Slow Stitching

This week I finished stitching a new cloth for my reading table and I'm loving how it adds an additional layer to the cards. The intuitive spirals I've stitched give a feeling of grounding to my readings. Depending on your perspective I feel these spiral blobs can be interpreted as cells, amoebas or my personal favourite ammonites or shells. 

In case you're wondering I used two layers of a fine linen fabric, a cream and a chocolate. I've left the edges raw because I feel that fits with the loose nature of the stitched motifs. I used a variegated crochet thread and a buttonhole stitch in a spiral motion throughout. I haven't decided yet whether all these spirals need connecting up so I'm going to live with it as is for awhile and see if I'm drawn to do that.

Slow stitching is the latest take on embroidery and other forms of stitching. It's taking very basic stitches, especially running stitch, and using the stitching as a form of meditation. Coming from a background of needlecrafts stitching is nothing new to me but what I'm enjoying about this new practice is its intuitive nature. 

For many years I did a lot of cross stitch, mainly from kits. I enjoyed building pictures with these tiny stitches but my eyesight is no longer suited to reading cross stitch charts as I stitch and it stopped being enjoyable some time ago. Slow stitching has given me back the enjoyment and tactile feeling of stitching without the stress of "getting it right". I'm just using up my stash of threads and fabrics and doing my own thing, stitching for the sake of stitching. If I create something nice in the process that's a bonus. I've also started bringing in other things from my stash like beads and charms. 

So slow stitching, check it out! You might find something really enjoyable in the process like I have.

Sharon L. Baker is an Intuitive Reader, Mixed Media Artist and Creativity & Wellness Coach living in the Hawkesbury Valley, NSW. For enquiries and bookings email: hellosharonlbaker@gmail.com

A little fabric book I'm currently stitching in

  

A slow stitched journal holder in the travellers
notebook style