Flosstube: Ornamentations #72 - It’s a finish!!!!!!

[@abbystone5738]

That's an interesting question! I would want items I've stitched to be passed on to others who would love and appreciate them as I have. Most everything I've ever stitched has been given as gifts. After a long break (years) I've come back to stitching and I'm astounded by what's now available - and overwhelmed! I'm determined to make some beautiful things for myself, but can't help thinking this person would love that piece and this pattern is perfect for that person.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

That's so lovely - you have such a generous and giving spirit! I give a lot of finishes away myself but I probably keep just as many!!!

[@ModelbuchMuse]

My stitching tends to be on clothing and other utility objects that get worn by myself, my kids, gifted, and used for historical reenactment. I like that they are used. I've seen some of my pieces that have been used for 20 years until the garment was worn out, then the embroidery was cut off and reused on another garment (just as it would have been historically.) That's exactly the life I want for them. Used, loved, reused, repaired, eventually unrecognizable. Gone except in shreds, scraps, and memory.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Extra points for this answer - so thoughtful, and so true. This is very much the story of textiles throughout history!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

You are the winner of the sleeping beauty thread pack! Please send me your mailing address using the contact form here: katie-strachan.com/contact

[@wendyholt9988]

- so very pleased to see that Elizabethan Valentine is going to be offered again - I have done the class and finished the construction of this little treasure and I HIGHLY recommend it!! Instructions are fabulous and so well structured, and the materials absolutely beautiful.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! That's so kind Wendy - it's been a long time coming as putting these kits together is like herding cats!

[@reneebebla422]

I’m so behind in Floss tubes but couldn’t go by without saying what how amazing AKGIT is, watching it come to fruition over the past few months has been a joy! You have earned the right to be smug, it is stunning and I can’t wait to see how it gets framed. What a great idea for your needle for a special project. I am coming to an end on Sarah Milthorp and while I am glad it will be done, I am also hoping to find another project that brings the joy that Sarah did. But I definitely do some reflection. Glad you are feeling better and what a great gift for your Mom. It’s nice that your Dad is helping out too, we appreciate it. Love the embellishments on the Snowman. Your next projects are great ones. I’m with you on the Surfine especially 56 count. Thanks for the tip on the error marker, that’s a great idea especially if you know where the mistake is. Great talk about the fabric of our lives, I always wonder where all my dear to me items will go. I have so much that was passed down to me and I am the fourth generation to cherish it. I am fortunate that my sons know just how much and important everything is to me so I think they will take care of it. I believe there should be a cross stitch museum be built for all the stitching community so there cherished pieces don’t end up at a garage sale. Just saying. Thank you for sharing everything.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment - and the idea of a cross stitch museum is such a lovely one. It reflects so much of what everyone hopes for their pieces' future.

[@stacycreatesstuff]

Congratulations on your AGIT finish - it's amazing! Excellent question regarding the life of my stitching. There have certainly been projects that I've hoped have been cherished by the recipient to an equal or greater degree to the effort (and love/care) put into them. But I learned long ago that is usually not the case. Like you, I'm more of a process stitcher (in all my fiber crafts), and my joy comes in creating. What happens after that is no longer in my control. And there is still an ember of hope that finished (and even unfinished) pieces will bring joy to someone else.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Too true! I gave one of my best ornaments to someone who promptly hung it at the back of the tree where it wasn't visible and was mortified that so much effort was wasted. But when all your love and care is truly appreciated by the recipient, it's such a wonderful thing.

[@dabeesh]

Ahhh congratulations on a stunning finish! I had to pause and stare at it in its entirety. Bravo! Your question about what we hope happens to our works after is timely. I’m about to embark on my biggest project yet- a traditional dress, full of cross-stitch! I wish that I’m able to wear it until it falls apart! Maybe whatever survives can be turned into a decorative object after. In my culture, framing embroidery is relatively new. I’ve framed two things for the next generation in my family, so I hope they continue to enjoy them well after I’m gone. For me, what I wish to pass on is the preservation of my heritage. I have a box full of things languishing, waiting to be FFOed, but mostly I do it for connection. The dress I’m about to start embroidering has brought me so much closer to my aunt, who is helping me, one video call at a time, several time zones away.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

That is such a lovely project, and what a meaningful connection to your aunt - enjoy what sounds like a wonderful work of art!

[@angelhart6937]

Such an amazing finish of AKGIT 1833 in less than a year!! I love your idea of storing this needle and other future special finishes with a piece of thread attached to remind you. My hope for finished stitched pieces is for my children and hopefully future grandchildren to enjoy. Most of my finishes are tree ornaments that I love displaying and admiring each year. I hope future generations will too. Within the last 6 months I watched Disney's Sleeping Beauty and laughed at the part where the war of the dress color took place. Such fun innocent times that we and our children still enjoy.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! Christmas ornaments I think are such fun finishes, and very likely to be cherished in future - we build such strong memories around the holidays and holiday traditions, that those pieces will always recall family, the joy of togetherness, and happy times.

[@AlyreneeCST]

I hope that some of my stitching stays in my family…on someone’s wall. But I would also love for someone to use it as upcycled art or in a garment…something that gives it a second life.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

@@AlyreneeCST It can be a little painful to think of all our hard work being cut up, but I agree - better for something to live and be appreciated, than crumble to dust in a drawer

[@susangriffin7411]

Oh my oh my, your artful completion of MFE AKGIT is amazing, truly! What an accomplishment. Your question posed to us , brought up, surprisingly ,an emotional response. My most treasured items are my grandmother's oil paintings, one once exhibited in a De Young Museum exhibit. The art is lovely, however I love them because they were created by my loving grandmother. They remind me of her and her presence in my life. Saying that I hope my family will enjoy some of my samplers, since hopefully they will bring these same feelings to them. Thanks for this question. ❤

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! And thank you for your lovely and thoughtful response - that's a beautiful story. Our stitching holds so much meaning for us, I think the hope that it will convey some of that to others in the future is a widely held one.

