How to Complicate a Cross Stitch Project And Learn A Valuable Life Lesson Along the Way

Step 1:
Decide to make two excessively complex cross stitch projects (because these things should come in pairs).

Seriously, how can there be so
many shades of grey?

Step 2:
Go to a dedicated cross stitch store with very knowledgeable staff who are paid through overly expensive thread that it turns out you have already. Get fabric cut to particular dimensions, receive far too many instructions, and leave promising to return "soon" (hahahaha) to get project framed.

Step 3:
Start the more complicated, but smaller of the two projects with high high hopes of finishing both by Christmas.


Step 4:
Shriek in frustration as you realize you have embroidered fabric horizontally, not vertically.

Step 5:
Undo all of previous work. Cry a little inside.

Step 6:
Start the easier of the two projects, easy being relative to image looking like a child colouring inside the lines vs size. Which is large.

Step 7:
Join full time schooling and enter the force of Study Students of Solace. Dedicated cross stitch time now reserved to summer holidays exclusively. Christmas completion date thrown out window.

Step 8:
Pick up project on following summer, by which point you have completely forgotten thread placement and plans. Spend 5 hours staring at instruction book counting tiny boxes that only Thumbalina could have drawn

Step 9:

Ah, the smell of success and blistered fingers

Feel moment of pride as features become recognizable and thread length is perfected so as no longer to cause knots large enough for a mouse to nest in. Have creepy sensation of being watched by project's half formed face. Make mental note to do eyes last on the next go around.

Step 10:
Put finishing touches onto first project 1.5 years after start date.

Step 11:
Stare at second project in fear.

Step 12:
Check and recheck fabric is vertical. Place first two stitches. Recheck fabric is still vertical.

Every X is a victory

Step 13:
Start second colour. Immediately lose place due to the entire thing being in 27 shades of grey.

Step 14:
Develop system where complete 10x10 boxes are crossed off with pencil.

Step 15:
Change to crossing off 5x5 sections after multiple miscounted boxes have to be unthreaded.

Step 16:
Feel pride as features FINALLY come into shape. Finish entire face before adding eyes.

Step 17:
Decide to add quotes to both projects, further complicating a task that the smallest child able to hold a needle without stabbing themselves is able to do.

Step 18:
Realize that you can get a college education before completing a Christmas present for your nieces.

Through all of this, I finally had to accept that I was not perfect, and neither was my crafting. Making something flawlessly would not make me any less flawed. Boy, was that a big pill to swallow.

I let go, and only then was I able to ask for help to get this thing finished in time for the newest Christmas deadline. The girls I had originally started these projects for were now facing high school. Would they still want it? My husband, solid and stable as always was certain they would.

Matted and placed in oak frames built by their uncle, the two humble projects looked fantastic. The faces of my nieces when they saw what they had made it all worth it. They didn't see the mistakes that I had agonized over. They saw the hard work and love that had gone into their gifts, and the last weight was gone from my shoulders