September Stitching

September Stitching

I am not sure I am liking the grey linen for this quarter. It is a little darker than I thought it would be, but I am forging ahead with it.

However, in September, I learned some new-to-me techniques of applique. Wool felt is truly a thing of beauty. I had no idea at all, but wow – I really loved working with it!

I also loved using darker color threads as my world changed dramatically this month. The trees are changing, plants are dying, and things are settling in for a new season.

One thing is certain, each day’s stitching was a high point of my day. And, learning new things is always good!

August Blues

August Blues

Another month is over and it was a very good month for stitching! My theme was entirely based on the skies of August – deep blues, sometimes grey, sometimes cloud filled, and each spectacular! No new techniques this month but more layered fabrics. Lots of running stitches in combinations of circles and intersecting straight lines, and while I am not pre-drawing anything, this month I did use a pin head to help me start each circle.

It might be my favorite month to date.

And, really, August – you could have stayed a while longer. I loved stitching you!

August Dreams

August Dreams

Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. Gloria Steinem

I really enjoyed my July stitching, but again I am feeling that the stitching is not “done”, but maybe that is the way of summer months. They are never quite done as they move on to the next. Things are still growing and changing and so, perhaps an unfinished feel to stitching is appropriate.

And now a new month lays before me and the excitement I feel as I look at the fabric that will be transformed over the days of August is palpable. The blues of summer will hopefully be captured in my stitching!

June Stitching

June Stitching

June was the first month that the creative tension lingered most of the month and I am left feeling that it needs a bit more stitching. Will I stitch more? I don’t know – I am having a bit of an internal debate with myself about that.

My process has been to stitch one piece each month and when the month was over to begin a new month, however, I think this piece needs a bit more to feel complete.

But when I look back at the month, I see my garden: Yarrow, lavender, Impatiens, Foxglove, Verbena, Wiegela’s, and even some black Poppy seeds. And, lots and lots of growing!! It is a work in progress, and perhaps this stitching feeling “unfinished” is the best reflection of my garden. But, as I said – the internal debate rages on and I will let you know if I decide to add anything to the piece.

What I do love about the piece is how dramatically different it is from previous months with many new stitches and techniques. However, the reality is that sometimes new things requires more practice before you are proficient at them. I am certain that I will be revisiting some of these stitches again to perfect them.

I have also been contemplating the next quarter which will bring this year of stitching to a close and I have had some interesting conversations with Mary about some things in the Slow Stitch book (which if you do not have, you should! It is a fantastic starting point to stitching) and there is so much inspiration contained within the pages! It seems with needle and thread, the possibilities are endless!

There you have my June stitching. One thing I do know – I am at the point that I need a bigger embroidery hoop! Any stitchers out there have any recommendations?

 

 

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