The art of cross stitch…and wrestling

LACONIA — Sitting quietly and concentrating on cross stitch, a fiber art that requires focus, seems far away from the rough-and-tumble world of a wrestler, where fast moves and toughness mean everything. However, in Shawn Sinclair’s world, cross stitch and wrestling go together quite well and are equal parts of his hobby.

To call Sinclair’s cross stitch work a hobby may not be quite accurate. Lifesaver would better describe the stitching that requires concentration and helps him as a recovering alcoholic.

Sinclair’s background is diverse, but the theme is creativity. He said, “I made comic books about anthropomorphic animals going on adventures as a kid. I’ve always been a big dreamer with a big imagination. I didn’t think I could create anything people might be interested in, but that never bothered me. I always wanted to finish writing a novel and self-publish it to have a copy on my bookshelf. It’s okay if I never read it. The same goes for what I’m doing now. I want people to tell me that my stuff is decent, but even if I’m the only fan of my art, it’s worth the time and money I’ve invested in this endeavor.”

Sinclair said, “I was born and raised in Laconia. I graduated from Laconia High School in 2003 and was accepted to Lyndon State College in Vermont, but that fell through due to finances. My original intention was to become a journalist, but after not being able to attend college, I became the assistant coach for the LHS cross country and track teams, and my goal was to become a teacher.”

When he was 20 years old, Sinclair’s daughter was born, and his focus shifted to working to provide for his new family. He said, “I now have a 17-year-old and a three-year-old, a wife, and a house in Laconia. And I work as an LNA at Merrimack County Nursing Home.”

Sinclair isn’t shy about the ups and downs of his life and said, “I’m a recovering alcoholic with multiple relapses under my belt. I got sober (again) on August 9, 2023, and I have no intention of looking back. I dove into cross stitching — making a ‘Stranger Things’ stitch for my teenager, a ‘Bluey’ stitch for my toddler, and a plant stitch for my wife. I also finished a ‘Final Fantasy VII’ stitch that I had been working on for years for my cousin. In November of 2023, I started making (cross stitch) patterns. They were just random things. I started an Etsy shop called Sober in Stitches. Eventually, I made my first wrestling pattern — the wrestler Chris Jericho (Jericho Appreciation Society Edition). I eventually decided to focus solely on professional wrestling patterns but watch for NFL players in the fall.”

Wrestling enthusiasts can see some of their favorites in Sinclair’s cross stitch patterns.

“I think my patterns are very recognizable,” he said. “I will start selling some of my stitches at markets this summer and fall to get an idea whether my work is on point.”

Cross stitching has been a help in Sinclair’s recovery and day-to-day life.

“As I mentioned earlier, I’m a recovering alcoholic and a chronic anxiety-haver. The stitching helps with both,” he said. “I’ve always heard repetitive motion activities like cross stitching can help with PTSD as well. It helps me focus on being in the moment rather than worrying about the future or regretting the past.”

While success as a pattern maker of wrestlers and a skilled cross stitcher are nice offshoots, the most important reason Sinclair devotes time to the creative work is the pleasure it provides and the fact it keeps him moving ahead and grounded.

While he doubts if big-time World Wrestling Entertainment knows of his work, Sinclair said, “I’ve had a couple of indy wrestlers reach out to me over the past week on Facebook and ask for patterns made of them. The first was Peter B. Beautiful from the Midwest. He was happy with his pattern and asked if he could use the design on a T-shirt. That’s the kind of thing that appeals to me more than making money. I’d love to at least break even and see some financial gain from my time investment, but this will always be a hobby, not a career, and making those connections is as rewarding, if not more so, than making a few bucks.”

Cross stitching has a learning curve, but Sinclair assures it isn’t difficult. “You need Aida cloth, embroidery floss, a tapestry needle, an embroidery hoop, some scissors, and if you have fat fingers like me, a needle threader,” he said. “And a pattern, of course.”

When making a pattern, he said, “I do a lot of tweaking to every pattern and take my time to make every stitch count. I wouldn’t say it was difficult, but rather an ongoing learning experience.”

Occasionally, Sinclair joins a group of friends and heads to Boston to see All Elite Wrestling shows. He said, “At the last show I attended, I gave each of my friends one of my wrestler stitches. It was fun to see their reactions.”

Those who want to learn cross stitch (and maybe talk about their favorite wrestlers) can take a class Sinclair will be teaching at the Belknap Mill in Laconia on Thursday, April 18, from 2 to 5 p.m. Participants will learn the basics of cross stitch embroidery and how to read patterns. Sinclair will provide the patterns - either a spring flower or wrestler Cody Rhodes holding a WrestleMania belt. Materials will be included, and no experience is required. Call 603-524-8813 to register.

Thinking about how his hobby could morph into a business, Sinclair said, “My goal is to keep it a hobby. I want to have fun with it. When it becomes too overwhelming, I will need to step back. I’ve probably had a dozen pattern requests in the past week and trying to please everyone can be stressful. I need to remind myself, first and foremost this is for me. My ultimate goal is to keep building my catalog and bring people joy. I do frequent giveaways on all of my social media accounts.”

Concluding, Sinclair said, “Cross stitching is not my job, I enjoy being an LNA and helping people, and I’m not doing it to make a living. It’s a hobby, a passion, and fun. Whenever it stops being those things, I’ll hang up the boots.”

Sinclair’s work can be seen at wrestlingwithstitches.com.