Lee, (Lake Stitcher) headed off to camp, (lucky girl) was instructed to bring some "first projects" for showing. I thought this was a fun idea. It's interesting to see how tastes and styles change though the years. Lee mentions we (stitchers in general?) were very into "country" back then. And oh, God, it's true. Every stitch design out there was "country". Fat bows. Cows. Hearts. Flowers. Pink & blue. I've still got all those oldie charts and don't they look dated?
As I'm doing NaBloPoMo I thought this would make for an interesting post. For those reading this, find yours! Show & Tell!
Here is the very first thing I ever stitched. I dug this out of the drawer today and gave it a wash and ironing. This is so old! It has a little staining and there are circles drawn in pencil around the designs. I think I must have meant to put these into little plastic frames after they were stitched.
Stitched with one thread on 18 count aida. Supplies were from my sister's stash. She used these designs to teach me to stitch. I must have been around 13ish? I'll have to ask her if she remembers this. I remember...sitting in the kitchen of her trailer house working on these. Those were golden days for me. 
Best of all is the back side. Knots, carry-overs and thread tangles.ROFLMAO
Obviously, I wasn't paying any attention when Carol showed me how to start a thread and end off. These knots really crack me up. Somewhere around here is my first "finished project." A cursory look didn't turn it up but I will have a good search and find it to show you some time soon.Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox
LOLOLOL carry over knots...OLOLOLL...you're killing me...actually your 'first' piece looks pretty good! I think you should finish them off into something! My first piece was Ricky Raccoon from Shirt Tales..you're inspiring me to post a pic of it....YIKES! LOL
ReplyDeleteIt's so fun to see some firsts. You should finish them into tiny ornaments or pillows just for sentimental reasons.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! Brings back memories. I must take a pic of this fridge magnet I stitched for my grandmother back in the day, which she still has, and where I did the backstitching FIRST!!!! It's atrocious.
ReplyDeleteOh my! LOL I have some of those only mine are done on 22 ct Hardanger. Do they even make that anymore? I even have the gold frames - that was the thang then! Will have to dig some of mine out and post them.
ReplyDeleteYour first stitches look great! Mine are MUCH worse than that!
ReplyDeleteHow neat! I started stitching at 13 too. Hope you can find more to share!
ReplyDeletetoo cute!!!! I honestly dont' remember what I stitched first. How bad is that?!?!!?
ReplyDeletegood stuff
ReplyDeletei have the same type things
have to get camera batteries
and dig out the lessons from girl hood
thanks for sharing
yours would be cute as ornaments on a feather tree
They are cute but yep even my taste has changed a ton over the past 15 years of stitching. My first piece is framed on my computer desk, i'll have to take a pic to share on my blog soon too!
ReplyDeleteI think that is pretty darn good for your first stitch!
ReplyDeleteYou could still do something with them after all the pencil lines are already in place :)
ReplyDeleteI think they're very good. My first stitch was a paper weight with the initial "L". My mum still has it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these pictures with us. They must be sweet keepsakes for you.
ReplyDeletelook really good your first stitching!!
ReplyDeleteIf you don't count the "running stitch on binca" mats I did when I was 5 or 6, I actually started with embroidery not counted work. I'll have to see if I can hunt some out
ReplyDeleteThat's a fun idea. And brings back a lot of memories. I have never been very much into country, I have never stitched cows and flowers. But I still have a lot of charts from back then, and occasionally I stitch one of them. Just lately a little heart in pink and blue with a bow, lol.
ReplyDeleteI don't have my first two projects, but I do have the third one (now it's packed, but I do have it). I actually still like it - it's a Germanic motif band sampler that I sort of made up, using some of my favorite colors.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you have it still, are you going to finish them now.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovelt first stitch.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember my first stitch, I taught it was a pillow...
Like others, I was into 'country' when I first started stitching, I also liked flowers and alphabets. Alphabets still call my name but the rest have more or less fallen by the wayside. I can't remember what my first piece was, I think it was a small kit of a flower on aida. I did several stitches and that was it, hooked! Loved seeing your first piece. I'm sure the back of mine was probably very similar to yours!
ReplyDeleteAh, good memories! Good for you for keeping it. I wish I'd kept mine... I tossed the first two starts in the trash once I figured out what I was doing.
ReplyDeleteLove the start on your November Crabby, too!
I can't even remember my first x-stitch project. In fact I can't even remember what made me try cross-stitching in the first place. I was more of a needlepoint addict back in the day. I guess the fads were changing. Fun to see 'early Daffy' though.
ReplyDeleteYour photos of your first stitchings actually triggered my memory, Sharon. My first ones were little Christmas ornaments, too--framed in the little gold plastic frames. I still have them up in the attic waiting to be hung on my Christmas tree in December. We sure have come a long way, haven't we?
ReplyDeleteI'm so impressed that you used 18-ct. way back then...I only managed 14.
Your sister's name is Carol? How lovely :)
They don't look that bad at all for a first attempt. :0)
ReplyDeleteROFL! Yes, it was all about country stuff back then ;o) I remember all too well.
ReplyDeleteI love looking at my backs when I first started. You've reminded me of a post idea...
Awesome! I definitely have to find mine. My first few finished projects are such a nightmare on the back.
ReplyDeleteMy first cross stitch was a teddy bear DMC was giving away for I think $1 shipping and handling. I still have it; I'll have to post it to my blog. I have pics of nearly everything I've stitched, but not that one. Better get on the stick!
ReplyDeleteLMAO...this is not bad at all girl! Well the back remembers me of my first when I was about 12 years. I dont remember what is was, but I got a very very bad review of the teacher because the back was terrible!! Oh my god...I forgot all about it untill I saw your back of your first one lolzzz.
ReplyDeleteNow I know why my backs are almost just like the front....its traumatic LOL