My latest cross-stitch project

Anyone who knows me, knows I loooooove spending any free time I have sewing cross-stitch pictures for ourselves or family members. I’m a bit of a solitary soul preferring to engage in arty, crafty things (when I’m not reading) to going out and socialising. I like being an introvert!

I think, ever since I took this hobby up in 1998, I have produced about 20 fairly large pictures, most of which take years to finish. We have now run out of wall space in our house, as my previous projects adorn every one where there isn’t a bookcase! It’s a very therapeutic hobby – as well as the picture I am forming, I sew my memories into each project too. From landscapes I completed whilst on maternity leave with each of my children, a sampler for HM the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, when I was on strict bedrest for 6 weeks following major surgery, to more recent pictures which are associated with memories of hot summer days, sitting outside in my garden with my sewing and unwinding from thesis-writing. I like making things which, when I am gone, have longevity and show that I have existed. Time spent online on social media, etc. doesn’t do that for me.

Below is my most recent project. My Dad was well known in his school for his cricketing abilities when he was young, and – when I saw this picture – I knew I had to do it for him. It took about a year to finish – quite long for this size of project but there were long spells after Mum’s passing when I didn’t feel like doing anything: sewing, reading…..anything. I eventually pushed myself to finish it so that I could give it to Dad for Christmas.

I have obviously edited his name and school out of this photo (for privacy) but I obtained a copy of Wisden which I knew contained his name and details (from the 1950s, thank you eBay!) and added them under the picture to make it a little more personal. My husband has learned the skills of mounting and framing, so he did that job for me.

Needless to say, Dad loves it. He has it on the wall of his living room and often tells me that he looks at it and remembers his cricketing days. Which was totally my aim! The picture also has an air of Suffolk about it, where my Dad was born and grew up, which makes it even better.

I have so many projects lined up – now I just have to choose the next one! I will post pictures of some of the other pictures I have done in due course.