Welcome to the Caterpillar Cross Stitch 'Stitcher of the Month' competition for February 2021 where the winner will walk away with a £20 gift voucher! I love this community we've built together and I want to showcase the personality and story of a special stitcher each month.
Every one of you is so valued and I want to recognise and celebrate your contributions through this monthly giveaway. On the first day of every month, I'll ask for your nominations. You can nominate yourself or someone else.
Simply email us at info@caterpillarcrossstitch.com with your full name, location and include:
1. 3 photos of some recent stitching (any design or brand)
2. A clear, high resolution photo of yourself or the nominee
3. Let us hear about your personality, background and experience with stitching including a tip for beginners (300 words minimum please)
4. Your favourite piece, how you started stitching and why you love it!
The winner will receive a £20 Caterpillar Cross Stitch gift voucher and have their work shared on social media, our website and in the next email! At the end of each month, the Caterpillar Cross Stitch team will pick one winner based on the set criteria: creativity, interesting story, enjoyment and passion for cross stitch and overall impression. The winner will be contacted by email and will be interviewed for our blog and social media channels.
And now on to our WINNER for February 2021... Congratulations Wendy!
Wendy says:
Hi, my name is Wendy and I am a Mental Health Practitioner for the NHS. I live in Buckinghamshire with my three children, a son who is 12 and twins (boy and girl) who are 10. I began stitching in my 20s and at that time I just picked it up every now and then. I work part-time in my NHS role and also work additional hours supporting and training foster carers. I love to be able to help people when they are struggling and I think that this is especially important in the current environment.
I started my large Harry Potter project last year, but work and family life took over and it was put down for about six months. Then when lockdown happened, life got turned upside down and I found myself working full-time hours from my bed (in our small house with five of us there was no space in any other room!)
I spent many weeks locked in my room coming out only for my meals and at the end of the working day, which was often late evening. My husband was furloughed and held the fort downstairs. I began to feel the stress of dealing with other people’s mental health from my bed (with an old lady laptop tray!) and I decided that it was time to take out the cross stitch in an attempt at a mindfulness activity.
I doggedly began stitching almost every night, leaving behind the problems of others and just quietly stitching in front of the TV with the kids. I found that this helped me to switch off from the stresses of the day. I was determined to finish this massive project that I had set myself and I also began to browse for a new cross stitch.
I found Caterpillar Cross Stitch and was hooked! I would love to join a stitch-a-long and having finished my huge project, I would use the voucher to get started on my next as soon as possible! I have done other projects in the past, but am most proud of the Harry Potter one for my Potter crazy son! I have rediscovered my love of cross stitch and hope to continue for many years.
As a mental health practitioner I can definitely say that cross stitch is one of my best ways to relax and switch off! If I had to give advice to a beginner, I would advise them to start with a well known branded kit, something fairly simple, but to choose a picture that they love. I would tell them not to be disheartened if they found it complicated to get started, and would advise them just to take it steady and persevere. The word persevere was definitely on the tip of my tongue during my latest stitch!
If you would like to join over 10,000 stitchers in the Facebook group, please click HERE. Well done Wendy, your £20 Caterpillar Cross Stitch gift voucher is on its way to you!
Thank you for all of your wonderful entries - it was tough to pick a winner as they were all so lovely to read with some amazing stitching shown! Nominations are now open for our March 2021 Stitcher of the Month - I can't wait to see them!
Being crafters, we're constantly searching for the next project to satisfy our creative needs. But have you ever stopped and wondered when and how the craft we all love so much began? Elements of cross stitch can be found in history for thousands of years, as far back as sixth century BC. Pieces of needlecraft art have been discovered in medieval churches across the globe, as well as inside ancient Egyptian tombs!
