It is a pleasure to hear from you again! I assure you I did not take offense, quite the opposite! I’m flattered that you took the time to do the kit! I wish I had more to send you. We’ll look in the attic and see if any survived.

You hit the nail on the head about the folks who bought our kits: they were criss-crossing the country in their RV, visiting far-flung kids and grandbabies, retired with an income that actually allowed them to buy the gas for the RV. I doubt that will come around again.

I camped with friends when my kids. All my friends did. It as an inexpensive way to vacation and yes, see the country. We camped from Maine to California, though always in a camper of some type. In fact, the family names you see on the cover of the kit are my friends’ names!

I know that crafts are in a weird place now. Needle kits are hot but not decorative stitching, it seems to me. Decorative painting is out, too, and I enjoy that as well. I say anything that the younger folks do that they like and produces something to be proud of is a good thing!

You have my email address, please don’t hesitate to write anytime!

Best,
Grace

Thank you so much for contacting me! I tried to do a search online but couldn’t find any more information and chickened out of writing a letter to the address on the kit. I’m going to write an email stat!

I want to assure you my laughter wasn’t malicious. It wasn’t my intention to put down your work–I loved working this pattern. Other people do too, it’s the most visited post on this blog! The people on Craftster loved it too.

It has a retro-kitsch thing going for it (even though I can remember 1991). The pattern isn’t bad–it’s just the subject matter. You have to understand–this is also coming from a non-RV person. I’ve never owned an RV and never will own an RV. Not because I think it’s terrible, but because I’ll never have that luxury.

So there miiiiiight be a little bit of bitter envy seeping into my attitude towards the type of woman that could have stitched this kit while traveling cross-country with her husband.

But anyway, handicrafts are at a weird stage right now. There’s an older generation with their own traditions that have to coexist with a younger generation struggling to adapt tradition methods to their particular worldview. In a lot of cases, that includes making a statement that the crafter is breaking from/rejecting the past.

So, excuses aside, I want to apologize, sincerely, if I’ve been callous and injured your feelings. This must have taken a lot of work (my boyfriend and I have speculated on just how much) and I respect that.

-Beth

Imagine my surprise when your blog came up during a “gee I’m bored” google search…

I am the original designer of the Full Hookups Included cross stitch kits! Yup!

While you are cackling away, remember that this kit was designed in 1991! The chart might look terrible now but back in the day, it was a great improvement on hand-drawn charts which were a real nightmare to read.

The type and colors of the vehicles are as dated as the chart, but again, in its heyday, there was nothing to compare!

You did a great job on the stitching, by the way. I was a bit fanatical with the half- and quarter- stitches. I sure wouldn’t do it that way again.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane….
grace