Notable Needlework

Hello creative friends - it has been a full day and I thought I would briefly drop by before I head back into the studio to finish up another project bag order. I just finished setting up a new thermal printer in my office for shipping labels (a HUGE Christmas surprise that arrived today! - I have had one on my wish list for years!), packing up a few orders and answering some correspondence...so, I thought I would quickly stop by and share some needlework finishing with you. These pieces were all stitched by the same incredible needleworker and I just did the finishing (not my designs or stitching, just my finishing). I will put designer names/titles in the photo captions (when known), just in case you are interested. This stunning group of items was quite fun to work on and I enjoyed choosing the materials...one was a limited edition kit that included finishing materials and for the others, I chose the supplies...doing my best to follow directives from the needleworker. I am really happy with how each and every piece turned out...and I hope the stitcher will be quite pleased too. I packed them all up in a large shipping box when complete and shipped it off on Monday. I still have almost 100 pieces of needlework to finish for clients, so I will have more fun photos to show you soon. For now, enjoy these images...and I hope you will be inspired to pull out your most recent cross stitch piece and do a little needlework finishing yourself...

Redbud Cottage Pinkeep by Stacy Nash Primitives

Expect Less Strawberry by Erica Michaels
All About Berries Club - an exclusive club through Dyeing To Stitch

Expect Less Strawberry by Erica Michaels
All About Berries Club - an exclusive club through Dyeing To Stitch

Project Quarantine: Stay Home & Stitch by With Thy Needle & Thread

Let's Stay Home by Samplers Forever - Claudia Ciceri

Find Comfort by Scarlett House

I Collect by With Thy Needle & Thread

Bird of Spring by Dames of the Needle

Redbird Sampler by Heart in Hand

That's enough for tonight...I'm off to the next project! Thank you for visiting...I'll stop back again soon and share some holiday gifts and a few snapshots from my kitchen...and I'll have new photos of the canine "kids" soon...

Finishing Frenzy

Hello friends - it is Wednesday evening and I thought I stop by for a visit, before sitting down at the sewing machine again. It has been a productive few weeks and I am steadily working through needlework finishing and project bag orders before the Christmas holiday arrives next week (YIKES!).

First of all, I would like to thank everyone for their comments, shares and e-mails regarding my last post (The End of an Era: Finding my Worth). The feedback was varied and quite overwhelming - so much so, that I couldn't answer every single message. Most of the feedback was positive and uplifting...and of course I got some nastygrams, as well. I just want to make one final statement on the subject, as quite a few stitchers feel the JCS Ornament Issue is an act of volunteerism and giving back to the needlework industry:

My post was not about volunteering, giving back or charity work. Volunteering for a good cause, generally does not profit a large corporation. I have volunteered in the needlework community many, MANY times over the last twenty years and I have given back and said thank you to stitchers and my fans countless times – happily, with joy in my heart! I have shared my time, knowledge, talent, and complimentary designs…I have made countless donations…and I will continue to do so…those acts make my heart happy and are done on my terms. 

My message: I don’t want a large company (that doesn’t publish this magazine for charity) to profit off of the hard work and creativity of the artists that make it possible. Period. 

I, personally, would love to see the Just CrossStitch Ornament Issue thrive and be full of favorite designers (like you, I am a fan). My post was about asking them to step up and support the artists that provide the material that make it their "best selling issue of the year."

Whew! Enough of that - now back to happiness and creativity!

The last few weeks have been full of needlework finishing and project bag sewing - with my husband's crazy holiday work schedule (he is in management for UPS), I have had plenty of sewing and finishing marathons...most nights, working until midnight. I have been going though tons of supplies and I am waiting on several large orders of materials (delays in fulfilling and shipping orders is slowing my progress). The highlight of my week was receiving an INCREDIBLE package from (my dear friend) Lady Dot Creates - lots of luscious hand-dyed trims, twill tapes, ribbons and fabric...if you finish your own needlework and have not ordered from her, you are missing out - gorgeous, consistent colors and high quality products. You can find her website by visiting: http://ladydotcreates.com or shop in her Etsy Store by visiting: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ladydotcreates...

Here are some images of recent project bag and needlework finishing orders...and I have at least a dozen more needlework finishes that I can show you in my next post...

For now, I am headed back to my sewing room - I finally received a large order of 3/4" cotton rick rack, so I can complete a pile of orders...it is going to be another late night. I'll be back soon to share some more needlework finishes...and I have some gifts I made that I can share with you, as well...

Wishing you some creative time during the holiday rush...I hope you can find a little time to work on a project that brings you joy!

The End of an Era: Finding my Worth

I hope fellow needleworkers, friends, and creative enthusiasts will read this post (apologies for the length) and think about how we can support the designers and artists that fuel the stitching industry.

It's hard to believe the first Just CrossStitch Special Christmas Ornament Issue was published in 1997. Truth be told, I was a fan from the start...way before I started designing professionally. I would pick up my copy at the local needlework shop or newsstand and analyze every single page. There was just something heartwarming about the diverse selection of designers, seeing their personal photos, trying their favorite Christmas recipes and reading about their stories/memories...it was truly a treat. I would spend hours perusing the pages and choosing the Christmas ornaments I wanted to/would stitch.

