My cross stitch hobby is something I talk about often now, but the truth is my love of stitching started long before cross stitch ever entered the picture. I’ve been stitching for most of my life. Not cross stitch at first — just stitching in general.
I learned how to sew by machine when I was seven years old. By eight, I had moved on to embroidery. At that age, a needle and thread felt like magic to me. You could start with a plain piece of fabric and somehow turn it into something beautiful.
When I was growing up, I had two career goals. I was either going to be a cashier or a fashion designer. Those were the only two options in my mind.
Now the fashion designer I had in mind wasn’t the kind people talk about today. (Remember that scene in Sister Act II when Sister Mary-Clarence said she wanted to be in the Ice Capades? Some of us had fantasy goals. 😉) Back then, the designer I knew was Edith Head. I loved costumes, dramatic clothes, and things that felt a little larger than life.
Much respect to seamstresses and tailors — they do beautiful, skilled work. But that wasn’t what I imagined for myself. I wanted to do more than make clothing. I wanted to make something bold. Costumes. Formal gowns. Pieces with big personality — maybe even a bigger personality than the person wearing them.
As a kid in the 70s and 80s, when I said I wanted to be a fashion designer, people would give me that polite look that basically meant: “Oh… that’s nice, but you’ll also need a real job.”
Fashion design always existed. Magazines and television were our portals to that world. There was no Instagram, no Pinterest, and no endless inspiration online. But I still made things. The idea of creating clothes — something bold and different — was always in the back of my mind.
For proms, formal events, and big occasions, I often made my own clothes. Mostly because I didn’t want to look like anyone else. And here’s the funny part. I carried a camera everywhere and took pictures of everyone else. But it never occurred to me to take pictures of the things I made. My thinking was simple: “I can see it anytime. I’ll just make another one.” If I could go back in time, I’d probably shake my younger self and say, “Take the picture!”
Everyone Had A Plan For Me
Like most families, everyone had their own idea of what I should grow up to be. My father wanted me to be a lawyer. He used to say I could argue with rock and make it think it was tree. 😏
A favorite uncle thought I should become an educator. I was an avid reader and a straight-A student. 😉My aunt was convinced that, like her, I belonged in medicine. This one still makes me laugh, because I get queasy and do not like hospitals. 🫣 My oldest sister is a nurse — that’s close enough for me.
And honestly, I understood why.
School came naturally to me, and they wanted to make sure I had a solid foundation and a secure future. My mother had a slightly different request. If I was going to keep making things, she just wanted to know one thing: “Are you going to make me something too?” 😂
Everyone supported what they believed was my hobby. They just weren’t sure it was the best foundation for a career.
Years later, my father apologized. He told me he had always known I was talented. He simply wanted to make sure I could take care of myself. And the truth is, I understood that completely. Because no matter what direction I had chosen, I know he would have supported it anyway, he had my back.
Discovering My Cross Stitch Hobby
Over the years my relationship with sewing changed. I still have my machines, but my love for hand stitching never went away. Eventually my cross stitch hobby found its way into my life.
When I was a kid, cross stitch patterns were… well… different. Most of what you saw were baby themes, ducks, geese, or very traditional designs. The artwork wasn’t nearly as diverse or elaborate as what we see today. Now cross stitch designs can look like paintings made entirely from thread. Landscapes, portraits, gardens, city scenes — the possibilities are endless.
For me, my cross stitch hobby became something more than just a pastime. It became a ritual. At the end of the day, when everything quiets down, I pick up my needle and thread, turn on something I enjoy on television, and simply stitch. I’ve jokingly called it my cigarette. No, I don’t smoke — but because people often step away for a cigarette to relax and decompress. My cross stitch hobby is how I do that. It quiets my mind. It slows everything down. And sometimes I get so comfortable that I fall asleep right on top of my project.
Yes… that has happened more than once.
The Joy of Too Many Projects
If you stitch, you already know the truth. Starting a new project is a special kind of excitement. There’s something about opening a new pattern, sorting the floss, and seeing those first stitches appear that never gets old. Which may explain why I have more projects started than I probably should admit. But that’s part of the joy of a cross stitch hobby. The beginning is just as exciting as the finish.
Something New on the Horizon
Lately something new has been happening. I’ve started experimenting with creating my own cross stitch patterns. They still need work — quite a bit of work, actually. Cleaning up colors, adjusting details, and refining the charts takes time. But the process has been surprisingly fun.
So who knows…
You may start seeing a few of those patterns appearing here sometime soon.
dragonflies & honey
simple goods for the spirit.
