Owning your needlework - musings on this subject!

The Drawn Thread design below is known as Toccata Number One and was done as a year long stitch a long with the Hoosier Stitchers. As you can see, the design has a sections in which the stitcher can insert the initials and the date of completion. Thank goodness, too, as I had no idea 2 years had passed since I finished that piece!


Many stitchers wonder whether they should stitch their initials and date on their needlework projects. I always think this is a good idea - if for no other reason than it helps you remember what you did in a certain year! There are some simple guidelines to follow:

1. When you view your finished piece, your initials/date should not be prominent. In other words, they should not detract from or take over, the design.

2. Stitch the initials and date close to the design - among the trees, under a flower or leaf, etc. Avoid altering the balance of the design by the placement of your initials and date.

3. Select a color that blends with the surrounding elements of the design. If the nearby leaf is dark green, use dark green.

4. Some stitchers will make a logo of a name or set of initials. Others use a cartouche (a rectangular or oval stitched frame with the name/date/initials inside). If the logo or cartouche are not obviously seen as the initials, name and/or date, some may wonder what that scribbling is all about!

5. If the design simply does not lend itself to having the identifying markings stitched, do write them on a card and affix the card to the back of the frame, making sure the paper is protected from wear.