In Which I Confess Another Addiction

Have y'all ever done one of these quickpoint pillows? 

That's one I did a couple of years ago. If you haven't ever worked one of these, let me do a commercial for them.

*They're fun. Really fun. For the following reasons:
*They work up quickly.
*No need for perfect lighting to see what you're doing.
*No counting.
*No frustrating knots.
*Easy on the eyes and hands. You're using a giant needle, with yarn, on a big canvas. It's the needlework equivalent of finger painting. And who doesn't need a little more finger painting in their lives?
*MUCH less expensive than needlepoint canvasses. 

These kits are made by several different companies, but the only ones I have experience with are the kits from Vervaco (Belgium). They're very good quality, the designs are gorgeous, and they don't skimp on yarn. Here's the one I'm working on now; an owl for Mr. Wonderful:

And here's my pillow kit hoard. Foxes for me and owls for Mr. Wonderful:

When I finish the pillow I'm working on now and take it off the frame, I'll show you the frame and the tacking tools I use.

Another thing about these kits, for all the reasons I mentioned above, I think they might work well for older stitchers who have vision or hand problems and can no longer see to cross stitch or hold a tiny needle. It's just giant cross stitch with yarn, and as you can see, there are a lot of really beautiful choices. 

If you go searching for these, some retailers call them quickpoint and some call them needlepoint. The retailers I am sure carry them, and that I have done business with, are 123 Stitch, Herrschner's, The Stitchery, and Sew and So in the UK (which calls them chunky cross stitch cushion kits). I believe Sew and So is the only one that carries kits by other manufacturers. I purchased the suede cloth pillow backs from The Stitchery; nice quality and lots of colors.

Happy Stitching!