Brenda from Time 2 Xstitch

I first met this week's Blogger of the Week through The Scarlet Letter Years blog for reproduction samplers and joined her in the 2014 Just Nan SAL.  Just Nan fans stick together!  In fact we are planning a Nan-a-long next year with a beautiful chart we both have.  As well as samplers our Blogger stitches some lovely smalls and always has nice finishes to show us.  So please welcome Brenda from

Time 2 Xstitch

1. Please introduce yourself – name, where you are from, family, pets etc.

My name is Brenda Wilson, and I currently living in Beavercreek, OH. I am a military wife and have been married to my husband Ted for 25yrs. We have 2 children.... Grace who is 22 and Daniel who is 17. We don’t have any pets at this time.

2. How long have you been stitching and how did you start?

I started cross stitching when I was 17 and I am self taught. My first job was in a fabric store that carried cross stitching charts, DMC floss, hoops, aida fabric and other necessities for cross stitching.

3. How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start? Is there a story behind your blog title?

I have been blogging since Feb 14, 2011. I because intrigued with having a blog while stationed in Germany with my family but I could not read enough German to figure out how to set up a blog on my computer. So I waited until we were restationed back in the USA.

4. How would you describe your stitching style? Are you a serial starter, a rotator, a OAAT (one at a time), highly organised, random and eclectic, etc.?

My stitching style I guess would be described as a serial starter and rotater. I do have my stitching supplies organized as it just drives me nuts in my sewing room to NOT have things organized for the most part. For the designers that I have the most charts for, they are in plastic sleeves and filed in binders. Other designers that I may not have a lot of charts for, I have them filed in decorator gift bags.

5. Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to?

My favorite designers would be Just Nan and Shepherd’s Bush. I love designs with specialty stitches in them.

Just Nan Last Stitches

Shepherd's Bush Sail Away

6. Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?

The piece I am probably the most proud of is Examplars From the Heart Resurrection. It is the LONGEST sized piece I have stitched.

Examplars From the Heart Resurrection

7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?

I don’t have anything that I have ever had that became a disaster. Perhaps the only disaster I can say would be that I had quite a few UFOs that I knew I would never finish, so I just boxed them up with any special overdyed threads and the chart and donated them to a needlework guild to be gifted out or sold to raise money. So the only disaster on that would be the money I spent in the chart, fabric and speciality fiber.

8. Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?

I would LOVE to learn how to knit socks. I can knit very basic items, but I would love to learn how to knit socks to make fun socks for myself and my daughter.

9. Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces? Or is everything FFO'd? What's your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them?

Yes I do have a box of finished items. I hope to make a better effort of getting these finished but not fully finished items completely finished. That would make a great New Years goal. My smalls I like to make into ornaments, needlerolls, or pincushions.

Shepherd's Bush Tudor Needleroll

10. Which of your projects most represents "you"?
I would say that my Christmas ornaments that I have on my yearly Christmas tree represent me very well. I stitch ornaments for myself, family and friends every year.

Prairie Schooler Winter