I usually don’t give cross stitched items to non-stitchers, but I did stitch a stocking as a baby gift for my son’s classroom aide when he was in fifth grade. She had been his one-on-one helper for two years. A few years later, we ran into her and her husband at Olive Garden, and she told her husband that I had stitched their daughter’s stocking. She made a point to tell me that they enjoy using it every year. Wishing you a Merry Christmas! Patti
Thank you for another wonderful floss tube video. It is always a difficult choice when making something as a gift wondering if the item will be cherished and cared for. I believe that all the items I have given as gifts have been cherished. Most have been given to family who appreciate the work and the time that it has taken to make the item. I do have a story about that. A number of years ago a group of friends and I went to a closeout sale at a local manufacturer of needlework kits and supplies. The company was closing their factory and moving the company out of state and was selling off supplies, kits and 'floor models' etc. at their company store. We (like so many others) were like kids in a candy factory. There was a lot of "Oohing and aahing" along with "Oh I love that/could use that/Is there any more of that?" We were filling boxes with our finds and the checkout line was very long. We held one another's places in line as we spied another great find and of course admired one another's finds. One of my friends had a large number of 'floor model/completed items' that she was buying. When we asked her why she was buying them, since she could create the items herself, she replied that her in-laws did not appreciate the hours and skill it took to make these things so she was "stockpiling' them for gifts. That way if it was not appreciated, she would not feel bad if it was not displayed or it was given away or discarded because she had not put time, effort and heart into creating it. An interesting way to get around the giving a handcrafted gift dilemma.
Thank you again for the reminder on how to react to beginner stitchers. My cousin recently started stitching again after 25 years away from it and asks beginner questions and it frustrated me because I thought she knew how to stitch but I realized for her it’s now a new craft again and she is learning it all over again. The gift giving of a stitched item can be precarious for sure. It is piece of your heart being given away so I try to give it knowing that some may be received better than others and that some people may be better at expressing their appreciation for the gift.
Very thought provoking. I began telling my friends and family long ago that when I give them a gift I am simply saying I was thinking of them and if the item is not their taste, they were to feel free to regift it or do whatever. It was so freeing for all of us - I could tell them I loved them through the gift I made, they could receive it and then do with it whatever was right for them without suffering through a lot of guilt. Also, understanding that because stitching is my passion, if I truly want to gift something to someone, I try to take time to understand what they are passionate about and choose something that fits that space for them.
I'm just so lucky that the people I gift handmade things I make are appreciative of them. But then again, I choose the people I give my handmade gifts to. On the while, I'd rather make my gifts than buy them from shops. I hate the shopping in crowded malls and such. I plan my annual gifts ahead of time and then buy the materials. Around August each year (at the latest) I start the "making" so that by Christmas or other occasion I'll be finished on time. My gifts are on the smallish types. I just make sure it's a different thing every year. And I do different crafts too so that I get to learn a new thing every year and my recipients get a new item as well. Recently, one of my friends sent me photos of all my gifts displayed all over her house. She said I'm "everywhere in her house" 😊 I'm so happy about that. Happy Holidays and stay safe Jean 💕
I think it's more than luck. I'll bet you observe the recipients taste and create things that you know they will love. It's good to hear of successful gift-making!
Thank you Jean for being the consummate teacher that you are. May you and yours have a blessed Christmas, and may 2024 bring you continued peace, happiness, and the joy of stitching. Heartfelt cheers from Eastern 🍁 Canada 🇨🇦
Great video as always! I appreciate the wisdom you share. Whenever I’ve stitched something as a gift, I have felt that the greatest part of the gift was the countless hours spent thinking about the recipient and sending them all my love and good vibes. As a result, I’ve never really been too concerned about what they end up doing with the item itself. I’m sure it would hurt to have it blatantly disrespected, but ultimately I can have no regrets about sending out love while enjoying the craft. Blessings to you, your family, and all your viewers. ❤
Happy New Year, Jean! I have to admit that I very seldom make anything for anyone but myself as far as cross stitch goes. I consider it my entertainment and the joy is in the making.
