Thou Shalt Savor Thy Stash
Why Rushing Your Stitches Misses the Magic
A love letter to all the canvases I didn't get around to stitching this year (or last) as I had planned.
This sentiment is one that I feel deep in my bones. It’s one quite frankly, I don’t think we really talk about enough in the needlepoint community. With the holiday season upon us and ornaments galore filling up our social media feeds, this topic is one I wanted to make sure I spoke candidly about here as someone who personally fell victim to the canvas comparison game - as a beginner and even still now. No matter what it is you are stitching - be it an ornament, a pillow, a belt, a dog collar, a key fob, whatever, may you always remember your story and your “why” behind those precious stitches and your precious time. Don’t you dare compare or let what you are seeing on your social media feed rob you of even an ounce of YOUR stitching joy.
What is a Stash?
A needlepointer’s “stash” is the stitcher’s beloved collection of canvases waiting their turn to be stitched, each one having earned its place because of a special meaning or memory. It could be a new arrival from your favorite designer, a sentimental design, or a piece that captures a loved one’s spirit (or yours). Whatever the “thing” is that makes it special to you, one thing remains constant. Each canvas holds a story, patiently waiting to be stitched into life.
In tandem with this, it’s very easy to justify purchasing a canvas you cannot stitch in the moment because of a special memory, special price (oh hey trunk shows!), feeling, or person associated with it. Not every needlepointer’s stash is the same size but one thing is for certain….we all have them and we can’t help but add to them.
(Here’s how I organize some of my canvases below!)
‘Tis the Season
With the holidays upon us, so many of us are rolling out our new pledge class of ornaments freshly finished and ready to make their grand entrance with our annual holiday decor. Many of these new pieces are joining the ranks of growing needlepoint collections from years gone by and it is so beautiful and inspiring to see such beauty and creativity on display by so many talented stitchers.
But what about the annual pledge classes that are only 1 or 2 ornaments deep? Do we see those come across our feed? If we do, do we scroll past them? If we are the stitcher who posts the “smaller” batch of ornaments, do we feel like we didn’t do “enough” that year to occupy the precious real estate of an Instagram square? Do we even bother posting something that seems (keyword here = “seems”) so small in comparison to the work of others? And furthermore, if we don’t post an image of the smaller batch of ornaments we stitched that year, do we beat ourselves up over it and think of it every time we look at those ornaments on our tree that year?
“21 in 2021”
When I started needlepointing, I was endlessly inspired by what I saw on (primarily) Instagram within the needlepoint community. Somewhere in all that excitement and dopamine rush, I found myself wanting to stitch through my projects at an unrealistic rate, just to say (and show) that I did. At some point, I found myself feeling somewhat “less than” my digital peers since I was unable to stitch “21 items in 2021”. I know this may sound crazy to some, but it’s how I started to feel.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love a stitch-along moment within a community and love setting (stitching) goals. I also love seeing and am motivated by other stitchers crushing their annual stitching goals (many of which totally eclipsed the “21 in 2021” goal). But for me, stitching a ton was just not realistic or aligned with where I was (and am) at in my life at this point.
Once I acknowledged and accepted this reality, it made me appreciate what I was actually taking the time to do (for myself) even more.
And here’s the thing, everything we stitch, regardless of how much or how little, carries the same love, creativity, and meaning from you the stitcher. It is up to us to celebrate every stitch and every finished piece as it is, for each holds a cherished and irreplaceable part of our own creative magic.
"2024: Expectations vs. The Unexpected."
For me personally, I had wanted to focus on stitching and having a whole slew of ornaments finished for both myself and others in 2024. I started out strong and devoured stitching the 12 Month Georgette’s Angels canvases, got a jump start on my ornament exchange canvas and even picked out a few to stitch from my stash for our own family’s collection. Oh yeah, 2024 was going to be the year I finally focused on all the ornaments I had been dying to stitch with the thought of a beautiful, finished bounty just in time for the holiday season.
But then very unexpectedly in February of 2024, my husband lost his job and was unemployed for almost 7 months. As the sole financial provider for our family, this drastically rocked our world. It was also right around this time we found out we were expecting our third child (who is due to arrive at the end of this month). Needless to say, we had to “trim the fat” in our budget and do so fast. Much to my dismay one of the first areas I had to cut back on almost entirely was my needlepoint.
Don’t get me wrong here, there are much bigger issues out there than not being able to send off one’s needlepoint immediately for finishing. Truthfully, my “pledge class” of ornaments this year is not at all what I planned for - and (hear me loud and clear when I say this) that is more than ok.
I want to pause here and remind that if you are reading this and you too find your 2024 stitching is not as much as what you had planned for whatever reason, stop yourself right now. Don’t you dare compare or feel even a micro ounce of disappointment. Instead I implore you to be so damn proud of whatever it is you did accomplish and the time you took to prioritize something that brought you joy throughout the year.
For me, I am so grateful for the items I was able to stitch from my stash throughout this year to help cope with the stressors it brought. After all, that’s the beauty of needlepoint right? It serves as a calming escape from the stress(ors) of everyday life.
What I do know is that when the pieces I stitched this year are finally sent out for finishing and back in my hands, I will be reminded of a hell of a lot more than just the threads and stitches I used. I’ll be reminded of the memories, lessons, and emotions of this year’s unexpected (and equal parts scary and beautiful) journey.
“Turkeys are done….people are finished”
In a world that nudges us to finish fast and share faster, it’s easy to get swept up in the rush. We tell ourselves that we need something new to post, that we’re only as "productive" as our latest finish. But what if, instead, we slowed down and embraced the gentle joy of each stitch? Because the beauty of needlepoint lies not in racing to the end but in savoring the journey, one patient stitch at a time. Let’s remember to remind ourselves: the stitches we make, the time we take to make them—they’re enough. And so are we.
I love this! I often think we get too focused on quantity over quality -- I love my ornaments and canvases because they remind me of a particular time in my life when I stitched them or a person/place who inspired me. No need to rush those memories! When I was younger, a wise older friend told me: Stitch when you are young/poor then start taking them to the finisher when you are older/richer. I've literally done that!! Bonus: I never had to feel like I spent toooo much money, and now I get to support younger women who have started finishing businesses. It is all a win-win in my book!!
Love this!