Stitching Question of the Week

Tough question for me this week. This doesn't come up often with me.

How do you explain cross stitch to non cross stitching people? Do they get it or do they say "Oh right.. you do knitting then (or sewing or needlepoint)"?

I have maybe done this a handful of times in the 10 years I have been cross stitching. I have to admit that a few people got it but then there are those that to this day say I embroider or needlepoint. No....I do not do either. I can but I am not fond of it. I appreciate all the needlearts and admire all the needlearts but....um...I do cross stitch. I make a series of "x's" on a blank piece of fabric.

When someone has seen me stitch and ask about it, one of the responses I have gotten are "Isn't it boring making just an X?" Again...No. I find it soothing and relaxing and love seeing the project grow. Just recently I was purchasing UK magazines in Barnes and Noble and the woman behind the counter right away chimed "Oh you must be a cross stitcher" to which I respond "Yes". For a brief and I say brief moment, I thought I was in the company of a fellow stitcher. The next things out of her mouth were far from having knowledge of cross stitch. She asked how I "printed" the fabric to place the "x's". She was talking about stamped cross stitch. After telling her that I use a piece of evenweave, linen or aida (a fabric used for cross stitch LOL), I told her I start blank and in the middle or sometimes at the top depending on the design. Her jaw just about dropped and she proceeded to tell me, that she could never do something like that without a graph. Well....hello.....you purchase the graph (chart) and the squares on the chart are the squares on the fabric. I talked a little further to her and as I was paying she said I must love needlepoint. Ack!!!! Sometimes you can never win. To people that really have no clue or desire to learn about cross stitch, I just say I do "needlework". I figure let them take a guess at which one I do. A lot of times that is all that is needed and I don't have to go into explanations. The people that want me to give a further explanation of "needlework", are the ones that are interested.