[@laurabligh3562]

AKGIT is gorgeous!! I hope that some family members take the pieces that they like, and then donate the rest. I have more quilts than stitched pieces at this time, so I also hope those end up someplace where they'll be used and treasured. Looking forward to learning more tips about using sequins/beads in ornament finishing.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! Quilts are such a usable and comforting item that I'm sure all of yours will find very good homes in the future

[@DebbieMoore998]

Congratulations on your beautiful finish! I have my grandmothers embroidery in a drawer, I like to take them out occasionally and feel the fabric and stitches. It reminds me of her. I have thought about framing a couple of doily’s and hanging them on the wall.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! What a lovely memento of your grandmother, and a lovely way to cherish her memory.

[@prairiestitcher515]

Katie ! Somehow I missed watching this video. SO GLAD I went back and did that today! For several reasons. I literally gasped at AKGIT …. You need to be as smug as much as you can muster and for as long as possible. It’s just beyond stunning! Wow wow wow! Also inspired by you I purchased sequins wanting to embellish some snow on a winter stitch. I was u sure how you secured them to the piece and today … oh happy day! I learned the answer! A bead!! Yippee I am so excited to try my hand at this!! Lastly the Simple Harmony box ( that sadly isn’t available anymore ) just so speaks to me as I adore a Quaker stitch! Boy that’s pretty. I do need to branch out and try something than the traditional finishes I’ve always done. So…. I’ll Be on alert for another box type project that comes along. Can’t wait to see the framed finish of AKGIT! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 ok on to watch the video just posted today❤

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! The premade box isn't still available for Simple Harmony, but a kind viewer measured her unfinished box and provided exact dimensions, which are on my website under the Simple Harmony page. There's no joinery, dovetailing etc in its construction - it was the crudest of unfinished wood boxes - so I don't think it would be too horribly expensive to have one made to size. Several stitchers have done it, and the finish is unique enough that it'd be worth looking into, there's nothing else like it in the counted stitch realm that I know of. If you know a hobbyist woodworker of any kind, they'd certainly be able to easily slap one together for you - you basically need rectangles of wood and glue.

[@prairiestitcher515]

@@katiestrachanembroidery I’ll Go thru the tutorial for that info. Your caskets are so gorgeous but the stark red and white of this box just has captured me. It’s way more involved than anything I’ve ever tackled but boy it would be a treasure to have completed it. Thanks so much Katie!

[@barbaramatchack8995]

Congratulations on your septacular finish, It's beautiful! My wish for my cross stitch pieces would be that my children, grand children and all future generations would cherish them and be honored to have them. That they would have a desire to learn about me, the stitcher and what my life was like and where I came from. I have sewing samples and samplers from my great-grandmother and a sampler from my great-great-grandmother. I have learned that they were born and lived in France while these items were stitched. I wish I had more history about these women and what life was like for them during the time they were learning how to make these precious items. I do remember my great grandmother but unfortunately I did not live close enough nor did I have the desire to learn from her at that young of an age.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

It is one of the problems of family history - we often don't think to ask these questions until it's too late. I can think of many things I would have liked to ask my grandparents, but didn't. But family heirlooms can lead us to curiosity and certainly the internet makes it easier to conduct family research than ever, so there's hope!

[@crazybandladystitches-xanl5148]

I would love for my favorite stitching to stay in my family. And all the others sold in our estate sale sold to save the stitches person that will love it on their walls . I love your flosstube sew goood! ❤

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! And thank you for your thoughtful reply - I love getting to read all the different responses.

[@creativeraquelb]

Congrats on your huge AKGIT finish! I also ADORE how you added the sequins and beads to the snowman piece! I am still hoping to have kids in the future so I would hope that they would enjoy displaying my pieces in their homes in the future or at least donate them to a stitching shop or someone who will love and appreciate my pieces.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! Sparkles are such a fun embellishment, I love doing it. And the hope that someone will cherish our needlework in the future seems to be a pretty universal sentiment - understandable, given what we put into it!

[@lauratodd6850]

Wow, Katie.....beauuuuutiful finish!! Your stitching is sheer perfection. I am a process stitcher but also find great satisfaction in savoring my finished pieces and seeing them displayed. I do not have children, so have no idea what will happen to my stitching after I am gone. Perhaps I will find worthy people to gift pieces to at some point. That being said, the joy of stitching is the ultimate goal for me!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! The joy of stitching is a completely worthy goal - it's why I stitch as well, although I do hope that some of my pieces survive and get good homes.

[@thequiltedstitcher]

Oh your AGKIT is Glorious! Congrats! Love your idea of keeping your special needles and putting them in one of your caskets hidden drawers! You could make small Tassel with the end of the thread to make it less likely to go missing. Or stitch the name ( though I know you don’t like letters) and date on a small scrap of the linen to hold the needle. That way it has a small record of its significance! As for my stitching’s future…. I would love for my children to keep my pieces and share memories of them with their children. Especially my daughter, whom I always share the stories behind them and progress. She does ask what I’m working on and what materials I’m using.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I actually really love the idea of the needle being a bit of a secret - obviously not a secret to anyone who watched my flosstube, but there's so much unknown about the 17th century caskets and their makers. I don't want my name or my story to be lost, but some of the smaller details being unexplained is an invitation to sit and wonder about was the needle left there by accident? Did it mean anything? Why is the thread different from anything used on the piece? There's a charm to mystery!

[@marciaclifford7107]

Applause! Applause! I am in awe, Katie. Beautifully done. I wouldn't have the patience anymore. And what a clever idea to hide that special needle - I hope you put a note to go with it in explanation. Re. textiles being so fragile and stitching: Everything about fabric and thread is made, or derived from, other materials. Those materials, linen, cotton, wool, bamboo, and silk are soft. That is part of their usefulness. That is at the core of why we stitch and create beauty out of softness. We love that created softness and beauty and why its experience and usefulness changes. Our bodies are much the same, although made out of other things. Nothing lasts forever. Not even stone, although that will outlast our stitching. Although I would wish that my stitching finds others who will love it, too. Thanks for the reflections, Katie, and the especially sparkly snowman.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you - multiple people have suggested that the needle should have a little explanation or something with it to document the significance although I take the contrary view here. I love the idea of it being a secret just for me - something left behind for others to wonder about. Why is it there? Why is the thread on it completely different from anything else used on this piece? Was it an accident? Something left behind and forgotten? Or they'll just toss the needle as a forgotten bit of trash, but I like the idea of leaving behind a tiny mystery!

