Welcome to the Caterpillar Cross Stitch 'Stitcher of the Month' competition for December 2020 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 December 2020... Congratulations Mary!
Mary says:
Hi I'm Mary Ashcraft! My mom has always been a crafty person. When I was little, I remember going to craft fairs with her, where she bought beautiful handmade bits that filled our home and she occasionally sold pieces she had made herself. Some of these bits were cross stitch pieces, like on the top of a mason jar filled with baking ingredients or a piece finished in a hoop with fabric around the border. A lot of memories of my childhood are filled with sitting in front of the TV with my mom, watching as she stitched her latest project.
My mom taught me how to cross stitch when I was around 8 years old. I don't remember any of my first pieces, but I remember absolutely loving it. Over the years I have stitched gifts for family and friends. Most recently, when my mom got engaged, I knew I needed to stitch something for her and my stepdad-to-be. Their wedding was at the Grand Canyon and the small town they live in is in the country.
I found a kit with a pattern of six cowboy boots and one cowboy hat. I knew this was the perfect piece for them as the boots represented our new blended family - four boots for my mom and her three kids, and two boots for my stepdad and stepbrother. This piece was a labour of love as it was the first piece I stitched after having my first child and while I was pregnant with my second. This will always be one of the most meaningful pieces I've done.
Quarantine and working from home made me realise I needed to pick up a hobby so I didn't go stir-crazy. I stumbled upon my cross stitch box while cleaning and thought this would be the perfect hobby to pick up again. I found some adorable patterns online and started stitching. After I finished my first piece, 'Pumpkin Spice' by The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. I realised this hobby was not going to be put back in the closet any time soon. I'm an attorney by day so spending a few hours in the evening to stitch, after the kids go to bed, has become my own little version of stress management.
My tip to my fellow stitchers is to take risks! I have tried variegated floss, different stitching techniques, and plan to eventually stitch on evenweave (I currently only use 14 count aida). I also took a risk by changing the colours and the pattern slightly on a recent stitch of a little witch. One of my favourite movies is Kiki's Delivery Service and wanted to make the piece more representative of the colours in that movie. Although my moon looks more like the Death Star than a moon, I'm pleased with the risk I took - taking risks with stitching, or any hobby for that matter, keeps the process interesting!
If you would like to join over 9,000 stitchers in the Facebook group, please click HERE. Well done Mary, 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 January 2021 Stitcher of the Month - I can't wait to see them!
Crafting isn’t just about making something beautiful (although that certainly is a huge advantage!), it’s also about finding something that makes you happy, calms your mind and brings you a sense of enjoyment and accomplishment.
For neurodiverse people, crafts can offer amazing benefits, from improved focus and confidence to reduced stress and anxiety.
