A Time to Stitch

 Christmas was approaching quickly and life in fifth grade was very busy.  My fifth grade teacher was always providing us ways to keep our hands busy once we finished our work.  I’m pretty sure I made a lifetime supply of colorful lanyard key chains that year.  But, once Christmas started approaching, she had us bring in a couple dollars for this year’s handmade Christmas project.  Those few dollars bought each of us a calligraphy pen and supplies to make a Christmas tree ornament out of some green and brown embroidery floss.  My entire class made the coolest cross stitched ornaments and a card with an attempt at calligraphy. 

I don’t think cross stitching was completely new to me at that point because my mom would often be found curled up on the couch watching Mash reruns and stitching.  I know that I stitched here and there throughout my childhood, and embroidery floss was constantly getting stuck in the vacuum sweeper between stitching and my sister’s friendship bracelets (sorry mom!).  I do know that I am so thankful for my mom inspiring me to try new things and be crafty.  But, I am also so grateful for the teachers I had that took the time in between grammar, writing, math, and reading to teach us how to be creative and to try new things.

2020 brought us a year of craziness.  What we thought was 2 weeks to a month to let this virus run its course stretched into a year+ of long days.  At some point, I pulled out a stitching project that I grabbed as an impulse buy with the hopes of finding time to go back to that hobby.  I curled up on my bed, let the sunlight stream though the windows, and turned on a movie I had probably watched a 100 times. . . It may have been You’ve Got Mail.  This time was so peaceful.  There were times that the kids joined me on my bed with their own projects and we just chilled. 

 After a few smaller pieces were finished, I purchased a book called Stitch People and quickly stitched our family portrait.  It as so much fun!

 Now, as things are speeding up and regaining a hint of normalcy, I find myself craving those quiet afternoons and some time to stitch.  I have pulled out my Stitch People Book and I am working on my pattern so that I can create something beautiful.  This year will definitely be more difficult to make room, but I am determined to make it work.

 Taking the time to slow down and carefully poke a needle through some cloth and create a beautiful picture provides the time to slow down, process the day or events that have happened, and creates a space to bring rest.  In a recent podcast Annie F. Downs and Amanda Bible Williams were talking about how much they have fallen in love with stitching and how it has brought them much needed sabbath during the week.  Williams and She Reads Truth co-founder have also been including patterns in the past few advent studies, encouraging women to slow down and reflect during an otherwise very busy season.  

Here are some fun inspiration:

::  Stitch People has some great freebies and some really neat books! 

:: Etsy has some PDF patterns like this one and this one. 

::  If you are a Star Wars fan, this kit on Amazon looks fun and is a great kit to start out with. 

:: Pinterest has some free patterns like this baby yoda pattern.

:: If your library has digital magazines, like Just Cross Stitch, there are often stitching ones with free patterns. 

 Here are some tools you will need to get started:

::  Embroidery floss (DMC is my favorite and the color selection is wild!)

 ::  Aida cloth

::  Hoop 

:: Round end needle

 :: A pattern

 Cross stitching is one of my new favorite things to work on right now.  In fact, I have a small project that is calling my name in honor of Stitch People Day (today, actually!) and I am so excited to work on it and slow down and rest!  

Let me know if you try it out. . . I'd love to hear from you. . . tag me in a project on instagram with @jolieklassen!