UFO Wednesday – Guest Stitcher Margie
Happy UFO Wednesday! This week we’re lucky enough to have yet another guest stitcher. This time, it’s Margie from our Wednesday UFO Cross Stitchers Facebook group. Thanks Margie!
How long have you been stitching?
I have been stitching for about 17 years now.
How did you get into it?
I first learned how to cross stitch in junior high school home economics class. But then didn’t do it again until just before my daughter was born when I went into a craft store & found the stamped cross stitch baby blankets and decided it was time to get back into it!
What’s the largest piece you’ve ever made?
I do have some very large pieces started, just not finished yet. So as far as the largest piece finished, I would have to say it is one called ‘64’ that I made for my husband. It is very large postcard pattern that has some of the lyrics from the song ‘64’ by the Beatles
What’s your favourite piece?
I love all of the designs that I have stitched, but I think my absolute favourite one that I have stitched would be one that I put together and stitched for a couple of my best friends. It is a Football Helmet Birth Announcement. I took a couple of NFL football helmet patterns for my friends favourite teams and I changed all the colours to different shades of pinks. I reversed one so that the helmets were facing each other. Then I added all of their new baby’s birth info in between the helmets. I also included my friends’ names under the helmets so that the piece incorporated all of them into the design. They now have a unique one of a kind birth announcement for their baby girl.
Do you have a favourite designer/style?
There are so many amazing pattern designers out there today, so it is hard to choose just one. However, I would have to say that my top 3 are Tilton Crafts, White Willow Stitching and Heaven and Earth Designs.
What are you currently working on?
Currently, I am working on a very special project. It is some stitched squares that will be included in quilts that will be given to the families of those lost in the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy. I put together designs for the individual quilts that have the name of the person, their birth flower and birthdate. And for the school quilt, it has a heart bouquet and hearts in all the corners and says Forever in our Hearts and has all of the names of the those that lost their lives in that terrible tragedy.
Has Wednesday UFO Cross Stitchers helped your stitching?
I think it has helped a little bit. Although I do get very busy during the holiday season, so now that the holidays are over, I am getting back into my Wednesday stitching.
What is your oldest UFO?
My oldest UFO at this point is a piece called Elemental Masks by Tereena Clarke from Artecy.
Do you have any tips for new stitchers?
I would have to say first start with small projects. And also, in order to keep your WIP/UFO list short, best to only have a couple of projects going at one time. It is easy to get excited over a new pattern and start it. And then another and another. And before you know it, you have a dozen different pieces started, and no finishes. This is especially true for the larger projects. It’s easy to get side tracked and start other pieces in order to take a break from the larger design. If you are going to stitch any of the larger patterns, maybe have a few of those small 3” x 3” or smaller kits or bookmark kits handy to do when taking a break from the larger ones. If you start another larger project to take a break from the other larger piece, this too will create a long WIP/UFO list.
Stitching for Charity
Margie is currently working on some squares that will be included in quilts and gifted to the families of those lost in the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy. If you would like to take part then visit their facebook group – http://www.facebook.com/groups/310784595692711/