A Stitch In Time

I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but it's a triple-digit scorcher here with the forecast saying it's only going to get worse. And that means just one thing. I am not going outside.

If you happen to be in the same boat, and you're looking for a little project to fill your time in the air conditioned glory of your home, might I suggest a cross-stitch family portrait? 

I found this idea via Nicole over at Elsa Bags though, of course, we have Martha Stewart to thank for it. It's a pretty simple project made even more simple by the fact that Martha even has templates you can use to graph out different types and sizes of people. You'll definitely want to map out a basic idea before you get started, though I didn't use one of Martha's templates and I was just fine. You can also do some modification as you stitch, which I definitely did.

All the embroidery floss and aida cloth you need should be at any normal craft store (I got mine at Michael's) and don't be fooled into getting more than you need. I thought I would need a ton, but the people actually come out pretty small (unless you graph them to be larger, of course) and you'll want to separate your floss so you're just working with two strands at a time, so one spool of each color you're planning to use should be MORE than enough, even if you are stitching a pretty big family.

Once you've got all your supplies, just put needle to cloth and stitch away! I definitely do not have any kind of skill or substantial experience with cross-stitching and mine came out just fine (or so I think).

Is this a project you'd try? What are your favorite ways to capture your family?