I have a lot of UFOs in my life. No, not the alien type of UFO. I have what the quilting world calls UFOs – UnFinished Objects.

While I was Wandering: My very first cross stitch

I have been a counted cross stitcher since I was kid. My Aunt taught me how to cross stitch and I have been stitching since then. I have purchased numerous kits and pattern books over the years. Some of these sit unopened, some opened, some started, and some actually graduate to “finished” status. Some have even gone on to be totally irrelevant to me, like the two snow scene ones. I don’t foresee myself sewing those and hanging them up in the house here in Florida.

Usually projects graduate to finished when I have a deadline – a birth date, a wedding date, or an anniversary. Although, I do confess I started a project for my parents’ 40^th anniversary that is still a UFO when they are now closer to their 50^th than their 40^th anniversary. This proves deadlines don’t always work for me!

Nine years ago I started a small sampler for myself based on The Beatitudes Prayer. I read this at my Grandma’s funeral. She was a quilter and encouraged my cross stitching. I wanted to complete this for myself in memory of her. As I said earlier, I started this nine years ago after her funeral. It took me this long – but I finally finished my sampler last fall and just picked up the finished, framed project a few weeks ago. I love it and is a reminder of Grandma each time I see it.

What a lesson in perseverance. I never gave up on this sampler and it is finally hanging on my wall.  Maybe, just maybe, other UFOs in my life will get completed – and not just the cross stitch ones. Maybe I’ll get my desk and closet cleaned out, maybe I’ll get caught up on my household to-dos…well maybe I’ll take this one step at a time!

Perhaps my parents will get their 40^th anniversary gift on their 50^th anniversary. I better get stitching – I’ve got less than three years to finish!