Well, once again, it has been a while! I feel like, lately, my mind is always buzzing and there’s always something that needs to be done. It can make blogging a bit more challenging than usual, but I’m working on making sure I am still prioritizing this as well. I mentioned a couple posts ago that I’ve been working on developing some hobbies during this pandemic – and I think I’ve found one that’s particularly good for me: Needlepoint.
I’ve always enjoyed items made of needlepoint. Pillows, stockings, belts, ornaments – I thought it looked incredibly hard to do. I’ve never considered myself crafty, so thinking of actually attempting it never occurred to me. Then, I happened to stumble upon Carly’s Needlepoint for beginner’s video on Instagram, and she made it look pretty simple. It was then that I started thinking maybe I could give it a try.
My first day, I spent hours doing it. I had a Friday off, and I sat on the couch for four hours just focusing on getting the boat portion completed. It was almost meditative – I’ve never been one to meditate, because I can’t sit still that long without feeling like I’m doing something, so I think this is particularly good for me. It allows me to rest my brain, but there’s still some “productivity” going on.
I find that, for me, it’s just challenging enough where I stay on task but I also enjoy feeling like I’m thinking through the piece. What do I want it to be when I’m done? Frame it? Make it an ornament? A pillow? I’m still on my first one, and I haven’t even finished, but I have spent hours (weekends only…) on this sailboat by Morgan Julia, and I could not be happier with how it is coming out. It’s just the type of piece I wanted to work on. It’s fairly simple but has several colors in it. I purchased the canvas as a kit through Stitch Stash – honestly, the owner could not have been nicer to me over the phone and helped put everything together so I would have everything I needed to get started. It was such a great experience!
What makes needlepoint so doable is that it’s really like paint by numbers. You use the colored thread with the colored square on the canvas. I think I’m finally getting the hang of making neater knots on the back of my canvas, and I’m already looking forward to the day that I can get it framed. It reminds me of when Jake and I go to Rhode Island in the summers, so I think it would be a perfect contribution to the apartment. Possibly right by my picture of The Ocean House? 🙂
I can’t wait to share with you guys when I have finally finished. I have already pre-ordered another canvas – the navy and white striped shirt by Sarah Fitz. I can’t wait to start working on it when it finally arrives!
Have you ever tried Needlepoint? What project have you done?