[@sandylarson8952]

I wish that my son, grandkids and friends will choose the pieces they love. I’ve asked my husband to display some of my work at my funeral as I will probably die with a needle in my hand. The rest I hope would go to different thrift shops or estate sales. I would love for the searcher’s heart to skip a beat when they find my treasures. I have found many heart skipping treasures of my own and they bring me such happiness. The joy is in the stitching.

[@dawnpopovitch1837]

I thought I might be the only person who would actually like for some of my work to go to a thrift or estate sale for another stitcher to find!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

This is such a lovely reply - thank you! It bringing joy, wherever that, is a really generous and giving response.

[@dianemcclure6884]

Wow, your finish is amazing! Future museum worthy. My wish for a few of my favorite stitches would be for a future Nicola Parkman to buy mine and add it to her impressive collection. I won't count on my descendants to be impressed with my masterpieces 😁

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! Not sure about museum worthy as it won't be the only AKGIT out there, but I hope it will be treasured. My brother actually really likes this piece so I've earmarked it for him in the distant future!

[@dawnpopovitch1837]

Thanks Katie for another great Flosstube! I hope my daughter will enjoy some of my pieces. But mainly I hope someone who will enjoy them gets or finds them! I especially like to make needle books and pincushions so I hope they get used!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! It's a lovely idea to think of them like hidden treasures waiting to be found by those who will appreciate them...

[@lavender0lilacs]

Congrats on the finish! I love all of the discussions that can be had about the different ways we all stitch. From why we stitch (personally, I love the accomplishment of a finished piece) to the how. The variance between stitching in hand, a hoop, linen, aida, etc just fascinates me! But to answer your question, I have the most boring answer: I truly don’t mind what happens. I very much live in the moment, and I stitch for the recipient (usually myself or my mom.) As long as the piece brings joy in the moment, I’m thrilled and it’s done its job. If it moves on to live in someone else’s home in the future, then I would hope it would bring them that same amount of happiness. But I also recognize the fleeting nature of so many things in our lives, so if my work doesn’t outlive me I’m perfectly okay with that too.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Realistically, that's probably the healthiest attitude to take as we have absolutely no control over what happens in the future! But it is a really interesting subject to consider and I have really enjoyed the wide variety of answers as there are so many different takes, just as we all stitch differently.

[@lavender0lilacs]

Absolutely! I’ve read through quite of a few of the comments here and it’s been a lot of fun exploring those differences. I love thought provoking conversations like this :)

[@laviedunartisan7265]

Your AKGI...is fantabulous...you should be proud 👏😌

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you, I am!

[@debbiebrugier5410]

Katie, would love to see a blocking video with cross stitch. You should be so proud of your finish, it is stunning!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Already exists - #8 in the Simple Harmony tutorials. That one is about blocking the lid of the box but the process is pretty much the same for any piece.

[@titaniaem1]

Congratulations on an amazing finish of AKGIT! The whole discussion of "what happens to your embroidery" and the Sleeping Beauties exhibit is fascinating. It reminds me of a discussion we had in my Music and Philosophy class back in graduate school, when we discussed how the concert hall turns music into "museum pieces," which can have a sterilizing effect, since it limits access, but it also preserves pieces that might be otherwise lost. In terms of what future I would like for my work, I do most of my work in the context of historical reenactment (much like Modelbuch Muse - we're actually part of the same group, just in different parts of the country!), so I love to see that my work is being used as intended. Cared for, yes, but not locked away in a closet. Much of what I make ends up on clothing, and I find it so gratifying to see those items worn by the recipients.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Love this reply - it cuts to the meaning of textiles, and of museums. A collector recently told me she had acquired a very old band sampler which had been passed down through the family and was in fairly poor condition. They had been using it as a table runner, and I was both appalled (not at it being used, but at what the damage would have been given light and exposure) and really pleased to think of it being loved and enjoyed. It's a fine line with textiles, as they're so vulnerable.

[@titaniaem1]

@@katiestrachanembroidery that reminds me of the medieval and renaissance chasubles that were cut down as the style of that vestment changed. The mutilation of those pieces allowed them to continue being used. Horrifying from a historical/conservation perspective, but it meant that the garments to continue serving their intended purpose

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

@@titaniaem1 Extra credit points! This is actually going to be a topic next time - there have been so many interesting replies that I thought we'd continue the discussion and that is one of the points on the schedule.

[@cloudberry1979]

AKGIT looks AMAZING Katie - you are entitled to be as smug as you like with that beautiful and speedy finish - I can't believe that you made so few errors. I find even Gothic lettering a trial but maybe with those symmetrical shapes it is easier to know where you're going. Like you I am a process stitcher but I hope that after I'm gone, my daughters will keep some of my stitches, quilts and hand knits and that it will make them feel that they are close to my heart always.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! It helps that everything lines up, and all the internal elements in each motif touch - you know really quickly if you're off at all. I made plenty of errors, but usually figured them out within a few stitches and so it was easy to unpick and correct. I'm certainly error prone enough in other patterns that I think it was very much a feature of how this one was structured that helped me stay so accurate.

[@loribowen5160]

Beautiful finish!! Love the article and thoughts on textiles and how our hand work changes. I want some of mine to last past mine and my children’s generation! I try to sew pieces as gifts that represent something special or meaningful for the person I’m gifting the item to. So usually during its creation I’m very thoughtful about the person receiving the piece. But it definitely changes from a very tactile experience into a visual and hopefully a little emotional one. Like for your AGIT. I hope you get the excitement and pleasure every time you see it or justly deserved praise and admiration showing it off to visitors 🎉❤

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! I hadn't really thought so much about how a piece transforms in making to display before reading the NYT piece (probably because I don't display anything!) but it really is an essential part of a creation's life cycle, as it were. We'll see what the future holds for AKGIT! Lots of cooing from me at least, once it's back from framing...

[@michellelatham2349]

So so beautiful!! AKGIT 1833 is simply amazing. It is a museum piece in my opinion. I would love to see each piece that I stitch be loved by a family member for generations and generations to come. As a little girl has a favorite doll that is loved I would like each piece of mine to be looked at, held, put on a tree or even repurposed into a quilt or blanket of some sort. I would like to think that they would be carried through time till there was nothing left of them but strings and thread pieces. You put out a very thought provoking question. It would be a nice subject to be discussed in a group. Happy stitching 😊🪡

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I'm glad you liked the question - and please do carry it forward if you have the chance. I think it's worthy of wider discussion because it is a question that will ultimately occur for each of us, even if we're not around to see it. And it cuts to the heart of what we do, and what our stitching means to us. I'm really enjoying reading all the responses!