Many years ago I hand quilted a lovely wall-hanging for a workmates new baby. She said, oh that will be handy to change it's nappies on!! Lesson learnt!! 😂
Happy Holidays! Thanks for another wonderful flosstube. Very informative. I am a passionate cross stitcher. I often want to stitch gifts for others, however I have gifted some items thinking it was such a thoughtful gift and the receiver made no comment. I gifted "Teaching is a Work of Heart " to a teacher for teachers appreciation week, it was beautifully framed and beautifully packaged and they never commented about it. I do understand that when you give a gift 🎁 it is no longer yours, but as you said when you put time and cost into a gift and it is not acknowledged it hurts. So this has made me reluctant to gift my handmade stitching work. I will gift again but I condition my heart ❤️ to release it and accept if it doesn't appear to be received. I love stitching. Happy Stitching and Happy New Year 🎉❤😊
I’ve been stitching since the mid-80’s. I hope you will be honored to be one of the first “names” I remember for inspiration and guidance in those days. I have discovered that making a gift for someone is mostly successful for someone who is a crafter as well. Most don’t appreciate the effort or the feeling involved. As time has gone by, my gift giving has almost completely ended. I make things for myself or the very occasional person as daft as I am about crafts, mostly cross stitch but some other yarn projects. I still find you a great teacher and a source of inspiration. Thank you, Happy Holidays to you and your family.🪡🕊
As an educator for nurses and doctors, with regards to clinical situations for the electronic medical records, I find that I have to “remember “ where I came from as a new nurse and a new educator and go to the level of the student, realizing that they have never done the task before. I allow them to progress at their own speed and pay special attention to the ones struggling with understanding. I love the analogy that you used from that professional development class. Merry Christmas to you and your family. 🎄
Merry Christmas Jean! I hope you and your family have a lovely holiday😊. Regarding giving stitching as a gift, I think you gave very good advice about starting small. I rarely give my stitching as a gift. I never want to "foist" my hobby onto another person whose taste and decor might not lean towards stitching, no matter how beautiful the stitched piece is. I think you are right in saying that once the gift is given, it is out of your hands. If you got joy out of stitching the piece, then that's good. Hopefully, if the recipient doesn't care to keep the piece that was stitched for them, it winds up in a thrift store where someone else can enjoy finding it and taking it home. I see that some stitchers, who want to stitch a more substantial piece for someone for maybe a special occasion such as a wedding, will first ask the recipient if they would a) want a stitched piece and b) which design would they like. I think if the recipient gets a say in the piece, they may be more likely to keep it and enjoy it. I stitch an ornament for my kids each year, but I've decided to stop at 25 ornaments for each. Even though they enjoy them, I don't want to over burden them with a massive collection. They will possibly go on to marry and start families of their own and create their own ornament memories with their families, so I don't want them stuck wondering what to do with a massive pile of ornaments from their childhood 😂. I think 25 is more than plenty😊. I'm sure my future daughters-in-law will thank me 😂. On another note, I know you showed how to stitch over one on a previous flosstube way back, but any chance you can demonstrate that again on a future episode? Thanks Jean!
When I give things I've made, I always say I hope they like it, but if it isn't something they want to keep they are free to give it to someone who will.
I have a limited group of family and friends that I gift stitched pieces to. Ornaments are less of a commitment and more likely to be kept with other Christmas decor and used every year, so they are a favorite of mine to gift. For larger projects, I do like to get the person's input to let them choose a pattern or even colors. My kids get stitched pieces, but I'm enjoying stitching pieces for my walls now that I am stitching again (gave up most fine motor skill hobbies for years to not overuse my hands and wrists due to my job being so computer heavy...retired now and stitching and crocheting to my heart's content). Thank you for your videos. I have learned a lot from you. Merry Christmas!
As someone new to cross stitch I greatly appreciate your wisdom and experience. I have a number of your flosstubes stashed in my “favorites” so I can go back to them when I learn a little more. I’m already using a number of tips I learned from you. Your explanations and videos are so clear, and I often take notes as I watch. Thank you so much. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
Twice in a row I was taken back to the past. And now you are discussing sleep apnea. Yes, I use a CPAP every night, recently diagnosed with RSV and so I used my CPAP even during the day. Your videos pop up in my feed, and I really enjoy them. Yesterday I watched your tutorial about stitching over 2 threads. Wow, took me back. I was at a retreat and Pat Rogers was teaching stitching on linen. Pat Rogers, yeah, I've been around a long time. She used 25 count mushroom lugana as the teaching tool, and I learned and loved it. Today you talked about people not appreciating a needlework gift. Yes, been there done that. It hurts, but I knew who to give gifts to and who not to give gifts to. And in one case, after telling me I was wasting my time, my "friend" wanted me to stitch something for her that she really wanted to have. My answer was no, and is still no. I share my stitched pieces with my family and friends who also steitch. Sorry this is so long. I won't go into details, but yes it hurts to be told one is wasting one's time, but I'm old enough now to not really care. God bless you, Merry Christmas to you and your family, and I look forward to many more videos and tutorials.
