A Lovely Day of Stitching, and Pages Yet to Come

Yesterday was one of those lovely days in the studio that reminds me why I enjoy teaching so much.

Five wonderful and creative ladies joined me in my studio downstairs for a Come Sit with Me scroll workshop. There were fresh scones, tea and coffee, lots of stitching, conversations, sharing of ideas and information, and plenty of laughter. Everyone worked on their own scroll, and a good time was had by all. What more could one ask for?

Meanwhile, my own stitching continues… Someone asked me yesterday if I stitch every day and how many hours I spend doing it. The answer is yes, and often for hours. I suppose I could call it an obsession, but that doesn’t quite describe it. Stitching is woven into the fabric of my everyday life. It is my way of thinking. It is how I explore ideas and how I make sense of the world around me. It is about finding joy in the small things. It brings a particular kind of contentment that I wouldn’t want to be without.

I’ve been working on pages for my new textile book, making them as ideas come along rather than following a particular plan. I’m exploring simple things that make me happy: tea, cats, pots of flowers, bits of vegetation, and all sorts of little details that seem to find their way into my work.

I am enjoying the freedom of not knowing exactly what a page will become when I start. A piece of fabric here, a bit of lace there, some thread, a lot of hand stitching… and slowly, something begins to take shape.

Perhaps that’s what I love most about this process. There is no rush to get anywhere, no particular destination, just the pleasure of making, adding, changing and discovering along the way.

And, apparently, there are still plenty of pages waiting to be stitched!

I hope you are finding a little time for whatever makes you happy in your own creative corner.

Thanks for reading. Until I write again,

Ana

P.S. A quick update for those who may have been considering the two online classes mentioned last week: I had to make a few changes to my teaching schedule, so these classes will no longer be offered at this time.