Welcome to the Caterpillar Cross Stitch 'Stitcher of the Month' competition for February 2022 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 support@caterpillarcrossstitch.com (with Stitcher of the Month in the subject line) with your full name, location and include:
1. 3 x high res photos of some recent stitching (any design or brand)
2. 1 x clear, well lit, 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 2022... Congratulations Susannah!
Susannah says:
I started cross stitching as a young child when I was given kits by family members for Christmas and birthday presents. My mum showed me what to do and I always enjoyed it! A really happy memory is attending a sewing club at primary school when I was about 9 and designing and sewing a pattern for a little baby Jesus in a manger that was made into a bauble - I'm still sad that I don't know where it ended up!
Over the years I have completed various projects and, as a teenager, did a couple of special things for my grandparents. When I was 11 I stitched a little kingfisher for them in memory of their home in Cornwall, next to a river, where I'd once spotted a kingfisher.
I then made a wreath for their golden wedding anniversary when I was about 13. Both of these were always displayed in their home and have now been hung in my "stair gallery" since they passed away.
As a young adult and a busy primary school teacher, I embarked on a huge Noah's Ark cross stitched piece. It took several years but I completed it just before my first son was born and it's been up in his room ever since. It is probably my biggest achievement in cross stitching!
When my second son was born in 2016 he was in hospital for over 5 months and I then became a knitter whilst sitting at his cot side. This turned into a real love for knitting and in the following years, I knitted lots of jumpers and cardigans.
I haven't cross stitched as much, although I have had a huge tree themed cross stitch project on the go. At the end of 2021 my dad passed away and in the days that followed I just really needed to stitch. I'm a Christian and I managed to find a pattern of some bible verses that had been really comforting in the last weeks of his life. I've already finished it and now I just want to cross stitch ALL THE TIME!
I came across Caterpillar Cross Stitch last year and I am so excited for this year's Christmas stitch-a-long as I've not done a mystery stitching project before. I also love all the other Christmas patterns generally. I've realised in the last few months that crafting and being busy with my hands is a kind of therapy for me. I have found that in difficult times I've needed these crafts and they have helped and comforted me.
My tip for beginners would be to start with something small so you get the quick satisfaction of something being completed. If taking on a larger project, then have regular breaks and work on something smaller, otherwise it can become overwhelming and difficult to continue with. Finally, my advice would be to iron pieces before you frame them!
If you would like to join over 13,000 stitchers in the Facebook group, please click HERE. Well done Susannah, 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 2022 Stitcher of the Month - I can't wait to see them!
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