inspiration ave: needlework

I love a needle and thread - over the years I've tried my hand at quilting (gave them all as gifts), knitting (gave them all as gifts!), but the love I keep returning to is cross stitch.  While I've given some as gifts, I actually have kept some of these too - I have a growing collection of vintage style Santas that I've stitched.  They make a welcome appearance every year!

All my stitching is done on 18ct aida cloth because I like the detail the small stitches give.  However, as I've gotten older and my vision a little less exact, working those tiny stitches takes just a little longer.

Another one I'm quite proud of is this one I made for my mother in law who loves horses.  It was definitely one of my more challenging stitch projects, but worth it to see how much she enjoys it!

I love the lead-in written about this challenge over at IA.  It's amazing to consider how much impact a needle and thread have had in lives (just mending and making garments) and in art over the years.  I hope you'll go read it and then check out the various ways others have used needlework in their lives.