Taking up a new hobby

So I've decided to pick up embroidery. Normally, when I think of embroidery, I think of flowers and handkerchiefs, so it's opened my eyes to see modern designs and cute motifs from some friends of mine. So, I decided to try my hand at it. After all, if I could whip up a bunch of little embroidered things, I could stitch them onto anything and have a fun gift for someone! I like to doodle, so I'll turn my doodles into embroidery bits.

My first project was for my nephew's second birthday. I had made him two hooded towels for Christmas, and evidently they were a huge hit and he needed more hooded towels. So, that's what I would do. But to make them a little different and personalize them a little more, I decided to put some fun embroidery on the hood.

First I headed to Wal-Mart for supplies, because that's what there is around here. I was so disappointed to find that there was nothing there for a budding embroiderer. Nothing.

Ugh. Stupid small town, I thought. But then I was expressing my discouragement to a friend, and she mentioned that she thought there was a needlework shop right between her house and mine, tucked down a small road only about a quarter mile from my house. I went to check it out, and it was the best array of embroidery thread, needles and other paraphernalia I'd ever seen! Move over Hobby Lobby! Hooray for small towns, I decided!

I went into that shop three days in a row, getting supplies, exchanging thread colors, and finally going back to show the finished product. The owner of the shop was so helpful, and then she even took pictures and put them up on her blog! How fun is that!

Here are the towels for sweet Ian. I hope he enjoys them, and I hope they don't come apart in the wash. If they do, at least the towel part will still work!