Last week was more than a bit of a detour here in South Dakota. My sweetheart Jack had emergency surgery and was stuck in the hospital for four long days. I passed a few hours by working on some stitching. It hasn’t been much of a vacation, but we made it through and I expect we will be home by the end of the week.
And you are a curious bunch of readers! After 6 or 7 notes wanting to know more about my little stitching project (make that sanity project… ). I figured it was time for a blog post to show you what I was up to.
I started with a piece of black cotton with a Paintstik rubbing done with one of my Curves Rubbing Plates. I have learned to save my demo pieces and they come in handy once in a while.
I have a lovely collection of #8 Pearl Cotton from Laura Wasilowski at ArtFabrik.com. In the center, I just did some simple side-to-side stitches. I was planning to do something more with it, but it looked just right. (Knowing when to quit is half the battle… .)
On this spiral, I used a simple outline stitch. The coloration of the thread matched my paint colors perfectly.
This is a combination of two stitches. First I did a chain stitch, then I used a back-stitch to add a touch of gold. I like the way it looks like links in a chain, and it adds a nice touch of color.
Do French Knots give you fits? Well, make a whole bunch of them and you’ll be able to stitch them in your sleep!
Right after I started, I realized that my black fabric had twisted and wasn’t “square” on the background. Thankfully, I resisted the temptation to pull out the stitching and start over. (I am a recovering perfectionist and I’m always pleased when I give myself permission to allow something to be delightfully imperfect.)
I absolutely love working with variegated thread. The gentle color changes are so much more interesting than single-color threads.
And I’m so thankful that I scooped up my thread collection and a couple of very portable projects before we left home. It was incredibly good to have something to pass the hours in the hospital while Jack was sleeping. Not to mention that you can’t sit down with a stitching project without finding out which of the nurses love quilting and needlework.
When I think back now, it’s rather humorous to think this is the piece I brought with me. I felt like stitching around the little spirals helped me make sense of the “detour” Jack and I found ourselves on last week. It was certainly a restful meditation to help me along the way.
So, when life sends you detours and you’re not sure what to do — grab a needle and thread and stitch yourself a path. As for now, I’m working on stitching a path home across South Dakota. We will take two days to make the trip, and I hope to be home by the weekend.
How lucky you were to have this along with you. You so inspire me to make something out of nothing. This is beautiful and I’ve been looking for variegated pearl cotton so I am going to the site you gave right now and buy some! Thank you for sharing all your wonderful ideas and projects. Hope hubby is well now.
I know what you mean about having a small project “ready to go.” I am a quilter, I machine piece and hand quilt. But, hand quilting is just not portable; however, hand piecing is. I keep several blocks cut and in a small portfolio, along w/thread, needles, scissors. It’s on the counter next to my purse and if I think I might need a time filler, it goes in my purse as I’m leaving. Like your project, it has been a sanity saver many times over.
Lovely! Might have to copy this idea…..hard to tell from the photos- but what size is the black piece?
Hi Ann, I think the black piece was about 4 1/2″ square (sort of…) The pages in our little books are 6×6, so the entire piece has to be smaller than that.
I usually bring along a knitting project.
Knitting is one of those very portable projects that I’ve never learned to do. Someday… 🙂
Hi Shelly,
I was one of the “curious” ones regarding your stitching project. Thank you very much for sharing. The way the background square shifted added so much more to the overall design. Guess what MY next portable project will be?
Kind regards.
Susan
Have fun with that, Susan. Small is fun!
Your piece is adorable. I have also been exploring more stitching lately. I think I will combine it with paint sticks.
Glad your husband is better and you can be on your way home.
Shelly, I love the thread. Must find some. When flying from NC to Seattle to visit my son, I always have some stitch projects. Always afraid I will have to give up my little scissors before boarding! When my husband was bedridden before his death, I would prop up in bed beside him and stitch.
Please give your spouse a get well wish form me. And cherish him.
Thanks, Judith. Jack is doing better, but this one will take a while. He is one week short of his 81st birthday and doesn’t bounce quite as quickly as he used to. We are delighted to be home and sleeping in our own bed.
Shelly I love the finished piece. You are so inspiring! I still need to get my paintsticks, that I bought way back, out for some playtime. However, you have inspired me to get busy on some other things. I really appreciate your attitude, and I must confess that I too am a recovering perfectionist!!! Sometimes I fall off the wagon. Thank you for reminding us that serendipity happens 🙂
Hoping that Jack is feeling better! Kim
Another creative idea from you Shelley. I love it and your calming outlook is inspirational. Looking forward to catching you in Houston in a few weeks. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for Jack from here in Australia
Hi Shelly, I live in South Dakota, sorry your stay had it’s detour. I have always had small projects in the works to take with me. I remember sitting with my Mom in the hospital and stitching away the hours. I find it calms me like meditation.
You’re right, Diane. Stitching can be a very calming meditation. Now that we are home, I’ve been working on a larger piece and finished two sections this weekend. It’s a great way to let the mind unwind.
Hi Shelly,
three weeks ago it was me, sitting on a chair in a hospital beside my hubby. While meditating I was winding crewel wool and cotton pearl around long stripes of paper for my next stumpwork project. I’m using the threads of painter’s thread collection. As a handembroiderer it is quite easy to take some thread, fabric, needle with me for the next quilttop, brooch, earrings, …
Best wishes to both of you from Göttingen!