I don’t know why, but I’ve always wanted to be a cross stitcher. I don’t think it’s a particularly difficult or beautiful art, but it is soothing in it’s own way. I think it also makes me feel connected to the past too. Women used to sit and quilt or paint or cross stitch even while they were in the midst of homesteading huge parcels of land and though we’re rehomesteading, I feel like I’ve got a lot on my plate like my ancestors did.
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| Just getting started about three years ago! |
Jack’s repeatedly told me he thinks it’s an art for old women. I just shrug. I guess I’m practicing being an old woman early. After starting this cross stitch when we lived in Cedar Rapids and I had little else to do but entertain the children and work on crafting projects. When we got back to our homestead, the cross stitch was forgotten and it wasn’t until we moved to Indiana that I stumbled upon it and decided I needed to finish what I started.
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| Making progress this past January. |
There are some technical imperfections (pardon that the pattern isn’t centered in the frame) but overall, I’m pleased with how it turned out. Originally, the pattern called for it to be written, It’s all about the journey but I decided to stitch one of my favorite phrases: Find joy in the journey. No one would say their trip to grandma’s house was more important that seeing grandma. I’m inclined though, to not enjoy the trip to grandma’s and am always overeager to reach the destination. I am convinced that both the journey to and the time at the destination are important. Anyway, a minor detail but a good reminder nonetheless.
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| Hanging inconspicuously in the hallway, right at the heart of the chaos. Jack said, “Oh, you hung it up. Now you’re really an old lady!” It’s his way of saying congratulations for finishing and that it looks nice. |
