Slow Stitching for fun, never a chore....

Hello my lovelies

how are we all?

Hoping your week has been fun and entertaining in many ways....

I've been inspired to write this post after a few comments on my Facebook page this week that have made me smile..

(you can find me HERE )

As many of you know I run a weekly Friday Showcase where I invite fans of my page to upload their own pics of projects they have been working on during the week.

I LOVE seeing the variety of crafts, the various designs and overall support for one another.

Creativity is so good for the soul and it really doesn't matter if you are a beginner just stumbling your way through the minefield of instructions and online tutorials or you are an avid sewer, embroiderer or embellisher etc with years of experience to your name.

I'm constantly saying this (and I do apologize if you are bored of hearing me say it again!)

but for me being creative is simply being in the moment...

It really isn't about competing with others.

It's simply about enjoying the process, fuelling your inner soul and slowing down that hamster wheel of life that we all run on every day of our lives.

Slow stitching ticks all those boxes for me as there are no rights and wrongs even though many would say different.

As much as I LOVE sewing with my machine I love nothing more than feeling the fabric between my fingers, seeing all my threads nestling in their boxes waiting to be picked for a project

and slowly watching a design come together as I choose a stitch to get started...

My show on Create & Craft TV this week was been full of slow stitching...

all of which you seemed to have enjoyed which is lovely for me!

and after reading a few comments from those of you who have decided to give it a go, I thought I would give you some little tips that may help convince you all that even the tiniest of stitching can add a little something special to a project...

First, I'll let you into a little secret....

Is anyone listening?

No?

OK, now keep this just between you and I as I don't want the whole world to know... 

(I have a reputation of being a professional to keep you know ;))

So, first things first...

I don't actually enjoy using a hoop for embroidery.

You see I've been blessed with Fen hands ready for working the land...digging up spuds and the like.

Certainly NOT for dainty stitching, Jane Austen style!

I have chunky fingers that get very clumsy when wrestling with a wooden hoop

even though I really do try to make them look elegant on TV!

So... all though I teach everyone the correct way as shown in books, tutorials and classes in reality,

at home  I do my usual thing and go off on a tangent...

(I'm a quiet rebel at heart and always do my own thing if I'm honest!. 

You don't have to shout from the roof tops you know to make something happen if you want to! ;))

I can stitch for hours on end if I can feel the fabric between my fingers.

It grounds me and makes time slow down

I love to feel the ripples of weft and warp tumble through my hands as I often daydream whilst stitching... and oh boy do I daydream!

My background in working with children and young adults who have many disabilities including very severe sensory impairment has taught me over the years to simply touch and feel everything before even starting...

At times I have had to work around a situation of teaching someone a new skill with little or no communication or response other than a simple blink of an eyelash which makes you adapt to any situation....

you have to think laterally not literally....

So... what does that mean in reality?

It means if you are having trouble using an embroidery hoop such as I do...

It's simple don't use it!

If you are having trouble threading with a said needle because you can't see the thread easily...

don't use it! 

Choose a larger eye even if that means it's meant for a different thread.

I'm going to be shot down in flames for this only you can decide what is right for you.

Don't be taken back to your school days of rules and regulations.

I really didn't like school as there were too many rules.

Too many for me to always be getting wrong with all things academic!

My outlet was through my creative side of life and I learnt to make things work my way...

not necessarily the correct way but it has worked for me over the years.

I guess what I'm trying to say in a very LONG round about way (and I do apologize if you are slightly dozing off right now...)

is simply be yourself and find your own creative path...

We are all different which I think is a very good thing because the world would be a very boring place if we were all the same.

If you are having difficulty with any new stitch, design or even just holding a needle, here's a few pointers that may help you along the way...

* Invest in a good child's book for easy instruction and bigger easy-to-follow diagrams and DON'T be afraid to use it.

*Start with a very simple design - you will get no where if you think you are going to create a masterpiece the first time you pick up a piece of thread or needle etc!

*Allow yourself time to time to play and permission to go wrong. Be prepared to make those mistakes and not worry about it.

*Don't try and copy your friend's work or design...it's not your idea and it will never look like hers/ his

*Lastly be still, be in the moment and indulge in some calm... Tilly Rose slow stitching time

I'd love to know your thoughts so do drop a comment below as I always enjoy reading them :)

Happy stitching my lovelies!

Tilly

x x x