Speaking of folk art, I downloaded these cross stitch patterns a few weeks ago, thinking my daughter would like to work on them while I read aloud. She gave me that look - that very uninterested look. She would never say anything because she's sort of polite like that, but I knew. Fine, I thought, I'll do them myself.
And so demonstrates that phenomenon Melissa Wiley speaks of so often - if you do something yourself, your children are automatically interested. Before I completed one of the four patterns, my little girl was begging to join me. I worked mine on the recommended even weave linen over 2 threads which, let me tell you, I thought would be super easy. I ripped out every single stitch in that first go 'round. It took some time to figure out. I knew it would be even trickier for my little girl because I don't allow her to swear like I do (kidding, Dad!), so I set her up with an 18 count cross stitch fabric.
As we began, I got a little frustrated with the state of our embroidery box. A giant tangle of thread and no hoops to be found at all (I know they are around here somewhere). I went ahead and splurged on $3.00 worth of plastic bobbins and spent many a playoff baseball game serenely wrapping each tangled length neatly around. It was very satisfying. And I'm more than a little pleased with my array of bright threads, a case for my needles (courtesy of my sister), hoops, scissors, and the seam ripper, of course.
I don't like to buy more plastic stuff in the name of trying to get organized, but those little embroidery thread bobbins are a very good investment. All of this stuff fits nicely in a glass canister I already owned. It's lovely and organized, all for $3.00!
Happy Sunday, friends! I'm hoping to get our picture books as organized this afternoon. This is unlikely to happen for $3.00 (or at all) and watch the Cowboys and Rangers both win their games today (I hope this is more likely).
P.S. I brought back my spooky Halloween banner for this week! If you are new here, that's an actual photo I took a few years ago that ended up super creepy. Love this time of year!
If you need more bobbins, we use these downloadable ones printed on cardstock- so cute, and pretty durable, too!
http://wildolive.blogspot.com/2009/11/printable-thread-bobbins.html
Posted by: coffeemamma | October 23, 2011 at 10:02 AM
How cute! Thanks for the link to those sweet bobbins!
Posted by: Jennifer | October 23, 2011 at 10:28 AM
I've always loved your Halloween header, at first I used to think it was so unlike you, but now I understand it :-) Its just another expression of your lovely light-filled enthusiastic spirit - an embrace of the season.
I like what you've done with your threads, and I think your cross stitch is so sweet. I'm going to be doing some drawing today and I want to see if my dd joins me in it or not!
Posted by: sarah | October 23, 2011 at 12:55 PM
I haven't cross stitched in years but you have me itching to do it again. And yes, that is a very creepy banner, more so knowing that it is an actual photo.
Posted by: tara | October 24, 2011 at 04:38 AM
Those are so cute! I am actually thinking of taking a cross stitch class at my LYS. There is a sweet woman that works down there and I could not help but think she would make an excellent teacher!! Your post has inspired me! So cute!
Posted by: Amy Caroline | October 24, 2011 at 08:43 PM