Welcome to the Caterpillar Cross Stitch 'Stitcher of the Month' competition for October 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 support@caterpillarcrossstitch.com (with Stitcher of the Month in the subject line) with your full name, location and include:
1. 3 x 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 October 2021... Congratulations Renee!
Back in 1988, I was newly married and moved from Connecticut to Virginia. My husband started law school prior to my teaching job beginning so I needed something to occupy my time. I went out to Williamsburg Pottery and found a small ornament cross stitch kit and the journey began. I was never the creative type but I loved the simplicity of following a pattern - if I can create masterpieces, so can you! During our three years in Virginia, I quickly progressed to more complex patterns of Colonial Williamsburg buildings and many Christmas gifts.
I continued cross stitching until about 2000 - stitching a project to celebrate the birth of each of my five children. I then hung up my needle and hoop as I was busy with home-schooling and travelling (we lived overseas for six years as my husband was in the Army).
Fast forward to August 2020, I lost my part-time job of two years. Due to my health and the COVID pandemic, I didn't look for new employment but I needed something to do with my time so, once again, I turned to cross stitching. I was grateful for online shopping with curb side pickup as that is how I got all the necessary supplies. I spent hours each day in our sunroom stitching, listening to podcasts and bird watching. I was grateful to find online cross stitch communities on Facebook. My first SAL was Made to Create by Caterpillar Cross Stitch. I also stitched Positivity Rules for my youngest daughter’s college graduation.
While life has returned to mostly normal in Northern Alabama, I still stitch most days and evenings on a variety of projects. I recently finished a few SALs and am taking a break from new ones to frantically work on Christmas ornaments for my kids and granddaughters.
If you're just beginning, don't be put off by a large project. The only difference is the time it takes to complete. Also count and recount; it's no fun ripping out a section of stitching because it's off by one line. Remember the floss/thread colour chart is not hard and fast; the balloons in the Winnie the Pooh piece that I stitched for my daughter were muted but I changed them to bold and bright. Above all - have fun creating!
If you would like to join nearly 13,000 stitchers in the Facebook group, please click HERE. Well done Renee, 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 November 2021 Stitcher of the Month - I can't wait to see them!
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