lure of the new

Why is a new project so alluring? I already have two projects actively underway now--both cross stitch--in my quest to finish things up.

Yesterday my hubby knocked over a basket where over the years I've tucked various odds and ends. As I was putting things back (cards, letters, some small purse frames, a piece of Japanese fabric, a green gingham check dishtowel and pot holder embroidered with strawberries that I don't remember putting there.

There was a narrow tin with a couple of small embroidery projects inside. There was a cross-stitch gift tag of a plum pudding. The holly is about 1/4 complete--but it's over one and so got set aside. I set it aside yesterday, too.

There was also a unstarted kit for a small friendship sampler. I have the too-cute frame for this somewhere in the basement stash. It's also over one but I was compelled to begin it. Mostly, I think I wanted to do the mindless overcasting of the outer edge and basting of the center lines. Once that was done I stitched one over-one letter and decided that was plenty 'nuff. So now I have three "over one" projects underway. Perhaps I should get them all done and finished and remember that I'm really not fond of cross stitch over one.

I went back to the basket and found a booklet, a roll of linen, and silk threads from Kreinik. This project is at the end of the booklet. Before I could even think about it I was cutting the linen to size and overcasting the edges. Then I spent a very pleasant hour basting center lines, top and right margins and counting threads. (It made me realize how much I enjoy this kind of thing and that I should probably find some hemstitching project to take up. I haven't done that in a while and I really like it.)

I didn't take an actual stitch in the project itself, but I really found all of this preparatory work quite soothing and pleasant. Perhaps that's why I start many more projects than I complete.

I can remember that I got this project because I liked the design. At a distance it has a nice Art Nouveau or perhaps Arts & Crafts feel to it. I also was looking forward to experimenting with the Kreinik silks (which were new when I got this). The booklet shows it framed in a mirror. I really like the way it looks, not that I have any purpose for such a mirror or even place to put it.

Now I need to find stretcher bars for it before I can begin stitching.

I didn't purchase anything new for these projects (part of my goal) but there was no logical reason to begin two new projects right now. But, I guess, there was also no logical reason not to.