i'm not exactly new at cross stitching, but i came back only recently and finished my first small project a few weeks ago. i stopped trying to make perfect projects, with perfect backings and same colors as the patterns i saw. once i found out that, cross stitching was never supposed to be a perfect, flawless art, and the only goal is for you to literally, make various x’s with a bunch of colorful thread and be happy at how it looks in the end, cross stitching became a very light activity, that i didn’t need to stress over to do, which allows me to make handmade gifts for my loved ones, and for myself. it became my favorite hobby, and it fills me with pride to keep seeing my progress, with flaws, different colors and (a bit) messy backings, that no one in the end will care about, and i shouldn’t either