I’ve been going through a very serious phase in my young adult life. I’ve taken up cross-stitching and can’t be stopped. I have a faint idea of how this happened, but I’m not necessarily sure why my interest in cross-stitch decided to manifest itself now, and furiously so.
I’m only 24 years old, and as my co-worker and bud, Olivia, says “you just don’t seem like the kind of gal who cross-stitches for fun.” She’s probably basing this on the fact that she saw me absolutely dominate Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” during karaoke at Curly’s last Saturday—which actually should’ve hinted at the fact that I would enjoy a good cross-stitch on a Sunday afternoon.
Anyway—I’ve been stitchin’. I started off small, creating icons of hearts and mini-hamburgers. And then, one day, I saw a little slip posted up on OLG’s board of “up-for-grabs projects” for a Chris Darby show poster and decided to check out his music. ‘Cabin Songs’ was the title of the record and after listening to a couple songs, my brain had a thought that surpassed all my other thoughts for that day. “This is your chance, lady. Cross-stitch this poster like you’ve never cross-stitched a poster before.” Which, I actually had never cross-stitched a poster before; let alone, embroidered any sort of type.
Seemed easy enough, right? I can’t tell you how many times I quoted the grandma from Happy Gilmore to my roommate the day I decided to do this thing, “My fing-ers hurrrt.” But I’m overdramatic and she didn’t care so we both carried on.
I just figured if any poster were to get this treatment, it had to be this one. What other kind of art would you find in a cabin in the woods like the one where Darby recorded his newest album? Only some folky, embroidered cross-stitches would live on those walls and that’s why it had to be done.
After a few hours of stitching, changing my mind, snipping and re-stitching, I completed my first circle-framed, typographic stitch! I was pretty happy with how it turned out and I think it gives off the vibe Darby captures in his music—warm, inviting and homey.
You definitely don’t want to miss him at The B-Side. We’re even kicking it off early—5:30PM doors, 6PM show—because we know some of you are planning to hit the Counting the Crows / Twin Forks show at the Embassy that night!
Chris Darby
Sunday, December 7, 2014
5:30PM doors, 6PM show
All ages, $5 at brownpapertickets.com
