A Stitch in Time

If you were given the choice to read about my current misgivings and malaise over the sale process on my house and something much lighter and possibly funnier, what would you choose? 

OK.

So to bring you up to speed, I am presently spending my second Saturday in a row where I am outnumbered by small terrier-esque dogs.  My housemates are pretty cool, but they can be a little whiny when they want something.  Like food.  Or for me to let them back inside.  Or to be carried up the stairs.  Or to be released from the laundry room after they trapped themselves inside. 

Other than laundry, grocery shopping and a trip up to my house (tomorrow) to get some more socks for my sock drawer, my weekend is pretty low-key.  Perfect for project work.  And by that, I of course mean my embroidery project. 

You may not realize it, but I am not what one would call a "crafty" person.  True, I have come up with some pretty awesomely sneaky schemes in my time, but I am not referring to that type of "crafty."  I mean the type of person who is good at crafts.  As in "Arts & Crafts."  Never has been my cup of tea, at least for more than a day or two.

There are always exceptions.  If you took a look at my life vis-a-vis my friends at the moment, you might detect  trend.  They are all having babies.  It is great, especially for me who has the sole responsibility of buying awesome things for said babies while still being able to sleep at night, all night. 

But there is something about this onslaught of new life that brings out a teensy bit of a creative urge in me.  Certainly not an urge to get knocked up myself, heaven forbid.  Yikes.  But I find myself a bit more willing to break out the embroidery needles and thread if it means making something special for someone new. 

My mother and her friends are the top-level examples of this sort of behavior.  Between her gaggle of pals, they can all knit, quilt and sew any and everything a child (or child's mother) could ever want.  I cannot compete with this level of craftsmanship, you guys.  So I have chosen an alternative format:  embroidery. 


This time around, I decided to take things a step beyond cross-stitch.  You know those dish towels that old women love to use that feature colorful stitched pictures of flowers, squirrels or days of the week?  That is what I am trying to do.  Thankfully, I found a website that features tutorials, kits and patterns for all occasions.  Perhaps a more organized person would have started with something less important like a dish towel, but I am not that person.  I went right for the prize:  baby bibs.

So far, I have finished one.  It is decent looking, but I am sure that my great-grandmothers would have something different to say about my technique.  Unfortunately, they are all dead, so no chance of that happening.  I am about half done with the second bib and it looks to turn out better than the first.  When I am done, maybe I will post a picture.

These first two bibs are going to one specific friend who is due in a little over a month.  If it goes over well, I may consider the idea of more projects in the future, but for any of my other baby making friends who read this blog, do not worry.  All of your gifts will be purchased at the store and made by professionals.