nachosmiley wrote:Stitching is a sloooow hobby (unless your name is Vanessa )....nice and relaxing....a wonderful way to destress after a hectic day at work or with the kids.
It really isn't a race and you will soon realise that the fun is in the process as much as the finish.
There's nothing quite like finishing a piece after all those hours of stitching away...it's an accomplishment...a labour of love But.....if you didn't have to spend all that time stitching then that finish wouldn't feel as special now would it? Well thats what I think anyway!
It just seems like I am fast because I am totally addicted!!
Vanessa
A little progress every day adds up to big results
WIP
The adoration of the kings- Golden kite completed
Everyone has given you great advice. Your speed will vary from project to project, even as you improve some new projects will go slower than ones you've done before. This can be due to any number of factors including lighting, state of mind, how easy the pattern is to follow, how much counting needs doing, and how frequently you have to start and finish threads. It is not a quick hobby by any means. Cross-stitching requires you to be the tortoise and not the hare.
- Luca
WIPs
Joan Elliot's "Grace"
"Sephina's Secret" by Illustrated Ink
Small Projects - Belle & Boo girl w/dove
vanessanjf wrote:It just seems like I am fast because I am totally addicted!!
... and very modest.
Like the others, I was going to say experience. When you love doing something, you spend more time on it and a by-product of that is you get good at it. Not necessarily because you're aiming to be good at it, but just because you love it so much and you get tons of practice.
diamondradleylover wrote:I definitely see your points about it being relaxing. I can sit and do it for hours.
It is definitely enjoyable. I only ask about speeding up because I'm trying to make a picture for my boyfriend for christmas with batman characters and I'm not sure it will be finished in time.
Let me answer this way. This October I started a present for my Mother-In-Law for Christmas 2013. You will enjoy the hobby more if you give yourself way more time then you actually need to complete it. Also if you plan on getting it framed, the shops around here have an October 31st deadline to guarantee it being ready before Christmas. They get inundated with orders.
Its for a christmas present for him that I'm making it for. Did I put birthday by accident? ooops lol.
It isnt very big though so it might only be a little bit overdue. Its one of the pixel people patterns off of etsy. I'm hoping to be able to buy just a ready made frame for it because my mum is really good at framing things.
Next time I'm making as a present I will leave a lot more time to do it.
WIP's
Cupcakes of the Month: Cupcake Two
HAED Mini Strawberry Surf
Cottage of the Month October
Gorjuss Winter Friend
Wow. Sorry I didn't get to this thread sooner! It's moved quickly and you've gotten good advice.
I am one of those who has complained the most about being a slow stitcher. Then I realised I only need to gage MY speed, and not compare to anyone else. I started stitching a few different types of projects and learned to stitch on different fabric counts, learned specialty stitches, and learned that it all takes time and the best results (for me) are from a gentle pace and a rythmn that soothes me. I changed from a marathon rotation program to one where I see progress before I change designs. And even these lessons have taken time. After about a year and a half, I now feel confident as a stitcher. And all it took was experience and time and the wonderful advice and friendships on this forum ...
pattiebelle
"Gratitude is memory of the heart" (Jean-Baptiste Massieu)
)....nice and relaxing....a wonderful way to destress after a hectic day at work or with the kids.
But.....if you didn't have to spend all that time stitching then that finish wouldn't feel as special now would it? Well thats what I think anyway!
