Here’s what it looked like last week:

Welcome Project
3/31/2016

Here’s what it looks like now..

4/7/2016

I did something different.  Remember that hoop I loved?  I loved it so much I bought a second one so I can keep one with my cross stitch project and the second one with my embroidery project.  Well, just in case you don’t remember, here’s a pic:

It works great with my cross stitch when the project is not almost done. I still love it.  But, the Welcome project is almost done.  I was having difficulty putting the hoop on where I needed to do the detailed work.  I know a lot of people don’t use a hoop.  And for a long time I didn’t use one either.  I was too lazy to put it on and it didn’t matter to me in those days.  The stitches looked the same to me whether I used a hoop or not.  But when I started cross stitching again, I enjoyed the look of my stitches when I would use a hoop.  And that’s why I use a hoop now.  In the past few weeks, I struggled to put the hoop on and week to week it was getting harder and harder to do.  Until today, I couldn’t do it.  The dang thing wouldn’t stay on.  It kept popping off.  Now if I had a wooden one I probably wouldn’t have that problem.  And I know I’ve got a wooden one around here somewhere.  But, I had my big quilt hoop in an easy spot right in front of me and I didn’t need to dig around looking for it.  So I used it.  And I LOVED it!

cross stitching with my hand quilting hoop

I really liked the space underneath that allowed me to easily move my hand from the top to the bottom without having to fuss with the project.

I also liked leaning the hoop on my table so I wouldn’t have to bend over the project.

4/7/2016

The only negative thing… I didn’t want to go through the trouble of removing it from the hoop to take a full picture for you guys to see the project as it looks right now. 🙂

~Melanie

My Goal for 2016 for cross stitching is to get the “welcome” project done and get started on my farm piece.