[@kerrylacey981]

Congratulations on your enormous finish! Brava ! I hope that my great greats will get a peak about my life!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much!!

[@avonbingham9226]

I would hope that my children would want 1 of my samplers to hang on their own wall. Thanks for your love of stitching😁 I enjoy your enthusiasm.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! And I hope so too.

[@lilysmomma785]

You never cease to amaze me with your stitching and the joy and knowledge you so kindly share with all of us. Congratulations on your big finish. As for my own stitching, I haven't really considered until now, though my first thought is that I tend to gift most of what I do so there isn't a lot left to consider. With the pieces that haven't been gifted, I would hope they find a new home with someone who will love and use or display them as much as I loved and enjoyed stitching them.😊 Happy Stitching -Kimberly

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! You have a truly generous spirit - I give a reasonable number of finishes as gifts to loved ones, but I have retained most of them!!!

[@lindajohnson9164]

Your love for AGIT! You have museum quality work in all you do- your stitching is and will be famous! My work? Here’s hoping when they close the house they save some pieces! One daughter inherited/asked for a piece of 1935 needlework done by her great grandmother - so there’s hope!😀. If I live to a very old age, daughters and grandchildren, maybe great grandchildren, will remember and want a piece they saw in the house or find treasures in the ones not fully finished🤣

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you, that's so kind of you! And you never know - people can surprise you. The one item I requested after my grandmother passed was her sampler from the 1970s - she did a kit copy of the Chase sampler in the collection of Colonial Williamsburg. At that time I didn't stitch myself at all. Now I look back and smile thinking it was meant to be.

[@laviedunartisan7265]

I think you are fabulous ...I don't think my stitching is just good enough for myself in my stitchy heaven home,but yours are museum quality. Your honor towards your mom is so sweet...thank you Katie's mom for having her and giving us such a talented lady...chip off the block.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you, that's so kind, although I'm sure you're not doing your own stitching justice!

[@ContentedNeedleworkerKim]

Congratulations on this fabulous finish!! ❤

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you Kim! I'm so pleased and excited

[@jomariehogle1980]

Oh what a great video. Your finishes are amazing. They turned out beautiful. Ok, so I’m going to have to do some bling on my Snow Magical, yours has inspired me to do so. How interesting the article was and you sharing it does make you think. My wish is for my children and/or my grandchildren keep, cherish and enjoy my stitches. Even if they box them up and look at them from time to time. My real hope is one of my grandchildren want to stitch as my daughters don’t. lol. I do stitch for them and they love it, but don’t want to do it. Thank you again for all you share with us, I appreciate it and always enjoy your videos.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I definitely recommend blinging up Snow Magical. And you never know who might take up stitching in the future - some people start very young, but many others come to it later it life. Not particularly late, but although I grew up with textiles, I didn't start stitching until my mid twenties. Hopefully they'll soak in your love for it now, and then remember that later and take an interest!

[@dianesutton9282]

You should be very proud of this piece 😍 its a stunning pattern and you stitching is perfect 🤩

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! I am so thrilled with the finish

[@PeggyA-qq1cd]

Wow AKGIT is amazing! Way to go Katie! Atta girl!

[@sherylrowe228]

I loved your question! I think about it quite a bit, but I come at it from a bit of different direction, though. I often think about the environmental impact of all of our textiles and that of the textile industry as a whole. I wonder what happens to things after they are no longer usable in their current form. As for my stitching, most of my stitching is now rather utilitarian, which is why I'm so fascinated by caskets and by your simple harmony box: beautiful and useful all in one. You can't beat that. I think what I would like for my stitching is for it to be used in someone else's creative endeavor. Wouldn't it be great to inspire someone else's creativity...even if or especially if it isn't something I would choose to do myself? I saw on a flosstube a few months ago - someone had a damaged sampler cut apart and the part that was still beautiful was appliqued onto a jacket. Brilliant, reuse of something that is no longer usable in its original form. Thank you for the fun flosstube, Katie..and congrats on the beautiful finish.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Such a well expressed and thought provoking response - I do think about environmental impact of textiles but I admit that's more in my clothes than my stitching, so I buy natural fibers and well made pieces that will wear well rather than wear out and end up in a landfill. Fast fashion and all those synthetic fibers are a serious problem. But your stitching inspiring someone else, having a new life and being remade is a lovely idea very consistent with the overall history of textiles. For most of human history they've been too valuable to just throw away, so they've been reimagined and remade for what use could be made out of them.

[@PeggyA-qq1cd]

WOW!! AKGIT is amazing! Way to go Katie!! Atta girl !!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much!

[@elizabethcoleman5437]

What a beautiful finish! Can't wait to see it framed. For my own stitching, I mainly do it to enjoy in my home but I do hope that my children & grandchildren will treasure it and not toss it out. I have 2 daughters who have started stitching and therefore might treasure my collection. There are a few things that I know my children say they would like to have (mainly as a memory of me). Time will tell but I won't be here.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

I'm sure they will - especially as they stitch themselves, because I think other stitchers do truly understand how much we put into our stitching, and how personal it is. There's no better memento of a person.

[@bhoomaaravamudan6745]

Congratulations on your gorgeous finish! Looking forward to seeing it framed. Simple Harmoney casket is one of my very many WIP's. I started it a couple of years ago but have neglected it in recent months. I have everything needed to finish it including the box. I just to need to get my act together and continue with it but then there are way too many distractions such as new releases!! I too am a process stitcher. I don't frame all of stitchings. I enjoy the process of stitching more than seeing them hanging on my walls. I have framed and displayed a few but there are more unframed ones, than framed. Regarding what I wish for my stitching after I am gone, I hope my children and grandchildren would display them in their homes and whatever they cannot, I hope they share with their friends and relatives.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! Obviously I'm biased but I really recommend spending some time with Simple Harmony. There's something very special and unique about a box finish - if nothing else, you could use it as a beautiful home for finished but unframed pieces!

