Do you ever have one of those stitching sessions (or two…or three…or ten) when everything seems to go amuck?

I recently had several of those stitching sessions.

And they got me thinking that I’m probably not the only one in the world who experiences less-than-satisfactory bouts of stitching now and then.

So I thought I’d tell you about mine and the way I handle them. These particular two may not seem like a big deal, but we’ll talk about that, too!

And, as a bonus (I use the term loosely), you’ll be getting a sneak peek of some spring critters that are in the works for a couple projects!

So, over the past couple weekends, I’ve been dabbling with a few designs that are eventually for publication here on Needle ‘n Thread.

I don’t always get things right at the first go.

When I have an idea for a design or a small project or something I want to share with you, I will usually test at least the central element in that project, to see if it will materialize the way I want to it…or to see if I need to re-think it.

So, using smaller scraps of fabric – but always the same fabric I intend to eventually use for the project – I’ll stitch up a sample or partial sample, just to see where I’m headed.

Last weekend, I cut into a new piece of fabric, since I didn’t have any scraps, and tackled the bunny above.

I actually got further than that. But I didn’t take pictures.

The poor critter got progressively worse, and I realized I needed to start over and tackle him from a different direction.

And then there’s this gal.

Now, she wasn’t too bad. If you consider that she’s just over 1/2″ tall (she’s very tiny), she’s kind of cute.

When I took the photo, I hadn’t quite finished her wooly coat.

When I did finish it, I thought “Ok, I’ll continue with the stitching around her, and see how it goes. Overall, she’s not bad.”

The sheep was pretty much what I had in mind. Pretty basic. Pretty knotty. And small.

But then…

But then…

I got it into my head somehow that it needed eyes.

It really didn’t need eyes.

And those eyes are particularly odd and creepy.

In any case, I tried to pick the eyes out, succeeded in messing up the stitching around it, and I had to start over.

No Big Deal!

These are not major stitching situations that have gone amuck. They’re just little samples. In the vast scheme of things, they’re no big deal! I’ve certainly had larger, more time-consuming, more expensive projects go amuck!

But when even small things like this go wrong, they eat up time. They use up supplies. They can be frustrating and discouraging.

And this is The Thing: When your stitching becomes frustrating or discouraging, guess what? It’s time to stop.

The best way to handle a stitching situation when it seems like everything is going wrong is to put it aside.

With me, it seems like things go progressively wronger with my stitching when I try to fix something when I’m already frustrated with it.

So instead, when I know I’m frustrated, I walk away.

When a project has you irritated, step away from it. Not forever, necessarily! Just step away and come back to it with fresh eyes later. A few hours? The next day? That depends on you.

Remember: stitching is supposed to be your escape. It’s supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable. When it isn’t, go do something that is, and then come back to it later.

My bunny and my sheep are both getting an overhaul this week. They’ll show up on Needle ‘n Thread one of these days!

What do You Do?

When you’re particularly miffed with your stitching, how do you handle it? Feel free to join in the conversation below and let us know! You never know who your experience might help!

Coming Up

We’ll talk thread management later this week and take a look at some ecclesiastical embroidery.

There’s some project progress coming up, too!

Enjoy your week!