Threads of Time.

 

We can let others convince us to rush or we can choose to live in the moment connected with our stitching and the past.  Even if it is for only a few minutes a day.

Kit Dunsmore.

Firstly please let me wish you all a very Happy New Year!  2022 can you believe it, I got the keys to Thimble Cottage in February 2020 and not sure where that time has gone.  I hope you all had a peaceful, healthy and Happy Christmas.

The pleasure in the process of sat slow stitching is calming and serene.  You can be almost anywhere, sat in your favourite cosy chair, on a seat by the river watching the kingfishers and robins, on a train or like me most days sat next to my darling Mum if she is very sleepy.  Again we have days when she rallies an over the weekend was such a day.  Psychologists say that hand stitching helps to create a self induced state of focus, also known as mindfulness.  It is said to reduce blood pressure and anxiety and promote relaxation and I totally agree it does for me.

Mum was desperately trying to tell us something, her face had taken on a serious look and I am afraid she does not make sense with only the odd word we can recognize  We tried to tell her not to worry that we now do the worrying for her.  She got so frustrated that tears started to run down her cheeks, which in turn set myself and my sister off. The heartache we felt was immense.

However with this terrible illness comes loss of time and space and she soon forgot and cheered
up when we fed her a butterscotch mouse!

I love to read too normally but I can not seem to settle to that much so stitching it is and I must admit it clears my mind, my breathing somehow slows and I can just fall into my vintage and stitchery world with utter bliss. 

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.

William Wordsworth.

I always start new journals each new year for my stitchery designs and so one of the journals that I will be covering with the hand stitched design on to gorgeous antique French linen is for my personal use.  The French knots are still going and I have lost count as to how long it is taking but it is looking good in my opinion.  So I am still doing a few hours of those and then onto the journal coverings ...

The weather here in Dorset has been very wet for the last month it seems, however today is sunny but bitterly cold.. just the day to sit and stitch.

I have so many plans this year for taking courses at Thimble, however it all depends on Covid right now.  The Threads of Time Studio is awaiting laughter, stitching and fun.  It has been ready for over a year now and I find it so sad with the emptiness of people.

The dinning room awaits all the chatter around it at lunchtime on the courses too.  So plans are being made in the hope that this year anyone who has had their covid jabs can come and mingle with like minded people for the day and talk vintage whilst stitching...

This week saw the taking down of Christmas and getting back to some sort of normality.  I have some gorgeous new books to put away properly, calligraphy things and some gorgeous packs of vintage ribbons.  I am sorting things out this week and my stitching will be begin in earnest by the weekend.  That said I am going to be taking little slow stitches later and I have missed being sat there in my favourite chair with my basket of stitching. I want to finish my hand stitching on some gorgeous antique piece of French linen so that I can cover my new stitching journal for 2022.  The ideas are popping right now and are scribbled on a scrap piece of paper.... this of course will not do at all.

I have cut out a few gorgeous antique French linens to cover journals in and they are awaiting their hand stitched personalisation to be done.  These are easy to transport to my Mums and so I can sit with her whilst she sleeps and easy to put down and pick up again when she is awake and I can chat to her.  She looks at me as I quietly talk about my every day life to her.  I tell her about my walks that I take, what I have spotted by the river bank.  I hold her hand and tell her about all my hopes and dreams and hope upon hope at least some of it goes in.

I have received some beautiful letters through the post from my penpals and I sit and read those to her as well as  reading her Little Women too.  When she drifts off I pick up my stitching and sit and sew in the armchair by the window that looks into her garden and watch the robins go about their busy day.

I miss talking to her and she talking back to me and showing her my stitching and she would always love to see everything I stitched.  

Hygge is about the small things in life. Like warms socks. Candle lit room. A hot cup of tea in your favourite mug.

Hygge has been my best friend at Thimble when the decorations came down, plenty of candles and throws everywhere and a little pile of books by my bed and some in the lounge too.  I love the coziness of the Winter months and toasting my toes in front of the log burner with a cup of cinnamon tea close to hand.  

So for today I will leave you with that image as that is what I am about to do. Until next time stay safe and as always Happy Stitching!

Sarah XX

We will open the book.  The pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.   The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Years Day.

Edith Lovejoy Pierce.