[@marionvandesande6382]

It's beautiful, your finish, really beautiful. OK, you said: no limits. If so I would love it when my finished pieces would end up with my children and later on grandchildren. That they will see them and sometimes think of me and remember how I would always tell them, very enthousiastic, of all my pieces.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! And although this was a no limits response, it seems well within the range of possibility - I think we as stitchers feel so much love for our stitching that it can really impress itself on others.

[@marleenoceanbreeze6510]

AKGIT is spectacular!! It was endearing to see your excitement about it. Your sparkly snowman is also beautiful, and bling is good. I'm a process stitcher so very little of my pieces are framed or displayed but were enjoyed for the pleasure they brought me stitching them, and for skill sets they may have taught me. It would be wonderful if my pieces were passed down and cherished by my family but I know this won't be the case. So I hope they end up with my stitching guild members, who can appreciate them in the way that fellow stitchers do. Take care, and happy stitching, Arleen

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! A guild would be a wonderful home, as they can also be study and learning pieces, but won't be shut away as they would in a more formal collection. This is a really wonderful idea - and in that sense, pieces not being in display form is really advantageous, because future stitchers would be able to examine them more closely. The real secrets are always on the back!

[@elizabethwestlake8896]

Many kudos for amazing finish. Your skill, precision and dedication are inspiring. I’m inspired to begin collecting materials for your snowman finish- sparkly at it’s best. I hope my favorite pieces are loved and treated with care by future generations. I cringe picturing them dirty in the bottom of a donation box. They may not last forever but the linen wrapping Egyptian mummies is in good condition after 5,000 years. If a few of my best efforts last half as long I would be so very happy 😊

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! Definitely collect for a sparkly snowman - I'll be showing the FFO next episode and it is so fun, I can't wait to hang him on my tree. And longevity is certainly an argument for using high quality natural materials - both linen and silk are incredibly strong natural fibers that have stood the test of time!

[@kckoehler1766]

Congratulations on completing AKGIT. In answering your question- I reflected on your comments about AKGIT- the tactile and sensory experience that is now ended and changed into a viewing experience. Not unlike giving birth I think. Your beautiful piece will bring you joy on a daily basis - relish that.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! It definitely will bring joy, just in a different way from the tactile experience of stitching it. There's certainly immense satisfaction in having actually completed it!

[@pattymcreynolds7925]

Congrats on your AKGIT finish...it's fabulous. My wish for my stitching is that my family would keep them and care for them and pass them down thru their families. But, realistically, I have grandsons and I would be very surprised if they had much interest in keeping them. In which case, I hope that some thoughtful stitchers will rescue them from Goodwill and enjoy them. I certainly enjoyed stitching them! I'm planning on stitching Snow Magical using your conversion...thank you!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! You never know - that's much the story of how original samplers have survived to the present day. Men can surprise us sometimes in what they value and appreciate...

[@wendys.miller9807]

You have every reason to be “chuffed” as your AKGIT is beautiful. My wish for my stitching is first and foremost to get totally FFO’d. I have them in a plastic tote which I’m sure isn’t the best thing for the fabric. I do wish to hand some of my things down to my son and daughter and hopefully they will enjoy them for years to come.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! And yes, whether you do the finishing or not, please take your finishes out for a while and let them breathe. Textiles need air - too much time in plastic and they can turn brittle. Cardboard and tissue is the best storage method if you want to think about changing how you store your unfinished pieces because it's permeable rather than sealed.

[@awperry0202]

You are so inspiring to me. I would hope that pieces of my stitching would be handed down and loved by my future generations of grands and great grands. I keep pieces made by my grandmother and great grandmother around, on my Christmas tree, a bookmark in my bible and soon I plan to hang a quilt. I love the thoughts of their hands touching them.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you - what a beautiful thought!

[@ValerieGoodwin-rr7jj]

Glad you are feeling better and stitching away. I often wonder about my pieces where will they end up. But this past Christmas my sister informed me that she would love all my Prairie Schooler Santa’s; if that be the case and then I hope that she passes them on.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! You never know how people feel - I never thought my brother took much notice but it turns out I'm quite wrong about that. He will, apparently, want quite a bit of it!

[@obragg1]

Congratulations on your spectacular finish! You posed such an interesting question about the future of our stitching. I’m not one for magical thinking; I’m too practical. I hope my only son will choose his favorite and actually display it. I hope everything else is claimed by someone who comes across it, falls in love, and gives it a new home. But…I’m of the belief that items hold onto something of the original owner. (Think “haunted” items. ) I hope my stitched pieces will transfer some of the joy that I’ve put into them to their new owner.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Such an interesting response! In a sense, a stitched piece must. I've handled AKGIT so much - goodness, I even bled on the thing even though most of it washed out - that you would think quite literally I've left traces of myself behind from all the contact with my hands. But that's quite a literal interpretation - I hope that they do have the capacity to hold the joy we put into it, and to convey that to others!

[@stitchingcat]

Congratulations on your fabulous finish! I would stitch one of the small motifs and save your needle in that.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! I do like the idea of the needle being a bit of a mystery to others than myself - I want to leave it without explanation, so another generation might wonder why is it there? Why does the thread not match anything on the piece it was in? Or perhaps just discard it thinking it was an oversight, a forgotten bit of trash. But I like the idea of my casket having some secrets in it...

[@barbarahunter6375]

Hi Katie you deserve to be smug over such a beautiful finish. A project this big is beyond most of us. If I could wish anything for my stitching I hope that my kids will continue to like the 15 different Trish burr birds that I have done and they are on a wall. My casket perhaps in a guild to inspire someone to stitch

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! And if you've done 15 Trish Burr birds I would strongly contest that anything's beyond you, certainly not AKGIT! Which doesn't mean you have to want to do it, but it's like any other large project - it came together one stitch at a time.

[@carlarigel252]

I hope my family will want and keep my pieces or at least the ones personalized for family. I love them. I hope family members will love them too. Your work is beautiful.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I hope your family will love them - our stitching is so personal and so much love goes into their creation

[@starrynightstitcher7509]

If I were you, I would be the gloater of the year! You finished that BAP! 😂It is so beautiful! I hope they do a good job framing it. Also, that article you mentioned in the NYT was very interesting. I never thought of textiles that way but they have to be treated that way if we want to be able to conserve, study and protect them. About your question, I like you, am a process stitcher. If I ever get anything framed my daughter would keep it and then keep it in the family I hope. A museum? I don’t think so but who knows what could happen in a century?