Wow, Jean! I usually don’t comment but felt compelled to from your video. I find you to be knowledgeable about your craft and always so thoughtful, honest and gracious in sharing that knowledge and skill. I agree about the gift giving, I know of a friend who gave a quilt to someone and they were mortified that the person used it for her dog. The person who received it loved her dog the most of all and felt it honoured the gift. It hurt the relationship as they couldn’t understand the others opinion. May you and your family have a blessed and Merry Christmas! 🎄
I appreciate your gentle approach to learning new skills. I don't do crossstitch or needlepoint, yet I always learn something. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Merry Christmas Jean! Your tree is beautiful and heart-warming with all of the handmade and thought-felt ornaments. I really appreciated your thoughts regarding handmade gifts. As a quilter, I’ve been on the receiving end of a less than anticipated response and it really is a disappointment. I have learned my lesson and always ask myself if someone is ‘quilt worthy’ before proceeding with a quilt gift. I hope you and your family are enjoying the season and all of those delicious baked goodies. 😋🎄❤️
One possibility is to show a catalog of items and ask if the person would like to have one of the items as a handmade gift. It's probably possible to assess if there is any genuine interest. And, if there is, although the gift won't be a surprise, the work is what will be appreciated as the heart of the gift.
What a wonderful thought provoking video - thank you so much for all the time you personally have given to share your time and talents with others- it truly has been a wonderful appreciated gift of your love.
Jean, Merry Christmas 🎄! 😊I think you are right about starting with an ornament as a beginning gift. Usually my crochet was gobbled up quickly like booties, baby blankets, cap/toboggans. 😂one year my daughter’s group of friends I had to make toboggans for all and including her teacher. 😂my son would get booties for baby shower gifts 😂 they ate up my profits. I can’t make the big afghans because they kill my wrists, just doing a couple rows. 😢! I can cross stitch all day and it doesn’t bother me…I loved crocheting and love cross stitching too. 😊 Kathy from NC Ps. You met me at barefoot needle art at the beach.😊
I usually don’t give cross stitched items to non-stitchers, but I did stitch a stocking as a baby gift for my son’s classroom aide when he was in fifth grade. She had been his one-on-one helper for two years.
A few years later, we ran into her and her husband at Olive Garden, and she told her husband that I had stitched their daughter’s stocking. She made a point to tell me that they enjoy using it every year.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
Patti
Thank you for another wonderful floss tube video. It is always a difficult choice when making something as a gift wondering if the item will be cherished and cared for. I believe that all the items I have given as gifts have been cherished. Most have been given to family who appreciate the work and the time that it has taken to make the item. I do have a story about that. A number of years ago a group of friends and I went to a closeout sale at a local manufacturer of needlework kits and supplies. The company was closing their factory and moving the company out of state and was selling off supplies, kits and 'floor models' etc. at their company store. We (like so many others) were like kids in a candy factory. There was a lot of "Oohing and aahing" along with "Oh I love that/could use that/Is there any more of that?" We were filling boxes with our finds and the checkout line was very long. We held one another's places in line as we spied another great find and of course admired one another's finds. One of my friends had a large number of 'floor model/completed items' that she was buying. When we asked her why she was buying them, since she could create the items herself, she replied that her in-laws did not appreciate the hours and skill it took to make these things so she was "stockpiling' them for gifts. That way if it was not appreciated, she would not feel bad if it was not displayed or it was given away or discarded because she had not put time, effort and heart into creating it. An interesting way to get around the giving a handcrafted gift dilemma.
Thank you again for the reminder on how to react to beginner stitchers. My cousin recently started stitching again after 25 years away from it and asks beginner questions and it frustrated me because I thought she knew how to stitch but I realized for her it’s now a new craft again and she is learning it all over again.
The gift giving of a stitched item can be precarious for sure. It is piece of your heart being given away so I try to give it knowing that some may be received better than others and that some people may be better at expressing their appreciation for the gift.
Very thought provoking. I began telling my friends and family long ago that when I give them a gift I am simply saying I was thinking of them and if the item is not their taste, they were to feel free to regift it or do whatever. It was so freeing for all of us - I could tell them I loved them through the gift I made, they could receive it and then do with it whatever was right for them without suffering through a lot of guilt. Also, understanding that because stitching is my passion, if I truly want to gift something to someone, I try to take time to understand what they are passionate about and choose something that fits that space for them.
I'm just so lucky that the people I gift handmade things I make are appreciative of them. But then again, I choose the people I give my handmade gifts to. On the while, I'd rather make my gifts than buy them from shops. I hate the shopping in crowded malls and such. I plan my annual gifts ahead of time and then buy the materials. Around August each year (at the latest) I start the "making" so that by Christmas or other occasion I'll be finished on time. My gifts are on the smallish types. I just make sure it's a different thing every year. And I do different crafts too so that I get to learn a new thing every year and my recipients get a new item as well. Recently, one of my friends sent me photos of all my gifts displayed all over her house. She said I'm "everywhere in her house" 😊 I'm so happy about that.
