I wish I had kept track of the hours ... which have turned into days, weeks, & nearly months ... that I have been working on this blasted January Word Play. Some stitchers do that. I've seen them post a photo of a completed project & make mention that it took them a total of 19 hours, for example, to stitch that particular piece. I have thought that it would maybe be a good idea to do that & to perhaps include the information on a little label attached to the back of a framed piece or note it in a little stitching journal. I imagine it would be interesting to someone one day.
I've also seen stitchers just make a general note of their stitching time. They will, for example, post a photo of something like this & add a caption similar to the one below it ...
Start Date: 2-3-2012
Finish date: 2-3-2012
Okay ... maybe that's just a wee bit exaggerated but trust me ... these people are out there. And God bless them! We all have our talents & certainly in the world of cross stitching this speed, precision, & perfection comes in handy ... especially when you consider the hundred or more projects we all want to accomplish in our lifetimes with ever more projects being added to them thanks to our finding new designs or designs that are new to us.
I have said before that I am not in any kind of stitching race. I enjoy the process of stitching. If it takes me a week or a month or several months to stitch something it's not going to make me love it any less. My projects may not be falling out of my hands like chocolate chips passing by on an assembly line but I still love & enjoy each & every one.
Almost.
Enter the January Word Play.
As I mentioned last week, Frosty & I have developed a close friendship. He & I are comrades in arms in this hell known as January Word Play which I began stitching on January 12. Now take a look at this thing ...
Honestly, how simple can it be?!?!? This would've taken a normal stitcher what ... 2 days at the most to stitch? (The term "normal stitcher" does not include Speedy Gonzalez, the stitcher who would whip out the sampler pictured at the start of this post in a day or two.) But not me! Not Shirlee the Slug! Yes, I've had some frustration along the way (curse you, GAST Shaker White!), but that frustration ended last week when Frosty & I became friends. Up to that point I had a good deal of this design stitched ... most of the words, all but 2 of the small snowflakes, the holly branch on the left side of the cart, all but 1 of the trees, 2 of the birds, & Frosty from the neck up. Since that time I have spent two full days attempting to complete this design. Two full days of stitching, interrupted only for meal preparation & enjoyment, bathroom breaks, & a small bit of housekeeping (dishes, a load of laundry, etc). But is January Word Play done? No. What do I have left to stitch? One word, the wagon wheel spokes, & Frosty's arms. After my many hours of stitching yesterday ... which included a bit of frogging from time to time ... I began to fantasize about putting the January Word Play out on the lawn, dousing it with lighter fluid, tossing on a lighted match, & dancing around in a circle singing "I've got that joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart" while the flames consumed it out of existence. What stopped me? Frosty. I can't do that to Frosty.
I propose a name change for January Word Play. Something along the lines of ...
January Hell on Earth
January Mental Institution Admission Prelude
January Kill Me Now
... or quite simply ...
It Will Take You Longer Than the Month of January to Stitch This Blasted Design!
15 comments:
Sometimes a certain project goes like that but all credit to you for keeping at it.
Hopefully you will find your next project will fly from your needles.
Your too funny...you make me laugh hun; I know Frosty is going to be beautiful...just take your sweet time and enjoy him..like with any good man.LOL
Hugs, Shar
I know your pain! I have only done the November one. That dang turkey!! I ended up improvising on him, just to be done with it! He was SO ugly, he looked cute!But in the end, it looked okay. HOWever, I have not felt the need to do any more of them YET!! Hugs!
I can relate to the burning ritual. It's too good-looking to burn, so have a bonfire and roast a marshmallow in clebration when it's done. Invite Frosty too.
There is a lot of work in that word play so do not be disheartened. Two days would never do it for me. Maybe a week? Anyway what really caught my eye was that completed piece in the middle with all the squares on. Who is that by??? I really love it. x
i haven't done January yet. i went straight to feb. because i got it before Jan. since i work a 40 hr. wk. i took me 2 wks of evening stitching. they do work up fast .i'm waiting on march. Denise
THAT was hilarious and your humor made my entire day! Thanks for sharing. :) Love the stitch work and design, despite it's 'hellish' moments.
Thanks, I needed that! You are funny, funny, funny. c:
Oh deary you speaking straight from my heart,,,
I still don't come back to stitching,,making 10 more things ,,,lol,,
This sampler is I am doing for BAP challenge,,still have to start it yet hmmmnn
Love u xxx
Thanks for the laugh. What will we do when this one is completed? for laugh I mean.
I think your great to keep percevering with your January word play, it would take me at least a week to finish so your not slow at stitching
look forward to seeing your finish whenever that may be x
Oh dear, good luck and hang in there. I think that I have made an error on Cinderella but I am thinking that I might be able to ignore it. Do you think that plan will work?
Hugs, Kaye xoxox
For some reason it seems that the simpler designs take way longer than I think they should-apparently I don't concentrate enough on them and tend to make stupid mistakes! (When will you be starting the February word play?)
Frosty will be worth it Shirlee ( honest he will!). Sometimes it happens that way that something that looks simple and quick takes what seems like forever. I've had that before!
When I post my finishes I put the design info, threads and fabric I used and start and finish date. That way if people like it they know what the design etc is.
You crack me up Girlfriend - and I needed a laugh today. I vote for the latter name (It Will Take You Longer Than the Month Of January to Stitch This Bugger....) And I'm here to cheer you up....Contrary to the many commenters above you said they'd knock it off in a week or so - ummmm, not so for me....I'm in the slug club with you. See we have more in common that you thought....That sucker would be on my hoop for months. Glad Frost is keeping you company. I, too, will miss him when he's done. Perhaps you can bring him back as a guest blogger from time to time..... ;o) Smiles & Wednesday Hugs ~ Robin
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