Sandy from I Majored in Home Economics

This week's Blogger of the Week comes via RJ and Mary's Birthday Party.  I really liked the way she finished the piece she showed for them and went over to read her blog and invite her to answer a few questions for us here.  She has a lovely home with some beautiful crafted pieces and you should see the view!  Right now she could do with a few prayers, so if you pray, please add her to your's.  I must say, I love her answer to Q11, what a teacher and what a treat!  Please welcome Sandy from

I Majored in Home Economics

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

Hello, I am Sandy Palmer from the Gulf Coast of Florida.  I feel very lucky to live in such a wonderful place.  It is truly a beautiful place and I love waking up on the bayou off of Choctawhatchee Bay.

I am a retired school teacher having spent 31 years in the classroom teaching a little of everything.  I majored in home economics, but that subject had taken a major downturn in the place I chose to call home upon marrying, so I taught mostly 4th grade.   I am married to the most wonderful husband who is a great gift giver (more about that in a bit).  I have two wonderful grown children, a daughter and son.  My daughter is married and expecting our first grandchild in October.  My son has a lovely girlfriend who I would be happy if she is the one.  My mother now lives very near me too. I plan all my days around my family.

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

I started stitching in college in 1980.  I saw it in a store, picked up a pattern and supplies and found a life long hobby.  I stitched the love chapter from the Book of Corinthians as my first stitch.  I was completely hooked.  I stitched all the time until my kids reached the age where ball seasons and school just took up too much of my time.  I picked it up again about 4 years ago when I retired from teaching.  I try to stitch everyday.  It is my relaxation.

Love is Patient

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

I started my blog in the spring before I retired in June of 2014.  The name of course was my college major.  Naming a blog is hard folks.  I could not think of anything.  I knew that I was looking forward to all the things that my major offered but that I had missed while working outside the home for so many years.  My blog is a hobby and just a way to share the highlight reels of life.   I have loved the community and sharing.

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.?

When I got back into stitching after such a long break I felt I had some catching up to do.  There are so many new products out there and then the overload of pictures on Instagram.  Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but I could never keep up with the prolific stitchers out there.  I tried the rotation and even made a plan as late as this January to try it.  I am not doing so well with rotation.  I am finding I am a bit more of a OAAT girl.  I get started and one just calls my name and I feel productive.  When I skip around I feel a little out of sorts.  I do like to have a small project going if I am doing something large so that when you get off count and need a break, you have something to work on still.  Surely, I am not the only one who gets off count.  Gee Whiz, my eyes are getting older.

The one good thing is that I love all the stitchers out there. I think there is no one right way!!!  I love the many things out there, but I try to stay calm and just enjoy it.

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

I find that there are so many new designers out there that I want to do so many in fact that I will never have enough time.  A few favorites that really draw me in are With Thy Needle and Thread, Plum Street Samplers, and Blackbird Designs, and what’s not to love about eBay and the oldies from the magazines?!

I have started writing down the names of patterns I want and making a wish list because I can’t keep ordering and not having time to get to them:)

Blackbird Designs Bluebird of Happiness

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

For my most proud of piece, I am going to have to pick a tie between two of my more recent finishes. One is the Books of the Bible that my husband picked out for me to do and the other is a pair of cardinals that I did for Christmas by Stoney Creek Collection.

Books of the Bible

Stoney Creek Cardinals

7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?

I got so off count on a Blackbird Designs piece about a year ago that I just didn’t want to rip it out or try and make it work.  I just simply got so frustrated and so out of sorts with it that I lost interest and tossed it.  IT was bringing me stress, so I threw it out.  Stitching should be fun.  I have to say that is the only time I have ever done that.

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

I plan to try my hand at smocking since I have a grandchild on the way.  If I enjoy it I will do it, if not, I will just cross stitch the inserts or buy him some smocked pieces.  My motto is life is too short and too busy not to enjoy our hobbies.

I also am so inspired by the stitchers using 40 count that I simply must try it.  I have a light and magnifiers and I am going to give it a whirl.  My eyes will let me know if I can continue with it or not.

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?

I don’t really have a box of stuff unfinished.  I try to keep them out until I finish them so that doesn’t happen.  I love all the ways you can finish them out there these days.  I am getting better and I love making little pillows.  I hope to do some Christmas ornaments in the coming months.

10. Which of your projects most represents "you"?

I had to think about this one.  I think it might be one I had hanging in my classroom for years.  It has an early American feel and of course teaching as the theme.

11. Tell us a secret about yourself. Or a joke. About anything!

I love history and especially space history.  I have a eclectic collection of space memorabilia and books about the topic.  I was known in the schools where I taught as the “space lady.”  We learned a lot about the subject in my class and performed a play for our parents each spring.  We did a mock launch and turned the classroom into the shuttle, mission control, and sometimes even Mars.  My husband is a great gift giver, so on our 25th anniversary he planned a secret trip to Houston which was one of the few NASA installations I hadn’t toured.  He got a top level tour for me and surprised me with the trip.  I didn’t know where we were going until I was on the plane.  I actually have a few space patterns I want to cross stitch in the future.

12. Anything you would like to add?

Thanks to Joanne for inviting me to play along.  I absolutely love the stitching community.  It is the best hobby in the world.