Moving does concentrate the mind. Even though my stash is large, I got rid of about five boxes of assorted needlepoint “stuff” before I moved. Since then I have been pretty good about planning to finish what I start. That is until a couple of weeks ago.
I started working on the last color on a piece I thought I liked. But after about three stitches, I knew I hated it. Do I put it in a bag and maybe pick it up again years from now? Do I abandon it? It’s a dilemma that bothers mer unless something external (moving or an ANG auction) compel me to make a decision.
But you don’t need to be like me. You can figure out when it’s time to abandon that project and send it to a new home. First, did you learn what you wanted to learn from it? If you did, then it’s OK to quit working on it. Did you discover you didn’t like the piece? Then give it up instead of letting it waste space and resources. Does it no longer fit your house or the person you were planning it for? Then why continue to make it? Does it just look dull? If you have tried to perk it up and nothing has worked, maybe it’s time to abandon it.
Life’s too short to do needlepoint you don’t love.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
Teresa S says
Thanks, Janet, for giving me permission to say goodbye. I know that sounds odd, but I have a lot of guilt feelings associated to abandoning a project-money invested, time invested, etc. I bought a beautiful (already started) project on ebay and when it arrived, the colors were NOT what I was expecting from the pictures. So it languished until, after a discussion with other stitchers, I decided to start it over with different colors and let this project (with threads) find a new owner. Whew-it felt like a weight off my shoulders!
Robin says
I, too, have come to this conclusion, but now I have a box of lovely canvases that I don’t happen to like. They might, however, appeal to someone else. So what to do with them? I can remember a day when a stitching chapter would happily take them for fund-raising raffles, goody bags, door prizes, etc. But there’s no chapter of anything near me. Do you have suggestions to find new homes? Thanks! Indiana Robin