I have a love hate relationship with running. I love the excited feeling I get before a run – especially if I’m competing in an event – and the exhausted feeling or feeling of achievement after an event. It’s just the actual act of running I’m not always fond of – especially when various parts of my body are whinging or I’m just not feeling it and I end up walking more than I do running.
My reason for talking about running, is that I’ve come across a few articles over the years about the different types of runners in the community, and it got me thinking about those types could relate or be converted to our world of stitching.
In terms of running, I’m a little bit of everything. I have about 3 different apps going during my run, plus the fit bit on my wrist. I need to listen to music if I’m running on my own. If I’m running with others, I really don’t like talking to others unless it’s before or after the event. I’m competitive and will compare my times from previous events for the same course with current times and use that as my motivator to do better next time. I’m also a fair-weather runner and I will use the weather as an excuse to not go for a run if I’m really not feeling it. My stubborn determination has also gotten in the way of this logic and the reasoning that I paid to participate in the event (even though under any other circumstances I wouldn’t run in 20 to 40-kilometre winds with rain) because it’s for a good cause. Usually it’s the Mother’s Day Classic that has this kind of weather and I’ve inevitable caught a cold as a result!
So with no further delay, I present to you, my version of ‘What Type of Stitcher are You?’:
Social Stitcher
As a social stitcher, your energy and enthusiasm comes from stitching in a group environment. At times you can stitch alone, but feel lonely and drained as a result. By stitching in a group, you’re able to laugh, share your triumphs and struggles with life and your projects. Because stitching and enjoy other people’s company is what it’s all about.
Trend setter
Are you breaking all the rules and setting up new ones? Are you getting the rest of us to rethink the meaning of being a stitcher? So many questions with so many more answers! Being a trend setter means that your finger (or needle) is on the pulse of the stitching world. You know what patterns, threads, fabrics, accessories and kits have us begging for more and trends that have us chomping at the bit to try. Which may include an unconventional way of expressing yourself through cross-stitch. An amazing example is Severija Incirauskaite-Kriauneviciene’s embroidery like the image below:
Lone Wolf
“Introverts unite…alone at our own homes”. Stitching-wise, being a lone wolf means that you’re happy to be where you’re most comfortable – regardless of what your family, friends and the stitching community may expect of you. You have no need to follow trends or try to keep up with Jones’s. You just do what feels right to you and stitch whatever patterns you want (which really is what all of us do anyway 😊).
One project at a time
You find it easier to stitch one project at a time rather than having multiple projects on the go at the same time. By working on one project at a time, you are able to focus all of your attention and resources on it and it’s a project that you absolutely love! For some of you it may be a Heaven and Earth Designs (aka HAED) or a similarly full coverage piece that will take you years to complete, but it will look absolutely amazing when you’ve finished it. For others, you may have a lot of things happening in your life and you’re unable to spend as much time as you want on cross-stitch.
So many projects. So little time.
You have many projects on the go and at times you feel like you don’t have enough time in the day to stitch all of the projects you want. What doesn’t help is that you are regularly searching the internet and attending craft fairs that have even more projects that you fall in love with and must have then and there! With so many projects you’re working on, you may then find yourself searching the internet for a variety of suggestions on how to manage all of your projects and have a rotation schedule.
The Overachiever
As an overachiever, you have a number of projects on the go and you get them all completed within the time frame you have assigned yourself and you have gone above and beyond to make them look Ah-may-zing! You may also find yourself staying up quite late or getting up super early to finish off that project or page that has been your ‘bug-bear’. You have more than likely timed how long it takes you to stitch in an hour and you try to better it each time.
The Accessoriser
In order for you to get comfortable and commence your cross-stitch, you need to have your needleminder, support gloves, stitching stand, special scissors, scissor-minder (I’m not sure if they exist, but I’m sure they do!), hoops, spare scissors, highlighters, pencils, erasers, pattern – physical and digital versions… Have I missed anything? Oh! Lighting – natural light through the window as well as your over the top light and magnifier glass and regular glasses. You’re regularly on the hunt for any other accessories that may help you with your stitching, whether it be to make it more comfortable for your or stitch quicker.
Related articles:
- The 10 Types of Runner – BBC News – posted 14 December 2014
- Mother’s Day Classic – Canberra – website
- 16 quirky runner types – Runner’s World
The XStitching Runner 