. If I could just find the time...

This post is linked to Show and Tell Friday at There's No Place Like Home.