Crafty Games

When I finish my stitching for the night, I usually goof off for a while with computer gaming. I've found a few games that dovetail nicely with needlework, odd as that might seem. I know some folks do online jigsaw puzzles, as they do satisfy some of the same pleasure centers as cross stitch (watching the picture develop, etc.). But that isn't for me.

(Today's links will bring you to free gaming sites, which will have sounds, ads, and may or may not be work friendly. You also may just fall into a time sucking vortex. Fair warning on both counts!)

My first obsession this year was Picross, which I played here. It's basically a logic puzzle that when completed will result in a pixelated image, not unlike a cross stitch pattern. You need to figure out where to put the box in the grid, and you can only have so many errors before the game resets. Of course the images are fairly boring, but it gets challenging, and is oddly pleasing when you finish up the harder levels. I have an idea percolating (read: I'll probably never get around to it) to make some real cross stitch patterns that are dependent on solving a picross puzzle first.

Here's a quick screen shot, of an easy level puzzle, just before completion:



Last week I discovered Patchworx, on Shockwave. Play here. This is a quilting themed puzzle, which starts out super easy but gets pretty challenging as you go. It's similar to Tangrams, but with a bigger array of shapes, and all the pretty fabbies of quilting.

Screenshot:


I'd be loopier than I already am if I played these games with their associated soundtracks. I mute the games, and listen to audiobooks, or watch TV while I play. Ahh, multitasking. And NO, I don't play in the Studio, as some of you have orders waiting!

Have fun!