We Love to Stitch!

At the beginning of the summer, #3 and I were going to get her started on a sewing project, but amidst the trip to Oregon and all the other summer fun, the sewing got put to the side.  So, when Selah (#2) had a sleepover with friends from church and Carla got her started embroidering, it was just the impetus we needed to get going here at home.  The moment she arrived home, the other two sisters (#1 and #3) were avidly interested in the sewing that #2 had done in just 1 day's time and wanted to start immediately on projects of their own.

We had been given a box of embroidery thread, so that was a big help.  I found online cross stich patterns for each of them to start on and we went to JoAnn Fabrics to get fabric, an iron-on transfer pencil (which has turned out to be OK, but not great), and embroidery rings.  Using the iron-on pencil, I transfered their patterns from a piece of paper to the muslin.  Then, to make it easier, I used a regular pencil to trace over the X's all in a particular color.  When they finished one color, I would do the same with the pencil to make it obvious where to stich for the next color.  Surprisingly, Arianna (#3) had the most stick-to-it-iveness and ploughed through her project to great success.  We have already framed it and put it up in the upstairs hallway.  #1, Isabella, is working on a watermelon picture that says "Summer Fun" and #2, Selah, is working on dragonflies with a heart. 

Cross stitching is an activity I loved to do as a kid, so it is fun to see my children enjoying it as well.  I think we will keep this up for a long time to come.