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

I think I am the gloater of the year! I had to keep checking myself in my most recent flosstube to not sit there going 'I finished AKGIT! Did I tell you I finished AKGIT and it's awesome and looks so great?' On one level, it's terribly sad that so many beautiful things are fated to become sleeping beauties in museum archives, unseen and unappreciated. Having said that, it's probably worse for them to fall apart and die due to lack of care - textiles are so vulnerable.

[@connieenevold1745]

Provocative question! I am also a process stitcher so, for me, my wish for my finishes is that that they find a life that continues as a tactile experience. I haven’t finished many large works yet but those I have finished have not been glassed in. Maybe my quilting background, but I believe cross stitch, as a textile, has life as a one-on-one experience and needs to breathe to be accessible. Yes, life limiting choice but maybe it’s more about quality than quantity. Thanks for making us think🤔

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! I wasn't sure anyone else would find it as fascinating as I do but the replies have been so interesting. Textiles do need to breathe, although I think if they're properly framed they're only truly sealed from the front - the back is usually paper which I think wouldn't be a fully sealed environment. I totally see your point, but given how much dust I'm constantly cleaning in my house I do shudder to think of framed pieces without glass!!!

[@deborahinman3852]

Congratulations 🎉 AKGIT is a true labour of love and now a masterpiece. 😍🤩

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! It was definitely a labor of love!!

[@kristiemichalowski971]

Interesting topic about the "afterlife" of our stitching. I have thought about what will probably happen but not what I wished would happen. I consider my stitching to include my other artwork of quilting, knitting, needlepoint in addition to cross stitching. I don't think any of them would be for a museum, but would be tickled if they were displayed for a local show to view. I would have my family go thru and choose which ones they would love to keep as a memory of me and ones I would like for them to keep because of the amount of work and love I have for specific ones. The others (I have a lot) could be given to my friends as a remembrance or sold to others who will enjoy them and give my family some inheritance.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you for your thoughtful answer - I think textiles can be a powerful medium of memory. Certainly most people who know me well would picture me with needle in hand, because I'm always stitching, and I think that's true of many stitchers, that we're very strongly associated with our chosen art. So in term those pieces do really become remembrances of ourselves, and I hope will be viewed as such by others in time.

[@alindberg9757]

Enjoy your pride for completing such gorgeous needlework. As for my pieces I would hope my relative would want to display them. But wherever I hope they would be appreciated. For my 12 moon sampler in hardanger, it would be nice if it ended up in a museum or someplace for display. Ha ha But it is unusual.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

I was just about bursting with pride here, but it was a very exciting finish! And I think we all hope that our work will be appreciated, at least by someone if it's not immediate family.

[@shelly2758]

Love all of your projects ❤ Thank you for your videos ! XO

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you for watching them!

[@madamevavra]

Congratulations on your epic finish! Your question on our wishes for our work is interesting. Most of them I’m content for family or friends to use and enjoy with the vague wish of it passing down to their heirs or even the lucky collector who finds it in a pile at Goodwill and recognizes a treasure. I have started thinking about documenting really special pieces as photos in my online ancestry app as they are gifted for weddings, etc. After all, if a coat of arms painted on wood can represent a family, why can’t a sampler or a quilt? And Ravelry and Instagram were my sort of online museum for pictures of the process, but I’m feeling dissatisfied with them. As one of my friends said, “you can’t look at that very easily in the nursing home!”, so I am thinking about putting together a book that will include my journaling, process photos and all the little details of my pieces which can be printed every couple of years. So in a way, I do want some of them put out for the world to see even if they do lose that spark of life. There are some items that elevate above the rest either through the craftsmanship or design. They may lose the spark of utility, but as we all know they gain the spark of inspiration for the following makers. In a way, that’s even better.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

This is wonderful! And samplers can absolutely be a genealogical record - more and more genealogists are relying on antique samplers as resources given the information about stitchers and the existence of family record samplers. But I love the idea of making your own book - I'm keeping an archive myself, although not in such an organized form.

[@katebrown3291]

My dream for my stitching is that it includes a large Vierlande sampler, and the people want to hang my historic and vintage stitching in their cosy homes, rather than live in grey and white minimalism. Congratulations on your finish and the joy it brought you. Kate

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

There's nothing like a large Vierlande sampler - they are so spectacular!

[@lauramilloway8674]

I would hope that my work would be a time portal for my children. To be able to return to a specific point in time via the work. That is a function of some art work and I love the idea of freezing a moment in time. Hope you are feeling better!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

It certainly could - objects can hold so much memory...

[@nataliadmitrieva3929]

What a gorgeous piece you have completed, Katie!! I am so far behind on it but I will finish her one day too :) You posed a hard question although a very interesting one… I probably don’t want my stitched pieces to end up in a museum, unless it is a postapocaliptic one and they are the only needlework examples that survived 😂 Seriously, I hope for may be a couple of framed works go to my daughter’s home and the rest to be put in the nice big wooden chest nicely folded and to be admired by someone (may be my daughter again :) 😁❤️

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! You'll love yours just as much when you do finish, and it is such a wonderful and enjoyable stitching journey. And thank you for your thoughtful response - I think a lot of people want their textiles to continue to have a life, not just to enter a museum and essentially be frozen.

[@Justpaulette42]

Congratulations, AKGIT is stunning!!! It has been so fun to watch your progress on it. My wish for my stitching is for them to be loved and remind my family of how much I love them.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much, and thank you for your reply - beautifully expressed!

[@Ladeeinredd79]

I stitch for my enjoyment but I hope that my children will pick ones that they like to keep in remembrance.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

A lovely remembrance!

[@thebashfulstitcher]

How exciting! It is such a beautiful piece. Wow Wow Wow - what a labor of love.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! It truly was - and now a source of so much enjoyment now that I can sit back and admire!

[@lindaseeley6960]

Once again you’ve out done yourself! Your finishes are gorgeous. I love hearing the joy and excitement in your voice when sharing your stitching. So glad you are feeling better❤.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! I always feel a lot of love and excitement for my projects but this was definitely an extra special one!

