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Love:
Finding a new project
Project Subject: Flowers, Birds, Victorian dresses or Antique subject
The power of purchasing in itself (package in the mail)
Having the WIP fully organized
Listening to classical music while I work. Somehow working with rock music throws me off track?
Finding a new beautiful color thread!

Loathe:
Threading a needle
Sewing the edges of the canvas/fabric (I don't have a sewing machine).
Winding the floss bobbins
Eyes get too tired, but my hands and mind want to go on...

I love hand dyed threads and fabric, detailed animals designs (like Jayne Netley Mayhew) and the calm that stitching can bring.

I hate kits without pre-sorted thread and the 'modern' style of stitching big, blocky patterns (like the ones popular in Cross Stitcher at the moment!).

To follow up on above posts, one thing I love about cross-stitch is that it gets me to listen to educational podcasts and audiobooks, something I don't do much in the car anymore since I have a relatively short commute to work. I've learned all about the history of the English language, the history of Rome and the French Revolution (and right now, the Haitian Revolution, something I knew absolutely nothing about before this month!), and a few different podcasts on English history. All the stuff I miss from college!

Starting/finishing a project
Getting lost in a project
Watching the pattern grow
How stitching allows me to de stress

Loathe
Knots
Not having any time to stitch for months at a time--projects mock me

Kathy, I listen to podcasts while I stitch too! My absolute favourite is Radiolab, which tells amazing scientific and historical stories.