January Slow Stitches

 

As you practice slow and intentional stitching, your life, your attitude, your creativity, your health, your spirituality ... All of it will benefit as a result.

Mark Lipinski

January can be a bleak month, indeed here in Dorset we have been under fire from a monsoon of rain and now it is sunny but low temperatures that the frost actually looks like snow.  All the roof tops as far as the eye can see towards the river are white each morning.  My garden gate was frozen early today...

Now some might not delight from this but for me it is a slow stitch day with the light of the sun and being cosy inside.

I have being working on journals for my use of late, I find it is transportable to sit with my Mum
as well.  I have covered a journal with an antique embroidered tray cloth which is so beautiful it makes my heart sing and also with some slightly damaged antique linen that has weaving issues I have hand stitched the front and the back of another journal for me to use both this year.  

I usually pay a little over what I would normally for a tray cloth when they are as unique as this and if it is for my use well it does not matter as it is not for sale.  The working out of these can take some time as this embroidery is on the back as well.  The covering of the journal can take a lot of time to do properly ... I would say it is worth it.  It is a artist journal with incredibly good plain paper inside that will take water colours as well.

A good way to get into your slow stitching zone is to not think about making 'a thing'.  Take your time looking for inspiration and do not just jump in and think ' I have to make something with this.'  Be quiet, be patient, and play with the materials until they tell you what they want to be.

Melissa Jackson.

This is the front of my journal and as you can see there is what looks like a line or that it needs a good iron, but in fact it can not be ironed or flattened as it is a flaw ( some might call it) in the weave of a extremely old piece of French linen.  I love the character it brings to this piece.

I used a very old small hexagon that I had bought some time ago and the other one I made from favourite bits of my collection of paisleys and eiderdown fabrics I have.  I added three hexagons that have words written on them an covered them the same ... this time leaving in the papers and with the words on show.  

This piece will forever remind me of my Mum because the stitching was done by her bedside and on days when she was cosy in her chair and more alert I would give her little bits of the fabrics to

look at on her lap.  She would pick through them and look and then I quiet often got a smile.  To me this journal is worth more than gold.  I covered it at home in my studio because of the glue smell and the space I have in there.

The back of the journal was very simple with the words 'slow stitching' stitched on and a very old suffolk puff/yo yo stitched in place.  Inside I will write on the first page these words. Slow Stitching ... sustainability, simplicity, reflective and mindful.

This has been such a wonderful project to complete and the memories already contained within are priceless, even as yet not words have been written inside.

I have been refilling my jars which live in my studio on the dresser in there,  You may recall that I have a jar of hearts and my new addition is snippets for mice.  I have had plenty of those of late with cutting out little bits for the hexagons that I have been making.  

I am also getting ready to take workshops this year, I figure that Covid is something we will all have to live with.  So as long as everyone who attends has had their jabs and masks are worn
whilst stitching, that indeed we all need to have some freedom and some like minded fun.

I will be putting up some dates on here and there will be all the information that you might need to attend.  Six people on any one date may come and a full lunch will be provided along with drinks and a homemade piece of cake.   Everything you will need to complete a project will be provided and all included in the price.  To be with people who love to slow stitch or want to learn and the studio to ring out with chatter and laughter will be a tonic for me and for those who attend one of the workshops I hope.

So what will I be stitching today, the answer is I am not sure yet.  I have four projects ready to go and which ever speaks to me today will be the one I pick up.  I am not with my Mum today so I can choose one that is easier done here and have one to pick up and go when I visit with her.

At the moment there is Covid in her care home.  Everyone there has been jabbed but it still can happen so my visiting is limited.  On the ground floor where she is, is Covid free and she has a double door which leads to the garden in her beautiful room.  So we do not have to walk through the care home to see her ... We have to take a test everyday and that is ok with me.

Today though I am cosy at home and looking at the sunshine that is shinning down on the hard frost, which in turn is sparkling like diamonds everywhere.. and it is with this beauty that I leave you today to stitch.

As always Happy Stitching and please take care.

Sarah XX