Happy Holidays and stay safe Jean 💕
I think it's more than luck. I'll bet you observe the recipients taste and create things that you know they will love. It's good to hear of successful gift-making!
I have stitched your Noel and love it. Thank you for all you do to support this craft that we share.
Merry Christmas and God bless you and yours.
Thank you Jean for being the consummate teacher that you are. May you and yours have a blessed Christmas, and may 2024 bring you continued peace, happiness, and the joy of stitching.
Heartfelt cheers from Eastern 🍁 Canada 🇨🇦
Great video as always! I appreciate the wisdom you share.
Whenever I’ve stitched something as a gift, I have felt that the greatest part of the gift was the countless hours spent thinking about the recipient and sending them all my love and good vibes. As a result, I’ve never really been too concerned about what they end up doing with the item itself. I’m sure it would hurt to have it blatantly disrespected, but ultimately I can have no regrets about sending out love while enjoying the craft.
Blessings to you, your family, and all your viewers. ❤
Happy New Year, Jean! I have to admit that I very seldom make anything for anyone but myself as far as cross stitch goes. I consider it my entertainment and the joy is in the making.
Many years ago I hand quilted a lovely wall-hanging for a workmates new baby. She said, oh that will be handy to change it's nappies on!! Lesson learnt!! 😂
Beautiful tree Jean full of wonderful memories. ❤️❤️🌺
Thank you Jean n a Blessed Christmas to you n yours. You're such a a wise young lady!
Happy Holidays! Thanks for another wonderful flosstube. Very informative. I am a passionate cross stitcher. I often want to stitch gifts for others, however I have gifted some items thinking it was such a thoughtful gift and the receiver made no comment. I gifted "Teaching is a Work of Heart " to a teacher for teachers appreciation week, it was beautifully framed and beautifully packaged and they never commented about it. I do understand that when you give a gift 🎁 it is no longer yours, but as you said when you put time and cost into a gift and it is not acknowledged it hurts. So this has made me reluctant to gift my handmade stitching work. I will gift again but I condition my heart ❤️ to release it and accept if it doesn't appear to be received. I love stitching. Happy Stitching and Happy New Year 🎉❤😊
I’ve been stitching since the mid-80’s. I hope you will be honored to be one of the first “names” I remember for inspiration and guidance in those days. I have discovered that making a gift for someone is mostly successful for someone who is a crafter as well. Most don’t appreciate the effort or the feeling involved. As time has gone by, my gift giving has almost completely ended. I make things for myself or the very occasional person as daft as I am about crafts, mostly cross stitch but some other yarn projects. I still find you a great teacher and a source of inspiration. Thank you, Happy Holidays to you and your family.🪡🕊
As an educator for nurses and doctors, with regards to clinical situations for the electronic medical records, I find that I have to “remember “ where I came from as a new nurse and a new educator and go to the level of the student, realizing that they have never done the task before. I allow them to progress at their own speed and pay special attention to the ones struggling with understanding. I love the analogy that you used from that professional development class. Merry Christmas to you and your family. 🎄
Merry Christmas Jean! I hope you and your family have a lovely holiday😊. Regarding giving stitching as a gift, I think you gave very good advice about starting small. I rarely give my stitching as a gift. I never want to "foist" my hobby onto another person whose taste and decor might not lean towards stitching, no matter how beautiful the stitched piece is. I think you are right in saying that once the gift is given, it is out of your hands. If you got joy out of stitching the piece, then that's good. Hopefully, if the recipient doesn't care to keep the piece that was stitched for them, it winds up in a thrift store where someone else can enjoy finding it and taking it home. I see that some stitchers, who want to stitch a more substantial piece for someone for maybe a special occasion such as a wedding, will first ask the recipient if they would a) want a stitched piece and b) which design would they like. I think if the recipient gets a say in the piece, they may be more likely to keep it and enjoy it. I stitch an ornament for my kids each year, but I've decided to stop at 25 ornaments for each. Even though they enjoy them, I don't want to over burden them with a massive collection. They will possibly go on to marry and start families of their own and create their own ornament memories with their families, so I don't want them stuck wondering what to do with a massive pile of ornaments from their childhood 😂. I think 25 is more than plenty😊. I'm sure my future daughters-in-law will thank me 😂. On another note, I know you showed how to stitch over one on a previous flosstube way back, but any chance you can demonstrate that again on a future episode? Thanks Jean!