[@varshakean6331]

Hope my family will treasure my quilts and cross stitch .They might not be museum piece .,,but they are made with love

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Always the most important factor!

[@killyloveshugs]

Congrats on such a big finish! I think it turned out beautifully, you should be very proud :D I am honestly not sure what I hope for for my stitching.. I guess I hope that some pieces bring joy to whoever ends up with them, but if no one wants them when I am gone, that is also okay. I greatly enjoy having them in my life and the process of making them and maybe that is enough :D I hope you feel better soon and see you next flosstube!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! Enjoying having them and making them is definitely enough! And probably a very good attitude since ultimately we can't control what will happen in the future

[@Threadgremlins]

Congratulations! It’s beyond! -🎀🐦‍⬛C

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much!

[@rose2fame1]

Hi Katie, welcome back. Good to see that you’re feeling better. Congratulations on your finish. Very beautiful. It will look great hanging on your wall. Snow magical looks really cute. I like the sequins, it gives the effect of what actual snow would look like in the evening or early morning under the street lights. Just perfect. What I would wish for my stitching after I am gone would be that my children and their children would enjoy it and display it in their homes for generations. I have found a few charts of samplers that were stitched originally by my great grandmothers from the 18th century and one is in Worcester Art Museum. Have a great week. TTFN

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I love the sequins, such a fun accent

[@marlenedavey6262]

So glad you’re feeling better and no you do not have the best mom ever. Lol! I do!! Your work again is lovely. I hope when I’m gone my family remember me with such happiness and joy. I will most likely be only remembered for two generations, that’s the reality. What would i wish for my stitching? I don’t know if i would have much control over that. I guess, i would hope someone got as much joy out of it as i did. But my joy is mostly the process, the tactile sensation, the rhythm of the needle and motion of my hands, the meditation that takes place…when it’s finished there is joy in looking at the finished piece but it’s a small percentage. I guess i wish someone would get as much joy out of admiring it as i did out of the process.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

We'll have to fight to the death on the best mom off, because I hold my position there!! It's so often the story of women that our stories and memories live through oral history, and are lost once we pass beyond living memory, so the two generation thing is probably spot on. But I think we all hope our pieces will bring joy in the future...

[@kristiemichalowski971]

You should be chuffed about that spectacular sampler!!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I really am!

[@basket9116]

One of the many reasons I love your channel is the thought provoking sentiments you address. Also the thread color choices you make. I would like my finishes to end up with people that would love them as I do. For me, the stitching is what I love and being able to display my finishes in my home. Looking forward to the Christmas kit.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I'm glad you liked the question, I wasn't sure if anyone else would find it interesting!!

[@patricialally9476]

You deserve to be smug. Gorgeous work. MY wish for my finishes is as I give most of them away that they will always be handed over to someone they love and who would appreciate the piece with it history of who made it and why…thanks for your great flosstube and all the info and inspiration

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! This is beautifully expressed - I think what all of us would wish for our work, given the chance.

[@Helen_Amt]

It would be so lovely if my stitching would been among either my family or people who enjoy and value embroidery!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Very much so! I think many of us feel this.

[@TLianeStitches]

What a beautiful finish! Congratulations! I love the idea of my pieces being viewed by others. I don't think my boys would be interested in keeping anything I've finished, but I often look at old samplers and wonder about the life of the stitcher. What was their life like? What were they thinking while they stitched their piece? Why did they stitch it? Was it a gift? A keepsake? Homework? I love the idea of future generations wondering about me and my life...inspiring their imagination. It makes me feel connected and I love the idea of being in someone's thoughts long after I'm gone.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! You never know what your boys might feel until it comes to it - I'm always surprised by what my brother takes an interest in. But once it passes beyond living memory, yes exactly - a link to the past and an invitation to wonder ...

[@kelly.houghtaling]

Katie your videos are always inspiring and thoughtful. I enjoy your enthusiasm over your beautiful finish, and look forward to see it framed. I also am looking forward to your sequin tutorial on Snow Magical. As a 61 year old sewist/stitcher, without children of my own, I have been giving serious thought as to what happens to my work when I pass on. What will my stitching legacy be. I believe I will pass on a few special works to my niece and nephew, and my step children/grand children that I have recorded the historical (perhaps even hysterical) and personal documentation of. That will have to do, as we can't take it with us. Prayers for your health and continued healing. 😊❤

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Your reply really made me smile - not because it wasn't lovely and thoughtful, it was, but it reminded me of a family story! My great grandmother was devoted to her local historical society and spent a lot of time there. Her son, my grandfather, invariably called it the hysterical society. It's a fine line!!

[@lisagrissom3573]

Akgit is amazing! I hope that my daughter will display my best pieces and pass along to future generations.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! And I hope so too

[@debwillner5598]

For the future of my pieces~I’m hopeful that if I display them with pride that my children will be inclined to pass them along and keep them on display. My husband makes the frames so it’s extra special. I only have one so far in that category but I’m working on others. Congratulations on your epic finish! My goodness ~what an accomplishment for you!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

That's lovely - how wonderful that your husband contributes to your stitching and that it's a joint effort!

[@trishaknitz5441]

That finish! Wow! What do I wish for my stitching? I have no illusions that my boys really care but I guess I hope that they would choose one piece that reminds them of me, to remember that I loved making things.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

You never know! I thought for years that my brother was more or less indifferent to all my creations and it turns out I couldn't have been more wrong...

[@cathynanz9637]

Great to know that you are feeling better! Congratulations on the finish of your large piece!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much!

[@lisapb5042]

Congratulations on your amazing finish of AKGIT!! My wish for my stitching is that the pieces go to someone who will love and appreciate them. Hopefully, that will be family or friends, but if it is a stranger, that would be ok, too.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I think we all hope that our stitching will be loved, as it has been made with so much love and care

[@lisanewman3543]

I am a process stitcher. I only have a few fully finished pieces out in the world since returning to cross stitching in 2019. My wish is that I create a few pieces that my sons will love the storyline I place with each and want to keep them and enjoy on their walls.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

A beautiful wish for your stitching! I hope so too.

