I judge books by their covers so when I first started seeing this book making it's rounds on the internet, I thought it wasn't for me because I don't have any hours to spare. Months later, I realized I do indeed need more time for me so I decided it was time for a read.
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The Fringe Hours may be a bit of a misnomer. It's really more about the fringe minutes and I've got plenty of those.
"Five minutes here, half an hour there— these little chunks of time are all too easy to waste without even noticing. However, when fringe hours are recognized for their collective potential and leveraged for pursuing passions, life change can happen. The aspiration you thought was just a dream begins to take shape."
Yesterday Luke was down for a morning nap. I got some laundry going, started a loaf of bread in the bread machine, and then sat down to do some cross stitch.
I cut a new length of thread, plied off two strands, threaded my needle, and then got maybe 10 stitches in before Luke woke up from his nap. I stuck the needle, mid-stitching, into the edge of the fabric, shoved everything into it's Ziploc bag, and put it away for later.
Ten stitches a day may not seem like much but those stitches add up a lot faster and are a lot more satisfying than lamenting that I don't have free hours to do more in each sitting.
To make these fringe minutes work, I have to keep set up and clean up time to a minimum.
I don't use a hoop or frame when I cross stitch, I just hold an inch or two taught with my left hand while I stitch with my right hand. Getting the frame out of the picture makes it so much easier for me to get my project out and put it away for a short period of time. A gallon size Ziploc bag is easy and keeps my work in progress clean with a toddler running around.
I keep my embroidery floss, scissors, needle threader, and needles in a mini floss box that fits inside my gallon Ziploc bag. I only have one box and about 5 different charts in progress. Printed chart and fabric go in a bag per project and the box moves around depending on what project I'm currently in the mood to work on.
Supplies: The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery Patterns (specific fabric and threads indicated in each pattern), Needle Minder, Darice Mini Floss Organizer, Gingher 3.5 inch Stork Embroidery Scissors, Clover Needle Threader, Bohin Needles
