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Crafting Calm: 5 Ways to Make Time for Cross Stitching
Are you craving a calm and creative escape? Look no further than the soothing art of cross stitching. This time-honored craft has the power to relax your mind and rejuvenate your spirit, all while creating beautifully fun designs. But with the demands of daily life, finding time for your beloved cross stitch project can feel like a challenge.
I'm here to help. Here are five strategies to help you make much-needed time for cross stitching. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned stitcher, these strategies will help you carve out dedicated me-time for cross stitching.
1) Prioritize self-care. Making time for cross stitching starts with recognizing the importance of pursuing activities that bring you joy and relaxation. It's about shifting your mindset and making you a priority.
To begin, set realistic goals for your cross stitching. Break down large projects into smaller, more manageable tasks. This way, you can make progress even if you only have a few minutes to spare. Set aside specific time slots in your schedule dedicated to cross stitching, just as you would for any other important appointment.
Remember, hobbies are not a luxury; they are an essential part of self-care. By making time for cross stitching, you're investing in your mental and emotional well-being, which ultimately benefits every aspect of your life.
2) Have a dedicated space for cross stitching. This makes a world of difference in carving out me-time. Designate an area in your home where you can set up your stitching supplies and work comfortably. This could be a corner of your living room, a spare room, or even a portable stitching station. Extra kudos for being able to keep your supplies out and ready to go.
Keep your supplies organized and easily accessible, so you don't waste precious time searching for materials. At a minimum, I would recommend investing in a large basket so you can drop in your supplies quickly.
Having a dedicated space not only eliminates the setup time but also serves as a visual reminder of your commitment to cross stitching. It creates a sense of ritual and makes it easier to transition into your stitching sessions. As a mom, your dedicated space would also be a signal to those kiddos.
3) Change your mindset that cross stitching is all or nothing. One of the main challenges that I encounter is the perception that cross stitching is so time-consuming. Many people believe that they need large blocks of uninterrupted time to engage in this craft. If I have 15 minutes, I've been known to stitch a bit.
When my boys were young and in organized sports, I would drop my supplies in a tote bag and whip it out in my car while watching their football practice, or while sitting in the bleachers during basketball practice.
4) Make cross stitching a regular part of your life. I think it's vital to incorporate stitching into your daily routine. By weaving it into your existing habits, you're more likely to stick with it and make progress on your projects.
For example, if you enjoy watching TV in the evenings, consider using that time to stitch while you relax. Or, if you have a morning ritual of enjoying a cup of coffee or tea, use that quiet time to work on your current project. By aligning cross stitching with activities you already enjoy, it becomes an effortless and enjoyable part of your day.
Additionally, you can use cross stitching as a way to unwind before bed. The repetitive motion and focus required can help calm your mind and prepare you for a restful night's sleep. By making cross stitching part of your bedtime routine, you're setting yourself up for a peaceful and rejuvenating night.
5) Encourage your children to take up cross stitching. In a world dominated by screens and instant gratification, it's refreshing to find an activity that can captivate children's attention while fostering their creativity and learning. Cross stitching, is a wonderful hobby for building relationships. This timeless art form not only keeps little hands busy but also opens up a world of possibilities for self-expression as well as helping you indulge in your cross stitching project.
Cross stitching encourages children to concentrate, follow patterns, and develop fine motor skills. As they carefully thread colorful needles through the fabric, they learn patience, persistence, and attention to detail. Plus, the feeling of accomplishment that comes with completing a stitching project boosts their confidence.
Looking for your next amazing cross stitch project? Check out all my cross stitch kits and digital patterns.
Welcome 2024 with a Sub Kit
Step into the world of monthly delight with a subscription box, the perfect monthly treat that gives you relaxation in a box. Everything you need to get into slow stitching delivered right to your doorstep every month. It's like opening a present, filled with excitement and anticipation. Subscription boxes are a game-changer, allowing you to embrace new designs that you might not have come across otherwise.
And in order to make way for more amazing cross stitch products, we've reduced our monthly subscription box prices.
✄ Regular Subscription Kit $15 ~ comes with color and black/white cross stitch pattern, fabric, John James needle, wood embroidery hoop, embroidery floss and instructions.
✄ Digital Subscription Pattern $5 ~ comes with the color and black/white cross stitch pattern and instructions.
Join the subscription box revolution and treat yourself to a monthly dose of joy and discovery.
Happy Slow Stitching!
Tips for Choosing the Best Halloween Craft Project
1. Consider Your Skill Level: If you're new to cross stitching, it's best to start with a pattern that an easier skill level. Look for beginner-friendly patterns that have fewer colors and simple designs like the candy corn pattern below. Look for designs that have larger, single-color areas with fewer color switches. As you gain more experience, you can challenge yourself with more complex patterns.
2. Think about the Theme: Consider the overall theme or style you want to achieve with your Halloween decorations. If you're going for a cute and whimsical look, choose patterns with playful characters and bright colors. For a more eerie and spooky ambiance, opt for patterns with darker shades and haunting motifs.
3. Size and Time Commitment: Cross stitch patterns come in various sizes, and the time it takes to complete a project can vary greatly. Consider the size of the pattern and the amount of time you're willing to dedicate to your project. Will you spend lots of time over a weekend? Or would you rather have an hour or two at the end of most days? If you're short on time, choose a smaller pattern that can be completed quickly.