When I give things I've made, I always say I hope they like it, but if it isn't something they want to keep they are free to give it to someone who will.
Delightful video. Happy Christmas
I have a limited group of family and friends that I gift stitched pieces to. Ornaments are less of a commitment and more likely to be kept with other Christmas decor and used every year, so they are a favorite of mine to gift. For larger projects, I do like to get the person's input to let them choose a pattern or even colors. My kids get stitched pieces, but I'm enjoying stitching pieces for my walls now that I am stitching again (gave up most fine motor skill hobbies for years to not overuse my hands and wrists due to my job being so computer heavy...retired now and stitching and crocheting to my heart's content). Thank you for your videos. I have learned a lot from you. Merry Christmas!
As someone new to cross stitch I greatly appreciate your wisdom and experience. I have a number of your flosstubes stashed in my “favorites” so I can go back to them when I learn a little more. I’m already using a number of tips I learned from you. Your explanations and videos are so clear, and I often take notes as I watch. Thank you so much. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
Happy holidays. ❤️ ❤
Twice in a row I was taken back to the past. And now you are discussing sleep apnea. Yes, I use a CPAP every night, recently diagnosed with RSV and so I used my CPAP even during the day. Your videos pop up in my feed, and I really enjoy them. Yesterday I watched your tutorial about stitching over 2 threads. Wow, took me back. I was at a retreat and Pat Rogers was teaching stitching on linen. Pat Rogers, yeah, I've been around a long time. She used 25 count mushroom lugana as the teaching tool, and I learned and loved it.
Today you talked about people not appreciating a needlework gift. Yes, been there done that. It hurts, but I knew who to give gifts to and who not to give gifts to. And in one case, after telling me I was wasting my time, my "friend" wanted me to stitch something for her that she really wanted to have. My answer was no, and is still no. I share my stitched pieces with my family and friends who also steitch.
Sorry this is so long. I won't go into details, but yes it hurts to be told one is wasting one's time, but I'm old enough now to not really care.
God bless you, Merry Christmas to you and your family, and I look forward to many more videos and tutorials.
Wow, Jean! I usually don’t comment but felt compelled to from your video. I find you to be knowledgeable about your craft and always so thoughtful, honest and gracious in sharing that knowledge and skill. I agree about the gift giving, I know of a friend who gave a quilt to someone and they were mortified that the person used it for her dog. The person who received it loved her dog the most of all and felt it honoured the gift. It hurt the relationship as they couldn’t understand the others opinion. May you and your family have a blessed and Merry Christmas! 🎄
I appreciate your gentle approach to learning new skills. I don't do crossstitch or needlepoint, yet I always learn something. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Merry Christmas Jean! Your tree is beautiful and heart-warming with all of the handmade and thought-felt ornaments. I really appreciated your thoughts regarding handmade gifts. As a quilter, I’ve been on the receiving end of a less than anticipated response and it really is a disappointment. I have learned my lesson and always ask myself if someone is ‘quilt worthy’ before proceeding with a quilt gift. I hope you and your family are enjoying the season and all of those delicious baked goodies. 😋🎄❤️
Lovely advice ❤❤
Merry Christmas. The ornaments are beautiful and your words of wisdom are even more beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
One possibility is to show a catalog of items and ask if the person would like to have one of the items as a handmade gift. It's probably possible to assess if there is any genuine interest. And, if there is, although the gift won't be a surprise, the work is what will be appreciated as the heart of the gift.
That's a great idea!
What a wonderful thought provoking video - thank you so much for all the time you personally have given to share your time and talents with others- it truly has been a wonderful appreciated gift of your love.
Jean, Merry Christmas 🎄! 😊I think you are right about starting with an ornament as a beginning gift. Usually my crochet was gobbled up quickly like booties, baby blankets, cap/toboggans. 😂one year my daughter’s group of friends I had to make toboggans for all and including her teacher. 😂my son would get booties for baby shower gifts 😂 they ate up my profits. I can’t make the big afghans because they kill my wrists, just doing a couple rows. 😢! I can cross stitch all day and it doesn’t bother me…I loved crocheting and love cross stitching too. 😊
Kathy from NC
Ps. You met me at barefoot needle art at the beach.😊
Jean! Merry Christmas from Dallas, Texas! Looking forward to many more flosstubes from you in the coming New Year!!
Merry Christmas Jean Thank you for your wonderful flosstubes and the overthinking you share with us❤
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 🎄😊🪡
Merry Christmas
Happy holidays
Merry Christmas from our house to yours. 🎄😇🎁🦋