I honestly can't even explain the joy I felt in 2006, when I was invited to participate in this annual issue for the very first time...it was that feeling of "wow, someone has noticed my designs...I've finally made it!" That's right, 2020 marked the fifteenth year I received an invitation to design an ornament for this special issue. Even with changes over the years and many favorite designers disappearing from the issue (believe me, I've had second thoughts about it for a few years too), I continued to feel blessed to design my ornament each year. 

About a month ago, I received my sixteenth invitation for the 2021 issue (yes, designers are invited almost a year in advance). Again, I started weighing the pros and cons of being involved - mainly, because designers are NOT PAID for this issue. You heard me correctly - Just Cross Stitch Magazine does not pay designers to be in their boasted "best selling issue of the year." If you are new to the industry, sure you can get noticed being in this issue and being paid in "exposure" might be worth it; but for hardworking designers that have been around for a number of years and built a brand, giving away work for free, just doesn't seem like the best decision. I started to think about the time involved, the supplies needed, what my art is worth and even the cost of postage to mail the ornament to the publication. Plus it takes away time from working on paid pieces...and I market it for them on social media...is this really the best use of my talents?? This is my full-time job. Then I thought about my fans and the needleworkers who stitch my pieces - will I let them down if I decline?...will they be disappointed? I started questioning why...if this is JCS's best selling issue of the year, why aren't they paying and supporting the designers that make it possible? Why do they pay their staff, but not the artist? Would this be a paying job if the needlework industry was a male dominated profession? I know, a bit over the top...but that really was my thought process. I tend to quietly let things sink in, weigh it all out and make measured decisions. I took a deep breath and formulated my response (and yes, I sent this exact response in reply to the invitation):

Hi [Editorial Assistant],

I apologize for the delay in my response. To be honest, I have gone back and forth, struggling to make a decision on whether or not to be involved with the Christmas Ornament Issue in 2021.

I have shared my talent with this special issue for fifteen years…and even before I was designing full-time, it was my favorite issue and something I looked forward to purchasing. Every year, Just CrossStitch advertises that this is the “best selling issue of the year”, yet the designers that make this issue possible are not being properly compensated. Yes, the exposure is good if you are new to the industry…but for those of us who have built a name and a brand, the exposure is doing little to compensate us. This is my full-time job and something I take extremely seriously. Giving away my work for free and enabling that behavior to continue is something I can’t advocate. I’m sure you don’t ask your staff to work for free. I have expenses, time and creativity involved – not to mention the postage to send my sample to you. Plus, I have always marketed my design in this issue on all forms of social media, something I also do without compensation. Exploiting designers on any level is not something I can support.

I have decided it is in my best interest not to participate in 2021. I truly hope Just CrossStitch will take a look at this policy going forward and start paying designers fair compensation for their work – without designers, there would be no needlework industry.

This was a tough message to write and I truly weighed my options (mostly because I don’t want to let my fans down that count on me being in this special issue). I tried to write this in a kind, yet professional way. I have always been (and I still am) a fan of Just CrossStitch Magazine and I hope we will have a chance to work on future (paid) projects together. 

Sincerely,

Belinda

[Signature]

I don't know what I thought would happen - I mean, who am I, really??...and, in all reality, I enabled this poor behavior for years. I didn't expect a big change...but I did think I would get some sort of response that would give me some closure. I did get a short, nice response from the Editorial Assistant:

Hello Belinda,

Thank you for your response to our Christmas ornament design call.  As the editorial assistant for Just CrossStitch Magazine, I personally don’t have any control over the details of this publication, but please be assured that I have forwarded your concerns. Your note was very well written. I understand and appreciate you sharing your view. 

Kind regards,

[Editorial Assistant] 

Your basic - it's out of my hands and I'll send it on....but that was it. 

What an overall disappointment - disappointment in this particular publication and disappointment in myself for enabling this behavior for fifteen years. So, here I am, sharing this - my learning experience - hoping I can make some sort of difference. 

Going forward, I plan to be selective with my artistry and work on projects that are in my best interest. I, have too many times, been way underpaid (or in this case not paid) for my creativity (hmmm, AccuQuilt also quickly comes to mind)…and, in reality, these instances started to make me undervalue myself...and that is a terrible headspace to occupy. I plan to make 2021 the year to value and believe in myself and my talents!

So, for my needlework friends and fans...I am working on some ideas for a Christmas ornament(s) for next year...I have several fun ideas floating around and I will make sure you have a BRD Woodland Series ornament available for stitching next year...and it will be on my own terms! 

I hope you will share your thoughts (positive or negative) on this post with me...and/or share this post with your stitching friends and needlework communities. Maybe you'll share your thoughts with Just Cross Stitch Magazine. Think about how you can help secure the future of our industry by supporting designers and artists...

Thank you for reading this lengthy post...I'll be back soon with positivity and creativity!