When it comes to stitchery, I am a very literal person.  I like to do cross-stitch because the stitches and colors are so precise.  I rarely design my own projects, and lord help me if I have to pick my own colors.  Since joining a guild, I have been trying to open myself up to new stitching styles and to new challenges.  My newest project is forcing me to let go.

I have to let go of the need to know which stitch goes where, and what color to use in each space.  My latest project, a button brooch from Gary Clarke Designs, is a project with a picture for “inspiration” but little to no instructions.  I can use whatever stitches in want, in any direction, and in any color.  To add to that, the piece is tiny, so the stitches are as well.  This piece is so small that I have to use a quilting between needle!

In terms of the stitch layout, I’m sticking fairly close to the inspiration picture.  This is making it slightly easier, but it is still unnerving to place my stitches willy nilly!  For the colors, I am using a palette of colors that I had gathered for another project.  They are quite different from the inspiration picture, but I think that they are working quite well.

I was able to stitch for almost two hours tonight, and I’m pretty close to being finished.  I need to finish one of the birds, do some outlining, and add in the little details before putting the fabric into the button frame!

Two little birdies sittin’ in a tree…

My thumb for perspective on how tiny the stitches are.