Stitching Blogger's Question for May

Lee posed the following question:

Suppose we say that there are two types of stitchers.
There are those who enjoy the “process” of stitching. They stitch for stitching’s sake and if something gets finished, so much the better, but it’s not necessarily the end goal. Primarily, it’s the application of needle and thread to cloth that makes them happiest.
Then there are those who are “project” stitchers. They move steadily through their projects, certainly enjoying their stitching time, but finding their greatest joy in the completed stitching.
If you had to pick one to describe yourself, which type of stitcher would you be? I imagine that we could all say that we fall somewhere in between, but really think hard about this and try to pick just one. And once you’ve decided whether you’re a Process or Project stitcher, tell us if your recognize that approach in other parts of your life.

Wow. Am I a process or a project stitcher? Well, if you’d asked me that 10 or 15 years ago, I probably would have said “project” without a second thought. Those were the days when I worked on one project at a time; I started one and finished it before I started another. Then somehow I began working on two at a time, a large one and a small one. Then it was three, and large one and a small one and a middle-sized one. And now I have an over-flowing WIP basket and more starts than finishes in any given calendar period. Somewhere along the line, I became a “process” stitcher. I love the satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment when I have a finish, but for me “the pleasure is in the process.” (That’s not original, by the way; I read it years ago in an article about quilting, and kind of adopted it as my own mantra.) I enjoy selecting a project and kitting it up, asking myself what fibers do I want to use, then choosing a fabric that suits them. There’s also something soothing about the rhythm of the needle going through the fabric, and it pleases me more than I can say to watch a design grow on a blank piece of fabric.

The last part of the question is a little harder, but I have to say that I'm more "project" oriented in other parts of my life. I either get things done because I want the feeling of accomplishment or I want to get them over with and be done with them, or I procrastinate as long as I possibly can because there is precious little pleasure in the process involved. Except for cooking. When it comes to cooking, I'm both a process and a project person. I enjoy the both the process and the project! (Not necessarily always a good thing!)

Great question, Lee!