The Head Stitch In Charge🏆

The stories behind the stitches that beg to be told (and heard).

Does anyone else remember the show “Biography” on A&E? It was a popular-ish show back in the 90s and early 2000s that you can still watch today. I vividly remember my mom watching it at night in my parents’ room and sometimes if my Dad worked late, and I was lucky enough, I would get to stay up and watch it with my Mom.

Sometimes I knew who the featured person was but most times I didn’t. What kept me always wanting to watch more, was hearing the person’s story. Thinking about it now, that show really cemented my love and appreciation for the stories of others - even the ones I didn’t already know. To this day, I am constantly inspired by the stories of others (famous or not) and am passionate about encouraging others to share their story - because every story matters.

As it relates to needlepoint, I am quick to point out the inspiration I find in the physical, tangible things I actually “see”. We all do and it’s a wonderful thing. With how accessible basically anything is to us these days, how could we not? (See: the countless Pinterest boards I keep pinning to).

But here’s the thing. For as inspired as I am by all the things I can physically see, I am just as (if not more) inspired by the things I cannot see - the stories and the people behind the stitches. Enter, “The Head Stitch In Charge” (H.S.I.C.).

H.S.I.C. is a special little “somethin’ somethin’” that I have anxiously awaited bringing into the light. It’s a small slice of The Finishing School Blog that I am devoting to telling the stories of the people who inspire me most in our needlepoint community, because as much as I love to hear a good story, I love to spread a good one too.

Once a month(ish), I will feature a stitcher whose story inspires me and whose story I hope inspires you. My hope is that you enjoy reading these just as much as I enjoy writing them.