Flashback – 1996

I have been far too quiet lately, and I apologize for that. Our moving date is about a month away, and I know that things aren’t going to get better until September. So, rather than let my blog languish, I thought I would share some of my old finishes. (Thank you to whomever suggested this in my comments a few weeks go. I’m sorry that I couldn’t find your name again.)

I’ve only been able to find pictures dating back to 1996. That was the year I graduated high school/started university. I also met my husband that year, although we didn’t begin dating until about five years later. Stitching wasn’t my main hobby back then. Instead, I spent a lot of time playing video games. (I love rpgs! Back then I was probably playing some JRPGs on my Playstation and Ultima 7 on my computer.)

January Banner, Cross Stitcher magazine, 1996

January Banner, Cross Stitcher magazine, 1996

1996 was also the year that I started buying cross stitch magazines. The U.S. Cross Stitcher magazine was the first one I discovered, and they were running a series of monthly banners. I thought I would stitch them for myself and store them in my hope chest.

February Banner, Cross Stitcher magazine, 1996

February Banner, Cross Stitcher magazine, 1996

I never got beyond stitching these two because I soon discovered more complicated designs. I’m pretty sure I was already branching out because I had added some blending filament to some of the white areas on the February banner. Unfortunately, I don’t have any more pictures from back then, so I have no idea what else I was working on. I think I had already discovered Teresa Wentzler by this point.

What were you stitching back in 1996? Did you also read Cross Stitcher (U.S.) magazine? Do you remember the banner series?

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6 Responses to Flashback – 1996

  1. Christine says:

    I started my current bout of cross-stitching late in 2006. I had done a couple of patterns (kits purchased from Chatelaine Magazine) in the early 90s when my boys were babies, but stopped for many years. Picked it up again when I saw the Ink Circles Breast Cancer Mandala. I did that for my Mum, and haven’t stopped since.

  2. Dani says:

    I truly started stitching about a year after you, in 1997, I think I might have pictures of everyting believe it or not! Of course they’re like printed pictures not digital! Even back then most of the magazines “weren’t my style” they still aren’t today.

  3. Linda S. says:

    Oh how funny. I have January hanging up and my husband stitched September. I believe that I started taking the Cross Stitcher from day 1 until they quit doing it. I also have a calendar (2 or 3) from them that has this series with the charts. Makes me want to do another one.

    Linda

  4. Brigitte says:

    1996 was the year when I started stitching. I didn’t know anything about cross stitch magazines and I think you couldn’t get any of them here in Germany. I just could buy a couple of US charts from a catalogue and that’s what I was doing. My first tries on cross stitching were some small design for cards and then I started a Paula Vaughn design. That was the beginning.

    Your banners look really great!

  5. Kim McCool says:

    What a great post and walk down memory lane. Best wishes on your move.
    xx

  6. Joanne P says:

    It was my suggestion based on Riona’s blog posts! She does some lovely round-ups and they are always popular.

    In 1996 I had been stitching for three years and completed 17 projects (according to my not-very-accurate records!). The biggest was an anniversary sampler for my grandparent’s 60th Wedding Anniversary. I have since inherited it back again!
    Here’s the link to 1996-
    http://comehappydancewithme.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-min=1996-01-01T00:00:00Z&updated-max=1997-01-01T00:00:00Z&max-results=17

    Your banners are very 1990s to me. It was pre-internet days for me so I had no idea there was an American market for stitching!