By Angela Sylvaine
Welcome to “Creepy Craft Corner,” which features HWA members who are also artists, crafters, makers, or creators. We hope to provide you, the reader, with the tools and inspiration to try creating something new!
Today we’re featuring a craft that is close to my heart: cross-stitch! Before my soul blackened and turned brittle, I stitched many cutesy flowers and frolicking animals. These days my needlework tends toward the dark and creepy. If repeatedly stabbing things with a tiny needle sounds appealing, this column is for you. Today we welcome Sonora Taylor to inspire us to stitch.
Tell us a little about what you write and any upcoming projects you’d like to promote.
My name is Sonora Taylor. I write both novels and short stories. Some of my works include Little Paranoias: Stories and Seeing Things. My latest short story collection, Someone to Share My Nightmares, will be out October 19, 2021. You can learn more about me at sonorawrites.com. You can also find me on Twitter (@sonorawrites), Instagram (@sonorataylor), and Facebook (/sonorawrites).
What creepy craft or creation have you decided to share with us today?
I love doing cross-stitch! I’ve created several pieces over the years and the attached piece took literal years to complete. It’s from a book my husband bought me called Twisted Stitches. Right now I’m working on a trio of poisonous flowers from the same book.
What instructions or tips do you have for our readers who might be interested in trying this craft for themselves?
If you have no experience with cross-stitch before, start with either a stamped pattern (where the design is printed on the embroidery cloth and stitched over) or a very simple counted pattern (counted means the embroidery cloth is blank and you follow a pattern in a book or on a piece of paper by counting where the stitches are). Take breaks because it can hurt your arm and shoulder to stitch for too long. And check Etsy for lots of fun patterns from independent artists!
Thank you so much for sharing your work with us, Sonora! I have also been getting back into cross-stitch lately and have found some amazing low-cost patterns available on Etsy that can be purchased and downloaded in a snap. I’ve also recently discovered black cross-stitch cloth, and I am in love with the look of white thread stitched on this dark background. Here is my latest work in progress, which will ultimately be a tribute to Wednesday Addams (thank you to WitchyCraftStitch on Etsy for this lovely pattern). Stay tuned to “Creepy Craft Corner” for the finished product!
Thank you so much for joining us, Sonora, and thank you to all of you for reading. Until next month, keep it crafty.
Angela Sylvaine is a self-proclaimed cheerful goth who still believes in monsters. Her debut novella, Chopping Spree, is available now. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple publications and anthologies, including Places We Fear to Tread and Not All Monsters. You can find her online angelasylvaine.com.
Special thanks to our logo creator, Maria Abrams (abramstheauthor.com).
Note: Due to an overwhelming response from talented creators, I am not currently accepting new submissions for “Creepy Craft Corner.” I will post here in the HWA newsletter and on Twitter when I reopen to submissions.
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