[@donnamichelle_42]

Congratulations on your finish! It is truly awesome :) My hope for my stitching is that it will bring someone joy. Whether that is my children or someone else I hope it can be something that brings happiness.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I think a lot of us feel this, having put so much love and joy into our stitching ourselves...

[@marytomasi3132]

Your finish is amazing. And beautiful. My wish for my stitching is that my children, grandchildren, and descendants treasure and care for them because I made them and love them because of all the comfort stitching gave me.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! This is a beautiful wish, and one I think we all feel, having taken so much love and joy in our own stitching.

[@megwatkins9480]

Beautiful stitches and silks (scrumptious!). I would love nothing more than for each of my children and grandchildren to pick a piece they like as a memory of someone who loved them dearly. The rest can go to anyone who would appreciate them. Thank you Katie for showing and sharing your amazing projects.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you for watching! And for your thoughtful answer

[@Kathysimmeth6678]

Katie your stitching is gorgeous. I enjoyed your excitement of completion was fun to watch. As far as my stitching I hope that the next generation of my family would keep and enjoy having the pieces. If they don’t want them I hope they will leave them somewhere that others might want and enjoy. Thank you for sharing.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! Wanting what we have poured so much into to be appreciated by others in the future is something I think we all want for our pieces.

[@cjd7602]

Congratulations on your beautiful finish! You have the right to be elated 🎉

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much!

[@jendickson2201]

Wow. Excellent work on your sampler. I can imagine the joy of that finish. I was wondering what red you used on your box. It’s like a perfect red.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! It's Gobelins 779 and it is most definitely the perfect red, I can't recommend it enough.

[@charj57]

When you say you go through twice on long carries….that is repeating threading sequin and bead for the second time. Correct? Congratulations on your MFE piece. I would wish for my stitching to be on the wall of my descendants. With photos of our family surrounding the stitching. Love of family and love of Needleart together in a moment of time.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Yes, I go through each bead and sequin twice to secure it, makes sure it sits nicely and doesn't get destabilized by the long carries

[@lisabarcomb2655]

Akgit is spectacular!! Congratulations! I would love for my stitching to belong to anyone who cherishes needlework as much as I do. I would love it if it were passed down to someone in my family but it’s ok if that’s not the case.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! And I think many of us hope that our needlework ends up with someone who will really appreciate it - probably because making it has meant so much to us.

[@neilstephen6761]

Congratulations on your finish and sharing your beautiful stitching.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much!

[@leslies6008]

Wow! AGIT is incredible! Your work is so inspiring. As for your question ( which is very good ). I have no delusions that my stitching would be worthy of public viewing. My hope is that future generations will look at it and say, “ok, she wasn’t much of a craftswoman, but she was very content with a needle and thread”. Thank you for encouraging us to take the time to be intentional with what we do!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! And that would be a worthy and fitting epitaph for any stitcher - contentment is something to be prized, but that many (people) never achieve.

[@cindyloveandstitch]

Hi, what a great question. I hope my stitching will tell my story as a sticther, a mother, a wife and a creative being. I am leaving my life stories for the future generations.....because I all pore it into my daily stitching. When I frame my finished projects I always put a little note between the lacing with a little story about the proces. Sometimes I dedicate the project to someone special to me. It can also be a little poem. I always try to leave a persona touch. It feels like sharing a little piece of me with a future that has yet to come. I am from Holland, so.....my English is not perfect. Sorry for that. Cindy

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

This is such a good idea, to leave your story documented with the piece - I'm sure that thoughtfulness will be repaid in future when people are curious and the answers are right there for them to find. And a beautifully expressed idea as well!

[@katherinem7835]

I wish for my stitching to be appreciated and loved by my family, but I'm finishing a piece called O Marie by reflets de soie. I would like that to hang in my church. It's is a piece I did in honor of our Blessed Mother.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you - that's such a lovely gift, and a lovely legacy.

[@phillipsteiner420]

Congratulations on your beautiful AKGIT finish! I love the idea of retiring your needle to a forever home. I encourage you to consider taping the needle to a thumbnail of the finished project. A step further might be to copy that thumbnail onto a piece of printable fabric transfer paper -- especially in anticipation of other stitching artifacts honoring additional celebrations of success.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I actually love the idea of the needle being a bit of a mystery - I'll know what it represents, but the idea of it being left for someone else to find and wonder about is part of the charm to me... Perhaps I'm overly optimistic about what someone will think about an old needle in the future!!!

[@melissaellis6111]

I love the animated Sleeping Beauty and was always on team blue dress :) For me, cross-stitch and embroidery is about the journey. I primarily listen to audiobooks while stitching, and for some pieces, I can look at them and hear the audiobook I was listening to at the time I was stitching it. My cross-stitch that is displayed also serves as a memory and snapshot of a point in my life. I can look at the piece and think about what was going at the time. Going forward, I would like for my cross-stitch to serve as a memory of me and who I am for my family. Hopefully, they will also enjoy the pieces. I also think it would be fun to have some of my work displayed in a museum. I would certainly love to be a fly on the wall to hear people's thoughts and comments on my work :)

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

The animated Sleeping Beauty is wonderful, I always watch it when I'm experiencing creative block because it's so visually stimulating. And thank you for your response - this is beautifully expressed, and such a lovely statement of all the meaning our stitching can hold for us.

[@lorielle1395]

I hope my sons take a few of the pieces as a remembrance of me…it seems really unlikely at this point that they will have children. Maybe someone outside of the family will enjoy a few of the pieces. (I quilt and cross stitch.) Something drives me to keep my mind and hands busy with needlework…it’s not purely the process or the product but a hybrid pursuit. Thanks for another interesting video and congratulations on the beautiful finish Katie.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much - and thank you for your reply! I'm really enjoying reading the range of responses

[@2painturface]

Congratulations on the finish it is absolutely gorgeous!!! I am wondering if you can share how you package your stitching off for framing? Again congrats how beautiful!!!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I'm rolling this up in acid free tissue paper and putting it in a mailing tube, but that's as it's already been fully blocked and is perfectly smooth. I think most framers deal with wrinkles, folds, etc as part of the job.

[@michelehunter8342]

My hope for my stitching is that my children and grandchildren will treasure at least some of my pieces and will think of me when they look at them.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

A beautiful wish, and one I think many of us share!