Halloween is the perfect time to start (or jump back in) to cross stitching! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Happy Stitching!
The Many Benefits of Halloween Stitching
1. Relaxation and Stress Relief: Halloween can be a hectic time with all the preparations of costumes for the kiddos and making sure festivities have plenty of food (and must be displayed super cute, too). Cross stitching allows you to unwind and escape from the chaos of the season. The repetitive motion of stitching can be soothing and help reduce stress and anxiety.
2. Creative Expression: Cross stitching provides an opportunity to express your creativity and create unique and personalized Halloween crafts. Need a thoughtless design? Grab a beginner pattern. Need something to carry you through several days (or all month)? Choose a more complex design. With a wide range of patterns available in the shop, you can choose designs that reflect your style and even add a personalized touch to your home.
3. Sense of Accomplishment: Completing a cross stitch project gives you a sense of achievement and satisfaction. Seeing your finished creation displayed in your home or giving it as a gift to someone special can be incredibly rewarding. All of my cross stitch designs are designed to finished fairly quickly with very little skills. This is the reason I started Dandelion Stitchery!
6 Enchanting Halloween Cross Stitch Patterns to Try This Year
1) Pumpkin Patrol
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Each pattern is designed to capture the essence of Halloween with fun details and vibrant colors. Imagine stitching a playful pumpkin scene or a magical moments design that will add a touch of spookiness to your home. These patterns are not only a great way to showcase your cross stitching skills but also a fantastic way to create unique and personalized Halloween decorations for your home or as gifts for your loved ones.
2) The Great Pumpkin Lives
So, grab your needles and threads, and let the Halloween spirit inspire your creativity.
3) Magic Moments
4) Candy Corn
5) White Ghost
Get ready to bring these bewitching patterns to life and add a touch of spooky charm to your Halloween festivities. Happy stitching!
6) Owl with Pumpkin
Will you choose one? Two? Or all of them? Click on the photos to learn more or head over to my Halloween sections for Kits or PDF Patterns.
Create Something Amazing!
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Live Life in Full Bloom
I want to live my life in full bloom! To me, that means to live with purpose but fun; to live with vision but dreamful; to live with determination but hope.
For Mother's Day, I received flowers from one of my boys. I always tell them that they do not need to get me anything (and mean it) but they usually bring me some flowers. Gazing at these different blooms on my dining room table made me wish they could last forever which led me to thoughts of how the blooms make me feel.
As such, this new design was born! The words, "Live life in full Bloom" is surrounded by colorful and simple flowers. Such as easy design to stitch but such a powerful message.
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Just One More Page (please)!
This design was inspired by my own childhood of telling my parents, "just one more page, please!" Of course, one more page usually turned into ten (or twenty). And now that I'm much older, it should be no surprise that I still say, "just one more page!"
Should "just one more page" be your middle name too? If so, then this cross stitch design is perfect for you! Featuring colorful words with an adorable book cart, fully stocked with colorful books.
Check out this video on YouTube of everything you get in this kit.
✄ Join the Dandelion Subscription Club for stitch therapy delivered right to your door every month!
Are You a Taco Fan?
I'm completely, totally, obsessively a taco fan! I haven't met a taco I do not like; shrimp, veggie, steak; it's all great. The only question I have right now . . .
is why is took me so long to design a taco cross stitch pattern???
Stitch this fun design for your favorite taco lover (especially if that's YOU).
Available in a complete kit or as an instant download.
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5 Reasons Why You Should Try Cross Stitching
I think you should try cross stitching.
And not just so I can sell you a kit or pattern. It's actually the other way around: I began Dandelion Stitchery as as outlet for my cross stitching passion because I knew that if I needed simple cross stitch designs that I could finish in a few weeks, you would too.
Which leads me to my top 5 reasons why I think you should try cross stitching too:
1) Cross stitching is very easy to learn. The cross stitch fabric is beautifully designed in little squares. Each stitch is composed of an X - come up through the fabric, go down through the fabric in a diagonal and repeat within that square. That's it! Oh the places those little Xs will take you!
2) Cross stitching is not expensive. Grab yourself some cross stitch fabric (about $9), embroidery thread (each set is about $1), tapestry needle (about $4 for 5 needles) and an embroidery hoop (about $7). You're ready to go. Of course, don't forget the pattern.
3) Cross stitching is very easy to take with you. Everything slips into a purse or small bag. Include miniature snips and everything can accompany you when your travel involves an airplane. When my kids were younger, I would sit in my car while they had football practice and stitch away. Depending on the light available, I would sometimes bring a small light that hooks on my embroidery hoop.
4) You can cross stitch while binge watching your favorite shows. This is actually one of my favorite things to do at the end of a brutal day. Gather my cross stitch supplies, log in to my Amazon Prime account and choose a season of Law and Order. The negative thoughts in my head begin to disappear, my attention becomes focused on enjoying the show while going up, going down, going up, going down with my needle. Before I know it, I've stitched something beautiful and inspiring while focusing on me time.
5) The most important reason to cross stitch is the meditative benefits that come from living in the moment. Many people believe that doing activities that focus your attention, help reduce anxiety and depression. When you begin stitching with slow and deliberate strokes, you soon realize that you can control your emotions.