Tale of the Stockings

I have been distracted lately. And lately I mean for about a month or so. You see I have been working on this. This is Chasey's elaborate Christmas stocking that I am cross-stitching. I wouldn't be doing this at all, especially now, if it wasn't the fact that everyone in our family has one except him.



Years ago, when I just had baby Taylor I foolishy decided that I wanted to cross-stitch him a Christmas stocking. I found one at the store that I liked brought it home and got to work. What I didn't realize when I purchased this was how difficult it was and how long it would take me to finish it. But I stitched away and several hundred hours later finished it I did. It looked great and I was happy with it.



Well when baby Bennett came along, instead of hiding Taylor's stocking and pretending I never made him one, I foolishly found another stocking that was part of the same collection and made him one. I remember this one as being the hardest and most time-consuming to complete. This was stitched on white aida cloth, not navy.



After my cramped hands and beat up fingers recovered from Bennett's I again foolishly decided that I might as well make one for myself and Scott and make it a family thing. What was I thinking?

So I found this one that I liked for me. I remember starting this one, getting about 10 hours into it, putting it down one day and saying to myself "I'll finish it some other time. I'm too burned out." But I really hate unfinished projects. I must finish them. So a few weeks later I picked it up again and plowed through it. Well I don't know if plowed is the right word, considering each one takes me at least three months of constant stitching to finish. But I'll go with plowed because that is how I felt when I was working on it.



And then I was on a roll. Hey I'll just squeeze Scott's in too right?



Then I smartened up. As soon as I found out I was having boy #3 I immediately got online, found another manly stocking, ordered it and had it finished by the time he arrived. I knew I would not have time to finish it after he made his grand entrance. Nice huh?



And then we get to my Chasey love. After I found out I was have a boy I fully intended to get to work on his. But it didn't happen. He arrived and I thought to myself I must start on his. But it didn't happen. We started building a house, moving and all the other things that can distract a person and I didn't get around to it. But that little, very annoying voice in my head kept telling me I must complete it. So about a year ago I started looking online for his stocking. The problem was, that I had made all of the cute ones in the collection. There were some cute girly ones, but that wouldn't do. So I found one that I liked (but was discontinued) and ended up chasing it over and over on ebay. I don't know how many I lost.

Finally about 2 months ago they released another one. I loved it, bought it and got to work. I now stitch every little moment I can find. Swimming lessons, lacrosse games, doctor's appointments. Every evening until I forget how to count and my eyes go crossed. I am very close to being halfway there. But not quite. I won't let myself believe I am over the hump yet. Hopefully by fall it will be complete. Just keep stitchin', stitchin', stitchin. What do we do we stitch.