A New Stitchers Ambition

When I rediscovered needlepoint a few years ago after a long hiatus from my childhood, it felt like finding my new zen. Many of you probably know the feeling—that moment when you pick up a canvas, thread a needle, and suddenly everything in the world just clicks into place. I finished my first project, glowing with accomplishment, and enthusiastically marched back into my local needlepoint store, ready to conquer my next masterpiece.  And there it was (the bane of my needlepoint existence!)

Hanging proudly on one of the backboards was a gigantic, and I do mean gigantic, Monopoly board. It was love at first sight. The colors! The nostalgia! The challenge! Without hesitation, I bought it, blissfully unaware that I had just signed myself up for what would become a saga of stress, regret, and eventual triumph.

Now, had I been gently guided toward, say, a moderately sized project for my second attempt, perhaps things would have gone a little differently. But no complaints here! (Okay, maybe one or two complaints.) At the time, I only knew how to basketweave tent or continental stitch, so that’s exactly how I started. Within a couple of months, I had worked on it tirelessly, and reality began to sink in—at this rate, it would take me 20 years to finish it.

The Giagantic Needlepoint Project

The sheer enormity of the project, combined with my limited stitch repertoire, quickly led to frustration. It was too big to take anywhere, so I couldn’t work on it outside my designated stitching space. Eventually, the Monopoly board got shoved aside, collecting dust while I moved on to other, more manageable projects. Every so often, I’d drag it back out, set it up on my needlepoint stand, and promise myself I’d make some progress. And then, inevitably, life (and my ever-growing needlepoint stash) would get in the way, and back to the corner it went.

Determination to Get it Done

Fast forward to today. I’ve decided that enough is enough. I am determined to stitch a little bit every day, even if it’s just one property square at a time. Because I know that once I finally complete this behemoth, I’ll feel an immense sense of pride, and it will all be worth it.

So, to my fellow stitchers, let this be a lesson in overzealous project selection. If you’re a fairly new needlepointer, don’t be discouraged if you’ve bitten off more than you can chew! You’re not alone. We all have that project that haunts us from the depths of our WIP pile. But trust me, persistence pays off.

Now, tell me—what’s been your most difficult needlepoint project? Drop a comment and let’s commiserate together!

Want to try this canvas…head to Silver Stitch Needlepoint

See my progress here