Monday, December 15, 2014

Last Finish of the Year and Other Funzies

Well, yesterday I finished Vinnie Stretch!  He's not perfect, and I'm no framer so he isn't even framed perfectly, but I love him just the same.


I did use Sulky holoshimmer thread with the backstitching to add even more sparkle to this and it doesn't overtake the finished piece like I thought it would since the fabric was already sparkly.  

Then I tried to carefully cut him down to size to fit in this frame I had that I really liked and figured he would fit nicely into, which he does, but like I said, I'm no framer so if it's a little off just know, he stays as is and since I'm a little off it seems appropriate.  


I would have spent more time working this out, but as with everything I stitch...there's a little story that goes with this now that we are done.

As most of you know, if I like things, I stitch them.  No intent, no reason...I stitch to stitch because I thought it would be nice to stitch this or that.  On rare occasions I see a pattern and know instantly that THIS would be perfect for so n so, such as SKULL, but that is rare.  Queen Bee found a home when I first started the stitching competition which was total serendipity.  And now Vinnie has a place to be.....

I have a co-worker,  I usually refer to him as my partner because he and I do the same job, and work closely together day in and day out.  We are carefully (and sometimes not so carefully) building a solid friendship based on common ground, ideas and artistic respect.  I've told him several times that if he is feeling overwhelmed by it all and he would like to just sit back and chat about cross stitch for a bit I'm there for him....he laughs and laughs....and then we go back to work.  I'm starting to think he doesn't want to talk about cross stitch all day every day and he's just too polite to say so, who knows?

Anywho, today was certainly a trying day for him and there was an "incident" that I will take responsibility for here and now as I was not paying attention enough to see there was more going on with said co-worker than what was clearly on the surface.  The surface issue was just a place for him to vent his frustration about the hidden issue and things got a little out of hand very quickly.  

Fortunately, he was kind enough to explain the hidden issue enough to bring tears to my eyes...first for not being observant enough to see his pain, second for not handling the "incident" with more ladylike aplomb and lastly because I already knew about the hidden issue to some degree and it didn't cross my mind once prior to the "incident" to even inquire about it.

So there I was this very morning, flouncing around, happy as can be since Vinnie was finished.  I had a plan for the day ahead of me and it was all rainbows and butterflies.....until the "incident".  I'm sorry, my dears, but I will not go into what exactly the "incident" was, but it did involve a slightly heated exchange of words (coming out of my mouth so not so much an exchange but a blast of self righteous blather).

While my partner was telling me the true issue of the day (and I was trying not to cry) and where his head was really at, Vinnie blazed to life squarely in my mind as something that may ease some of his stress. Here is someone who needs a symbol of wisdom and strength!  Vinnie to the rescue.  You are probably wondering now if I was continuing on being insensitive and it may seem that way, but truly, my partner is important to me and I do not take his issues lightly...even if I jest, it still bothers me as much or more than it bothers him.

Now Vinnie will be hanging in my partner's cubicle of death for all to see, but mostly for him, and I do hope it puts a smile on his face to know that Vinnie is watching and I do really care.

Vinnie will probably be my last finish for this year, which is fine.  It's a lovely piece of TW to end with! You may have noticed my nerdy progress bars on the right side-bar and just so you know, sometimes they work right and sometimes they don't....just like me.  These bars will also tell you what is being put into the work pile as I complete things.  I replaced Queen Bee with COSMOS, and haven't decided yet what to replace VINNIE with.  It could be The Faces or it could be a HAED or it could be another TW....too many choices!!  I do know one of the next two open slots will be one of the kits I have lurking in my tote.

For now, I'm grabbing Skeleton Crew to finish next and am still a little angry with myself for not finishing that anywhere near time this year.  But I will still do a progression video for your amusement so it's not a total loss.

Until next time my sweets!


5 comments:

  1. It sounds like Vinnie has found the perfect home, and your friend will always be able to look and him and know that despite arguments, you will always care. I'm sure Vinnie will beloved for a long time.

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  2. Vinnie looks so wonderful and pretty, I'm glad you found a good place for him already :)

    Looking forward to see your progress on Skeleton Crew...but don't forget aout Celtic Godess, you promised!

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  3. Very nice of you to give Vinnie a good home. And my own Stretchie is also adorned with Sulky, because I love shiny things.

    (apropos of nothing, I also stitch because I like to stitch and not for any reason, which explains the tub full of finishes I have no intention of... finishing).

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    1. Having hung Vinnie up in my co-workers cubicle has had several comments of "wow, that is some nice beadwork" which actually shocked me the first time it was said as there are ZERO beads, so I had to explain that is all cross stitch and they would look closer and STILL couldn't wrap their minds around it. That sparkly Sulky is a mind bender to the "non-stitcher" so prepare yourself for a comment like that :D

      yes, you ARE a berserker stitcher! I knew it!

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