Getting to Know the Stitching Community: Kelly (aka stitchnmomma)

I think stitching should be fun and something that makes you happy. There’s nothing wrong with doing traditional samplers, and there’s also nothing wrong with thinking outside the box and doing something completely wild & crazy. People shouldn’t be afraid to change floss colors, try a new fabric, whatever. You never know when it might ignite your passion for something new.

I’ve been a huge fan of Barbara & Cheryl for over 20 years. I’ve been working on collecting most of their patterns, but have yet to stitch one of them.

I’ve really pared it down over the years. The older I get I don’t like to have a lot of “clutter” sitting around. With that said, I currently have 4 binders with stitchbows full of floss and another 3 plastic boxes, and then 8 drawers that are organized with my various kits, fabrics (both for stitching & sewing), patterns, etc.

I’ve been stitching for 40 years. I first learned how to needlepoint when I was 6 and am basically self-taught on everything I do know. I still have my first piece and even did a blog post about it.

When I was living in Ohio, I belonged to a group for years at a LNS, but that split up the beginning of 2012 when the shop closed. After that I started my own group with a couple of the members as well as some new ladies that live locally and I was able to “meet” them through stitching groups on Facebook. We typically meet once a month on a Sunday at my house.

In the Spring of 2015 I moved to Las Vegas and knew no one except my boss and his wife, whom I previously worked for in Ohio. I went to my LNS (Stitcher’s Paradise) and asked about what stitching groups there were and started meeting people that way. I currently have a couple of groups of ladies I stitch with on a weekly basis, and was also involved with our local Embroiderers’ Guild of America chapter for awhile.

I’d say the piece I’m the most proud of is a Southwestern style piece that currently hangs on my living room wall. I started it probably around 1994 or so and it was a UFO in my stitching stash for years. In 2006 I finally decided to finish it.

It had a lot of stitches I had to give in and perfect (french knots, lazy daisy, satin stitching, etc.), which is part of the reason it stayed a UFO for so long. I wasn’t completely sure of the finished look of those stitches, but they were good enough to earn me a blue ribbon on the piece at the 2006 Stan Hywet Stitchery Showcase.