Needlepoint

Long ago, when I had less resources and better eyesight, I remember finding a needlepoint pattern that I liked in a small craft catalog.  The picture of the finished project was about a square inch or so.  I scrutinized all of the blues and greens that were in the floral pattern and bought (or scrounged up, or asked Mom to buy) the yarn that I needed.  I counted each microscopic stitch with the point of a pin and repeated the design on canvas.  It amazes me that Dad and Mary Ann still have it hanging in their home.

Digital photo taken last year while visiting the folks.

Once it was bigger, it was easier to make a second one.  I made a very 70s looking chunky-yarn version for Mom and Bill.  And yes, I made the crocheted zigzag afghan displayed behind it in the photo below.  That's the biggest afghan I ever made and it still keeps me warm when visiting Mom.  I remember buying the yarn at Safeway (a grocery store that was in walking distance of our house), back when even grocery stores and big drugstores had at least a few racks of yarn for sale.  I kept having to go back to buy more yarn to make the length proportional to the massive width.  But, I digress.

Old photo scanned - everything looking very 70s!

Some of my most creative moments have happened when I had to 'make do' with what I had on hand.  I'm still amazed that I thought to count all of those tiny little stitches in the picture and even more amazed that I was able to replicate it.  I realize that I wasn't really being creative because I used basically plagiarized someone else's pattern.  (I hope the copyright police don't read this post!)  But, I was resourceful.

It kind of makes me sad nowadays when I see aisles full of craft accessories, especially in the scrapbook section.  There was a time when I succumbed to the lure of those cool gadgets and doodads.  Over the last few years, though, I've been really good at passing up all that stuff.  It's cheaper and more importantly, my pilot light of ideas ignites and the creativity starts to flow again.