End of January 2019, how the heck did that happen?
Oh yes, it happened because time flies when you’re having fun, and I have been having fun, handstitching daily for the last 50 odd days. I happened upon a Facebook group called “Stitch Meditations”, and watched a video by a textile artist called Liz Kettle and I thought I’m having some of that.
Liz prepares new fabric for each of her pieces, but I thought that I would be more likely to actually do it if I had a large piece ready and waiting for when I wanted to stitch. No excuses like it’s too cold to go downstairs and find some fabric, look, it’s sitting right there in the warm living room. Just pick it up and stitch. So, I prepared a piece of fabric from scraps sandwiched between 2 layers of organza and machine stitched to keep it all together.
And I picked it up and I stitched. Every day for at least 15 minutes, sometimes more, usually just before bed. It relaxes me and stops my head whirring. It’s repetitive and hypnotic and quite addictive. I’ve done this type of thing before, in 2017 I started “A Year of Stitches” which got me into hand embroidery , I wrote about it here
I kept that up from January until July-ish and then I petered out. I had the feeling then that everything I stitched had to be “for” something , otherwise I would be wasting my time. I stitched jackets, hearts, stars, brooches, all things I could potentially sell. This time I don’t give a flying fiddle-dee dee what it’s “for” , I’m doing it for me. How d’ya like them apples?
Having said that, I did do something with my first 12 days stitching…
Since then I have just stitched with no plan in mind.
Here’s the whole finished piece with 16 days of stitching, it is 28 x 28cm and I stitched on a 7x7cm square each day. 
I made a cardboard frame of 7x7cm so I knew my limits, but I also stitched into the next days square because I don’t like being told what to do, even by myself.
Next up I prepared another 28x28cm piece, this time made from some rusted fabric I bought from here a few years ago and had been keeping in my big box of special bits , waiting for something special to happen to it. 
This is the cardboard frame that thinks it’s the boss of me..
I stitched and I stitched …
and then it was finished, 16 days later..
I’m on my 3rd piece now, this time a piece of a charity shop barkcloth curtain that I’ve had for over 25 years and has moved house twice with me, stuck in a dark box, waiting for it’s day to come, and now it has. This is it before I started messing with it..
and this is 8 days of stitching…
and today is day 9 , so I’ll enjoy some stitching before bedtime.
Then tomorrow morning I will take a photo of my 7x7cm square and post it in the Facebook group, along with lots of other members doing the same thing. So I get the pleasure of stitching at night, and the pleasure of perusing other peoples stitching in the morning. Some of the members committed to stitching daily for 30 days, and they have been posting photos of all of their pieces together. I asked permission from them to share their work, and here is some of it. Wonderful and inspiring stuff.
www://artfuldreamer.blogspot.com
Facebook
https://www.instagram.com/sheilaghdysonmixedmediaartist/
https://www.facebook.com/RISE-and-BLOOM
https://www.instagram.com/sweetemmeroo/
You can also see some Stitch Meditations on Instagram #stitchmeditation
That was a very long blogpost , I’m off for a lie down.
EDITED TO ADD : 25/11/20
Yesterday I made 2 double sided hanging hearts using pieces of my Stitch Meditations.
I should mention, as well, that I used this piece…
to make these…
They sat in a dark box for long enough, now they have been reborn into things that hopefully will see the light of day đŸ™‚
Thank you for this blog!! I love your work! It’s so inspiring for me!
Love this post! What a wonderful variety of pieces. Makes me want to get my fingers going.
Such an inspiring post! All the work is beautiful. Thanks so much for posting.
Thanks for including me! Such great variety!
Amazing works!
Thank you for sharing your journey and all the lovely work.
You truly are inspiring……thank you for putting yours (and all the other) fabulous creations on your superbe blog for us to enjoy. Merci mon Amie
Wow!! I love to see the whole, your journey & your work. The extraordinary creations off all you wonderful women is so inspiring ♥
Really enjoyed reading this and seeing everyone’s work together. Thanks for including mine. It has been such a great way to make January fly by!
Awesome. this compilation is good. It give exposure to the your work and that of all those wonderful women.
Dear Fran, I am in awe of this blog spot, it is so amazing to see all the completed work over the last month. Your input to include everyone in this way is just amazing and I want to thank you for all the time and effort you have put into this – it has been a blast.
Each piece looked good on it’s own but when all the pieces are side by side they are all wonderful. Unfortunately I couldn’t participate in the challenge as I am travelling and didn’t come prepared-but I will start when I get back home at the end of February-I’ve got quite a lot of rust dyed fabric so might use that. Loved your “Hunderwasser”fabric and stitching.Happy stitching
Lovely to read and to look! Thank you!
Wonderful post, Fran! Thanks for including my work. Like an on-line show and tell! It’s inspiring to see all our work grouped together like this, and I’m rearin’ to go and make more, bigger, and yes… saleable! Once a seller, always a seller, right? But it was such an enjoyable time to just stitch, not wondering what to do with the end result!
Wow these are all amazing! Thank you for sharing these. I have been thinking of doing some stitchery pieces and this post has so much inspiration all in one place!
These pieces are brilliant–now I need to review what little I know about hand stitching, and do one of my own. Do I have time? I shall make time. Looking forward to seeing more works of art.
Hi Fran,,,,,Your post is a stunning visual delight, not only highlighting your awesome art, but including the works that were shared, was “pure genius”. I do believe you should consider publishing a book about your adventures and what you have shared… Please consider this,,,I’m sure it would appeal to a lot of artists out there. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain….thanks so much for all this excitement.,,,,hugs and cheers,
Oh wow! They are beautiful! I love freestyle embroidery!