I've Taken My First Step Into A Much Larger World

Yes, yes. I have been waiting until today to post this. For those that don't know (read: may have a life) today is 5/04/11, or May Fourth, as in May The Fourth...Be With You! You can't unread that! And if you think it's just me, it's not! Today is the traditionally recognized Star Wars day!

A little background on yours truly: Born in 1980 (The year the Empire struck back), I can't remember the first time I saw a Star Wars movie. My grandparents had V and VI on VHS and I watched them all the time. I saw the special editions when they were re-released to fund the prequels and by the time Episode I came out I was old enough (19 and legal, baby) to stand in line for all day and night for the midnight premier! Today I have two Star Wars tattoos, a collection of every novel and most of the books, my oldest daughter is named after an expanded universe character and the only reason I don't have the two-rooms of action figures is because I sold them for an engagement ring!

Oh, and like Ben hiding on Tatooine, I decided long ago I was probably never going to cross stitch anything Star Wars. I don't dress up as Star Wars characters for halloween either. It always just seems kinda...obvious. Well, no more!

I really love cross stitched portraits and I actually want to do one of a friend but I thought I should start "simple":



I loved the way it played on the Shepard Fairey/Barack Obama poster, and in fact, it actually had the words "A New Hope" at the bottom. After waiting so long for to finally do a Star Wars piece, and LOVING the way it came out, I decided not to add them. I really wanted to keep it closer to a portrait and further from a political joke (which I am usually all about)!

Not to get poetic but doing this piece has changed my life...or at least a big portion of it. I am doing more Star Wars pieces (Vader sampler up in a few days!) and I have found an AMAZING amount of Star Wars stitching by other people that I feel compelled to share with the rest of the world.

How? Well, even though it is Star Wars day, it's also Star Wars month. With every episode of the film saga releasing in May, I hope to add a new episode to the stitching community very soon. In the meantime, if you or someone you know stitch Star Wars or Star Wars-inspired pieces (or just a piece) feel free to add it to the Han Stitched First group at flickr! This should give you an idea of where the month, and the future (no matter how long, long ago) is headed!

Because I Need A Little Hope

Windy is still in the hospital and the doctors have started throwing out the prognosis' no one really wants to hear.

After finishing Hell and realizing I did not have the tools, nor the funds for the tools, to move on the the next project I anticipated doing I went back to the .img (that's image file for those not nerdy enough). I knew my next project was going to be closer to 25 colors and images of people, castles, aliens and cars. I also am REALLY digging the idea of stitching a portrait of a buddy of mine. I saw a pic of min a while back and the idea has been in my head for a while.

So some common ground was needed. I found an .img in my .img which was more portrait-ish then anything I have previously done. At 10,000+ stitches in 13 colors it seemed like it might be right up my style . So on 2/15/11 I started "A New Hope" and this is where I am at now:


The detail in the eye area is killing me with single stitches of a single color. But I am bring a good boy and following direction...for now.

The other markings are pencil. Because there is so much blocking in the same color I have found it helps me breaze through if I just mark it off. Then all I need is the project, thread and needle. No space for color charts and lists or what-have-you. So the face is generally at home and the rest is while out...or home and tired of looking at the details. Here's an earlier pick of just the four main colors.