I have houseguests, this post is an update of an article from 2013 (Consider it to be like MLB games these days, like them I don’t look more than 10 years back).
For the last few months, since the lockdown started, there has been plenty of talk about economic hard times. You knowq people out of work and are told there are millions more. You hear words like “global recession” and “worst since The Great Depression.” Most days an economic headline joins virus and protests is on the front page of our newspapers. People in all walks of life are seriously struggling. And, of course, crafts and hobbies struggle more than many industries, because they are bought using discretionary income. If more and more of your money is going into the necessities (food, clothing, housing, and basic transportation), it should come as no surprise to anyone that hobbies suffer.
But being on a tight budget is not a new thing. But we’ve forgotten something that my parents and grandparents knew — you don’t HAVE to spend lots of money to live well. They talked about champagne on a beer budget, and we talk about living richly. What this means is spending small amounts of money well so that your home, your clothes, your life, and, your needlepoint don’t suffer in looks for the economies you make.
Conspicuous consumption gets jettisoned for “depression chic.” And with that needlepoint has gotten jettisoned by many as well. I think that’s because people think needlepoint is too expensive for them.
Needlepoint doesn’t have to be expensive.
I’m frustrated at the moment because this message hasn’t gotten through. Needlepoint showed a double-digit loss in people doing it in the early 2010’s. While the survey I read didn’t look at why, I think this misperception of needlepoint as being for rich ladies is at the heart of the problem.
I’m going to be even more blunt than that. While I know that shops are struggling, I don’t think they are doing themselves, their customers, or our art any favors by their seeming disregard of more affordable ideas for doing needlepoint over a hand-painted canvas with lots of expensive threads.
The lockdown has forced shops to be more creative in how theyreach us, their customers. And we have responded. But it has also forced us to be more judicious and, prehaps, more cautious in our purchases.
Think about it, when was the last time a shop featured a project that take advantage of what’s in your stash? When was the last time they suggested floss instead of silk for a project? When was the last time they showcased a budget project that cost less than $25 for everything? The difference between 2013 (when this artyicle was first written) and now is that now shops do make those suggestions.
With all of us, designers, thread manfacturers, shops, and consumers facing struggles, scarcity, and restrictions, we have pulled together. We have found innovative ways to use our stashes, to learn, and to stitch together. And that’s important.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a beautiful hand-painted canvas and I will gladly spend big bucks on something beautiful. I think surrounding oneself with beautiful things is important. BUT that doesn’t always mean spending lots of money. And both our shops and ourselves as stitchers can be in the forefront of changing this perception.
The big question is how much of this working together will stand once restrictions are lifted and times are better.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
Jocelyn says
Well, my way of keeping costs of needlepoint down may be a bit drastic for most: live outside USA!
It seems to me that the high costs of needlepoint are the various specialty threads, and the finishing. Here in NZ at least, few of the specialty threads are available and so I tend to use DMC floss a lot. Sure, the look may not be quite as exciting in some instances, but when it is simply substituting cotton for silk I think there is not enough difference to justify the cost of using silk.
And the finishing? I don’t think there are any finishers, such as you have in USA, in NZ at all (except for picture framers of course), and so we just finish things ourselves. It may not be quite as ‘perfect’ but heck, there is enormous satisfaction in saying “yes I made this bag” and meaning th WHOLE bag. Let’s face it, we can all use a needle and thread – and if we can do it with silk or floss and needlepoint canvas, then we can also do it with a sharp needle and fabric. There are lots of tutorials around on the internet.
I would really like to encourage everyone to sub threads if they feel so inclined, and to try finishing things themselves. Give it a go, try it out, believe in yourself!
Marlene says
With our current challenges, I decided to go through my closets and drawers and try to downsize/organize a bit in every room. It was somewhat easy deciding which mixing bowls I could set aside for a nearby charity-thrift shop. . I then pulled out my needlepoint, counted cross stitch, quilting and boxes and… Oh, my! It was an eye-opening adventure though I made some progress. Guess it is comparable to the saying of how we approach tackling a snake “…a little whack at time…”
After selecting threads, yarns and directions for specific projects, I am happily working on long delayed but pretty projects. Without doubt, a few individuals visiting a local charity-thrift shop are going to happily discover a pretty project that they also will enjoy working on.
Came across a very patient Christmas needlepoint nutcracker who still stares and me and mutters… “Now when are you going to finally finish me!” I tell him that he is almost finished except for his patent leather boots and the background stitches. Also seem to recall that I had bought a small multicolored bird charm to put in his hand. Now, where is that charm? If I cannot find the charm, I can make a run to Joanne’s or Michael’s and find something that will work. Have also finally decided what I will do for the background.
It is amazing what we can find hidden on our bookshelves, in our closets, and our dresser drawers. My nutcracker needlepoint figure is so old, I suspect he ‘retired’ from the military decades ago… lol
Look around your places. Suspect you also have a few temporarily forgotten patterns or projects that will keep you company for a while or might discover a needlework book that perhaps temps you with one if its decisions. Above all, focus on having fun and put current challenges on the back burner.