And Now . . .

I'm currently working on some cross stitch.  I recently needed something easy and portable, and cross stitch fits that bill perfectly.  It's just a series of X's and the most complicated part is following the chart (which is a lot like color-by-number and therefore not complicated at all).  The current project is an orange blossom pattern by Textile Heritage Collection that's intended to be made into needlebook.

 In case you're unfamiliar with those, they are little book-like objects to keep your needles in.  They're especially helpful when traveling as they keep your needles safe and secure in one place.  Right now, I keep the the needles I use regularly (in all sizes and types) stuck in the top section of the little toile pocket I use for transporting small projects.

I've already "finished" another project in the same series, which is intended to be a bookmark.  I am not going to make it into a bookmark though.  I plan to use it my kitchen so the refrigerator door handle doesn't continue to smack against the wall.  I haven't quite figured out how to affix it to the wall yet, so it sits in my Work In Progress basket.  It's finished, but not FINISHED.

I find there are two kids of "finished" in needlework, and perhaps this is true of other kinds of crafts.  The first one is finishing the actual stitching.  The fun part is over.  The second is actually completing the finishing work - making it into "something".  The tedious part begins.  There's an intense satisfaction that comes from this part of the process, watching it become Something - Anything.  But often times this involves other skills (sewing) or expenses (framing) of which I am less confident or flush.  I don't really want to make this current work into a needlebook (I have another project in mind for one of those), but I'm not sure what else to do with it. Do you have any ideas?  Most importantly, I don't want these two projects to end up in the Drawer of Shame.  (This photo can't really do justice to the multitudes of "unfinished" projects contained within.)

I want to FINISH them so I can move on to something else without guilt - I have enough of that (see Drawer of Shame above).  There's obviously some deep-seeded mental block at work here.  I think I could use some professional help just letting go of the guilt, or some skill building in finishing work.  Plus, getting stuck on the finishing slows me down in starting a new project which is truly frustrating!  I have so many ideas in my head and there just aren't enough hours in the day.  For now, I'll choose to indulge my procrastination, and maybe next time we'll take a look at some inspiration.