Since I just finished a novel on Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year blog, I figured I'd use the old "copy and paste" here onto my personal blog this morning. Here ya go!
HOW I BECAME INVOLVED IN REPRODUCTION SAMPLERS
I have to credit looking at other Stitcher's blogs, and Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year particularly, for inspiring me to purchase my first Scarlet Letter project and for opening the door to this exciting new branch of stitching. (Well, new to me, anyhow!)
I think I may have glanced "briefly" at the samplers on The Scarlet Letter another time in the past, but truly I never thought of buying one of these to stitch myself until I started browsing blogs in preparation of starting my own blog last month or so. I kept seeing the Scarlet Letter Year insignia/link over and over on the blogs I was browsing - and finally clicked on it to see just what I might be missing out on here! Lol
Lo and behold - I'd been missing out on quite a lot!! Now here I was thinking I was Mr. Informed as far as new charts being released. In fact, on a certain Facebook group I belong to, I'd been labeled as "an enabler" due to my constant excitement and frequent re-postings of new charts available for sale. They even had a Stitch-along in my "honor" titled "Blame It On Kevin!" because I guess I had, ahem (cough cough) inspired other stitchers to add to their own heaps o'stash! LOL!
OK, OK, I'll admit that I can sometimes be a bit childish or pre-adolescent in my enthusiasm and lack of concentration when it comes to shiny new objects!! "Did you see THIS!? OHH -- look at this one, wha? Owwww -- now THAT one I just HAVE to have!!" So, you can kind of get the idea of my reaction when stumbling across THIS blog and seeing all the beauties people are working on! (And yes, I know I overuse that punctuation mark known as the exclamation point - because although you can't hear me as I Ohhh and Ahhhh over each new thing that appeals to me, I feel I have to do my utmost duty to impart said enthusiasm to anyone willing to spend a few minutes skimming a post I've written! (Oops, did it again.)
And as for will-power...well, let me just confess openly here -- I HAVE NONE! ZERO! ZIP! BIG OLE GOOSE EGG!! Here's an embarrassing example: last year I had "one" yes, ONE sole kit by Shepherd's Bush in my stash. I thought it was ok, but not something I was dying to stitch. Then, a friend started posting her finishes of her Shepherd's Bush kits. Lookout! I suddenly was on a roll - scouring eBay (yes, I love anything I can buy on sale or discount!) and bidding and buying and building up my Shepherd Bush stash to a staggering .... Oh no, I can't even admit the number of their kits and charts I've amassed. Then, it was onto Blackbird Designs. Carriage House Samplings followed after that. You get the gist. Sooo...now it's no surprise, I'm sure, that Scarlet Letter and reproduction sampler charts in general are in my crosshairs!
Well, I've rambled on quite long enough here. Bottom line - thank you all for opening this new door into reproduction samplers. I love seeing everyone's work and I aspire to reach your level of expertise in stitching and also hope to gain your knowledge regarding these samplers and their history. Look who's enabling who now! :-)
I love your enthusiasm, Kevin! Fantastic! I had to laugh about your stashing. When I first got back into stitching, I was the same way. Just one chart, then all of a sudden, boom, 5 million charts and kits. lol! I'm glad you are into Scarlet Letter and repros now. So many beautiful ones!
ReplyDeleteKevin, You are definitely as capable a stitcher as anyone posting out there in blogland, on Facebook and those who stay away from both and merrily stitch away! I'm afraid, and myself, and probably quite a few others suffer from something much worse than stash enhancement and enabling - and that's NOT ENOUGH STITCHING TIME or stitching with lightening speed to quickly finish one piece and move on to another!
ReplyDeleteI think you'll do a fantastic job with your Scarlett Letter pieces, just as you have with the many others you've started!
I am totally like that too. It is obsessive! I just have to have it :-) It is with stitching stuff, then I see on their blogs they start crocheting granny squares and I want that too. Now I see these stitchers branch out on the Hex on the Beach quilt and I got that too. Started it yesterday and today I have been online looking at other quilt projects. It goes with every cross stitch designer, scissors, threads, needleminders, millenium frame. I tell you it is crazy but ohhhhh soooo much fun!!! :-)
ReplyDelete