Cinderella Walhanging

 

It's finally finished

      After many years, I finally finished this Cinderella counted cross stitch kit.  I think I have had the kit for over 25 years.  I started it and then it got put to the side after I got my embroidery machine.  A few years ago I pulled it out again.  The threads were so tangled together!  I tried working on it but each time I would put it away and then pull it out again I spent most of my time untangling it.  

Working on the backstitching

      Then something I hear on Gretchen Rubin's Happier podcast made all the difference.  She talked about wanted to water color every day but found she spent too much time pulling out her supplies.  She had an aha moment that if she left out her supplies on a small cart, they would be much more available.  Eureka, I decided to do something similar.  I set up a large folding table in front of the windows in my living room.  I then laid out all my carded threads with the tails hanging off the edges.  No more tangles!  I did have to take it all down for Christmas, but as soon as the decorations came down in January, I put it all back up.  

Detail of backstitching

     I tried to spend a half hour every week day working on it.  I finished the cross stitching, then the backstitching to bring it to life and finally the hundred or so beads were sewn on.  I did have to buy some more embroidery floss.  Not sure if I lost some or did it get so tangled I had to toss a color or two.

Needs to be pressed

     Then I had to press out all the wrinkles and hoop marks.  I took it to a local studio, Perkowitz Art Studio to get it framed.  She helped me choose a mat color that enhanced the piece and a pretty but not too ornate frame.  She did an amazing job!  

Hanging up

     Originally I was going to hang it on the wall on the stair landing going upstairs but in the meantime we purchased a second home, a condo in Cedar Rapids.  The piece is now hanging in my sewing room at the condo along with the eight Cinderella plates I had purchased YEARS ago.  I also found a cute plaque at a resale shop in Cedar Rapids that I hung with it all.  Eventually I will repaint the walls in the sewing room, but at least now I can see it whenever we go out there.