ARRRRRGGGHHH

I have read that Navaho weavers always deliberately weave one small mistake into their blankets, rugs and other woolen goods so the gods won't become jealous and cut short the life of the perfect weaver. If the same holds true for needlework, I shall live forever.

I was so pleased with my Country Cottage Needleworks Peace from the JCS 2007 Christmas ornament issue ... I was enjoying the changes I had made in the fibers, substituting Belle Soie and Splendor silks and Mandarin bamboo for the DMC ... I was congratulating myself on using another of the sample swatches I had gotten in a goodie bag at a retreat, so very frugal ... I was pleased with the fabric [Zweigart Cork Linen, 18ct] and was making plans to use it again in the future. In short, I was having a grand old time ... until, that is, I had stitched up to the top of the flower stem and realized it didn't align with the center of the top border ... because I had started the botton edge of the flower pot one row higher than I should have, starting three stitches over from the top row of the "P" instead of the second row ... thereby shifting the entire flower pot motif one thread left. I decided to live with my error since about 80% of the stitching was already done. I'll keep this ornament for myself since I would never give anything less than my best in an exchange or giveaway ... mostly because I am too damn proud of my work generally and wouldn't want any of my stitching friends to note such an obvious mistake and think me too incompetent to have seen it myself. So, for now, all my innocent delight in this project is diminished considerably by such a stupid mistake ... I know how to read a chart, for Pete's sake ... I am a better stitcher than this ... the sounds you hear are the gnashing of teeth and the pounding of a head against a wall.