Hasn’t it been a while? No paragraph of excuses. Simply life, life and then a bit more life thrown in for good measure.
Are you ready to join me for some soothing, calm and simple sewing? There is just one stitch to use today, of varying lengths and thickness, as we ease ourselves into a beautiful project created from a pile of vintage fabric scraps. As I write, I feel my shoulders relax and a gentle exhale leave my body: I am here in my craft room, doing what I love most. Creating from very little and writing all about it for you. Restorative stuff, I do hope you’ll enjoy today’s craft too.
Slow Stitch Sunday
If your own life has been busy of late, you might appreciate this slow stitch project. I’m making use of my scraps again, although today I am focusing on vintage quilt pieces, too beautiful are they to discard. As always if you don’t have quilt yourself, you can improvise. I imagine a fabric with texture and pile would work best. You know the sort I mean; that which you find yourself stroking involuntarily.
My trimmings were salvaged from Christmas Craft Workshops hosted here at the end of last year. As scissors snipped and needles stitched way back last November, I squirrelled away the abandoned ‘bits’ wondering how I might reinvent them and then one rainy Sunday afternoon in January whilst sitting cosily by the fireside and positively yearning for springtime, I settled on just the perfect idea…
This design is nestled onto half an old linen napkin which I found at the bottom of my rusty basket full of antique gems and I enjoyed a quiet while choosing and placing suitable quilt scraps to represent my dream farmhouse cottage and its idyllic countryside surroundings. My own scrappy fabric is utilised well for the garden and I chose a piece which suggested springtime to me with its pastel pink shades and gentle calm greens.
I ‘anchored’ the quilt pieces in place with my sewing machine which is absolutely not necessary. I am sure you have much more patience than I and fully appreciate the art of slow stitching however even with the clue in the name, such a craft is always going to be a challenge for this impatient girl. Once I was happy with my scene, I set about backstitching slowly over my sky, sun and clouds using threads of blues and yellow. The wavy stitches painted a pleasing depth and varying the thickness and length of each row, allowed me to add to the story of an unpredictable British springtime sky.
A little creativity. A little mindfulness. Perfect for a Beginner
And not for the first time, was I reminded how the rhythm of slowly stitching with no expectations of a neat and tidy outcome, is quite simply a wonderful way to unwind and a project perfect for a beginner.
My sweet chimney pot on the rooftop was treated to a few seed stitches of gentle smoke puffing out into the crisp morning air and the crooked door and wonky windows were brought to life with simple white embroidery floss.
Then came my favourite part as I added a post and rail fence together with a small flock of woolly sheep. I used two strands of embroidery floss for the posts and single only for the rail and kept it all a little uneven as one would surely hope from their timeworn boundary. And the tiny sheep are made by tangling up a small piece of mohair wool and securing in place with a few seed stitches of the same wool. Black cotton thread makes up their legs and heads – I think sheep may well be my favourite things to stitch. Thank you Jayne for teaching me how.
And finally, the little patch of bluebells or forget-me-nots or maybe they are cornflowers was a happy placement of just a few straight stitches in varying lengths, nothing too tricky as always.
I have yet to decide, will my scrap quilt project become a book cover, a project pouch, a cushion cover or indeed a something else. What do you think? And I’m interested to know, is this a project you would like to try yourself? I do hope that it is and as always would so enjoy seeing if you are happy to share yours. Enjoy your stitching …
Until next time x
Just before you go, I am often asked these questions by my readers. Perhaps my answers might prove helpful for you too…
What is the difference between embroidery and slow stitching?
Embroidery stitches are generally used to create the hand stitch design. Slow stitching often utilises much easier stitches, for example, simple running stitch into its design. The clue as to what slow stitching is, is in the name. A project where one takes their time joining pieces of fabric together, decorating simply, lavishly or not as they would like. And there is absolutely no reason why both embroidery and slow stitching cannot be mixed together in your sewing projects making your stitching time thoroughly rewarding and enjoyable.
What kind of thread do you use for slow stitching?
You can use anything you have from a basic sewing cotton to a beautiful embroidery floss. I often use crochet thread or even thin wool, depending on the project.
What needle do you use for slow stitching?
Again there are no specific rules. Choose an appropriate thickness for the fabric you are stitching into and the thread you are using. If your needle is too thick for the fabric it may ‘pop’ and leave larger holes than you would like in your fabric, so keep this in mind.
What can you make from slow stitching?
Just about anything! Table cloths, table runners, quilts, cushions, aprons, the choice is endless. Smaller slow stitch projects look wonderful as embellishments on cards, you can use your projcet as a sleeve to cover a favourite book. You can make bags and purses, pouches and scarves from a slow stitch project. Here is a beautiful slow stitch panel I made which I eventually turned into a delightful cushion for a girlfirends special birthday.
