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Now, I wouldn't want to create the wrong impression, and risk the word "nancy-boy" coming to your mind, let me explain:

I'd recently developed a new aspect to my life and her name was Kerry-Anne. I think I was about 22 years old and my interest lay in cars, bikes, cycling, computers and yes, girls (not necessarily in that order). Clearly no kind of needlework was in my realm of interest.

At this time Kerry-Anne was diligently trying to build a crafting empire by making and selling cross-stitch kits that contained patterns, material, thread and needles. My cross-stitch saga started by her batting her eyelids - I instantly became her business sponsor and donated finances and a considerable amount of time into the project.

One day Kerry-Anne suggested that I get involved in cross-stitch� so after some consideration and with absolutely no interest in needlework I grabbed a pattern, some material and a few shades of thread. My intention� To prove that anybody can do it and to create some controversy on the train to work.

I progressed pretty well that Sunday and packed in my kit for work the next day. I boarded the train with a few friends and silently grinned to myself. A minute or two into the trip to work I whipped out my pattern and started stitching little Xs. Even though the train made substantial noise a detectable silence spread over our corner of the coach. The next words that emitted from our group were "Paul, what the hell are you doing"�. Playing dumb and acting a little confused at the question, I looked up and echoed "huh�". Even though the picture I was busy with wasn't even anywhere close to manly, like a car or a plane or something, I made as though what I was doing the most natural thing for a 22 year old male commuting to work to be doing. Some laughter ensued and I carried on stitching little Xs�

Although I considered myself a pretty neat stitcher, I wasn't the world's fastest, so this lasted for a couple of days. I got great mileage out of it on the train and attracted a reasonable amount of female-interest.

Needle-less to say, that was the first and last cross-stitch item to come from these hands. So, what did I learn from that experiment? I guess that anybody can do it, seriously, and that cross-stitch can be very entertaining, even for guys just wanting to cause a stir.

Paul's Piglet