Stitching Rituals - Blog Hop #6

It is that time again - another Blog Hop.  I really look forward to these, not only because I love to talk about myself, but I love to see the answers that others have written. 


This Hop's prompt: Some of us have a favorite chair that we sit in to stitch, others prefer to enjoy a steaming mug of tea while they stitch. Maybe you need to get comfortable and put on your pajamas before you pick up your needle or you simply must rearrange all the sofa pillows before you sit down. Sometimes the ritual is in the clean up when we’re done and everything must go in a certain place. What sort of stitching rituals do you have when you sit down to work on your projects?


I am a complete creature of habit.  I try very, very hard not to start another project before I finish the one I was working on. Sometimes, I have to get motivated, so I will kit up the next project and have it ready for myself which helps me to finish a project that was not working very well for me.  


When kitting a project, I always get the floss organizer ready - title of the project, the floss numbers written with their codes.  If more than one floss organizer is necessary, I will number them in order.  Then, all of my accessories are placed in my mesh bag (Krenik, floss, etc.).  I always have my notions handy in the mesh bag, but I have different sizes of mesh bags depending on the project.  I have a small one for the floss bobbins if necessary to carry with me to maintain the floss that I will need for the project, my scissors, extra needles, my needle threader on the FOB, etc.


I will make sure to set up in the corner of my sofa with the tray pulled down to hold my notions as well as a beverage (water, pop, bier - whatever I'm in the mood for), I get the TV ready with whatever show or movie I'm going to watch (I cannot stitch without the TV going, and I can't watch TV without stitching), and then my stand is ready.  Most of the time, I am using my stand for projects.  If I have a small project, then I'm stitching in hand.  I always, always, always wash my hands before I touch my fabric, and I will wash my hands throughout the stitching process to minimize the oils from my hands. 

The picture was fuzzy because one of my daughters took it, but it gives you an idea of my ritual. I have purchased some nice smaller pillows for behind my back that also accent the sofa when I'm not stitching.  


If I'm not done with the project, but I'm done for that moment or for the day, I will take a picture of my progress to post on my blog, put the scroll in a pillowcase to keep the dust off of it, and pack up all of my notions and accessories to keep them together.  We always have a busy house, and I would hate for something to go missing. The stand gets put against the wall out of everyone's way, and the rest of the items get put in the corner out of the way - the chart on the magnet board, the floss, and the mesh bag.


Once the project is done, I make sure that I put everything away right away.  The floss is returned, the accessories for that project are returned, and the chart is packed away to be kept flat. If my next project is already kitted, then I bring it all out to the living room to be kept in my corner of the room out of the way.  If not, then I'll either kit it up to be ready or wait until the next morning if I finished late at night.


When I travel, I make sure that I have a small pattern with me with everything I need to complete it.  I always set the thread and mesh bag out to my left and start stitching in hand.  

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