How it feels to be in the NYTimes!

Plus Barbie, Halloween "recipes" & Sea Otters!

But first, Barbie!

From the delightful mind of Edwin Z. Canary comes this Barbie PDF pattern, just in time for the Barbiemania sweeping the world.

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Cookin’ Up Some Curses!

I know there are those of you who LIVE for Halloween and it’s never too early to get into it! From our dear Mr. Stevers comes this Curse Words kit. Cook up some of your favorite four-letter words—I know you probably have a Halloween cauldron in your basement ready to go! Three months left to plan!

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So, This Happened…

It’s not every day (or ever, really) that I get a Google alert and lose all sense of time and space. This was a complete surprise: the author, Kase Wickman, bought the kit, stitched it all herself (and very well, check out all the photos), and included her review in The Best Fiber Craft Kits for Adults. I was like… um, WHAT? My heart seriously fluttered. Stunned. Speechless.

Here’s the thing: when I did my very first book years ago, the New York Times wanted to come to Texas to interview me and one other artist in Austin. I knew it was a big opportunity, but I have a strong aversion to the spotlight (in high school, I built the sets for musicals but I’d NEVER dream of being onstage in front of an audience). I quit ballet and tap as a little girl as soon as we had to have a recital. Same with the piano. Also why you’ll never see me at a craft show or teaching classes. Check and CHECK! but more than that, I set out to make Subversive Cross Stitch about YOU and what it would inspire you to create. To me that’s the fun part, inviting others to play.

So, I talked myself into planning to meet with them for an interview. But then they wanted to take photos of me (cringe) AND my “studio” (more like messy-broom-closet-of-chaos-full-of-shedding-cats) to see where I “create”. PHOTOS!? I said I was just in no way up to that, so the interview never happened. My publisher actually said, “It’s the New York FUCKING Times!” (a phrase we toss around to this day, about anything). I’m a staunch defender of my anonymity.

Anyway. I am SO impressed that the author “spent more than 100 hours knitting, crocheting, embroidering, and cross-stitching my way through the test patterns. I took note of pattern issues and speed bumps, and of projects that I couldn’t wait to jump back into.” Not to mention, her stitching is beautiful! Check out the photos in the article. I felt like she understood what we’re about 100% when she wrote, “if you’ve been looking forward to stabbing something over and over to express a strongly held feeling, this is the online shop for you.”

And her critiques were so perfectly on point—it never occurred to me to print these big patterns on one large sheet. I always consider that the PDF versions have to be printed on a regular printer, so I print them on four pages and tape them together, old-timey-like. How elegant would it be to have one big sheet of paper in the kits? Sweet!

Plus, now I know I can trust Wirecutter reviews if this is how they operate—they really dug in without telling us anything. I wonder how long it’ll feel like my brain is underwater.

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Now for the overwhelming CUTENESS

OMG. Otters! Holding hands! Just like in real life! This Sea Otter Frens Enamel Needle Minder will make you SQUEE every time you see them. Just floating there patiently, mindlessly, holding your needle for whenever you get back to your project. I can’t! It’s TOO CUTE!!

Now it’s time for me to go stare into space and read Wirecutter again to absorb the entire thing and all the great projects in there I’d like to do. If you want to do the pillow kit they mentioned, it’s right here. I’m stitching a pillow right now (custom for some dogs on Instagram I’m crushing on), and I forgot how lovely they are to work with (the pillowcases, not the dogs—they’re in LA and, sadly, their elongated snouts can’t reach this far). I don’t normally enjoy longer-term projects, but this one’s got my goat. My hose goat. That’s a clue.

Have a great weekend. Thanks again for subscribing! I’m so glad you’re here.

xoxo

j.