I can’t quite believe that I am writing this but it is the time of year where I receive a lot of excited emails enquiring about the availability, and project, for next year’s subscriptions.
It is the fourth year of The Stitchery Journal and 2021 will be slightly different in that we will be completing an entire piece of textile art across the course of the year. I am so excited to begin!
Stitchery Lane is a street in a pretty, imaginary town, inspired by my favourite places across Europe. The Stitchery Journal for 2021 will be a concertina fabric book that opens to its full width to display a beautiful row of shop fronts and cottages, peppered with trees, carts and flower pots.
There will be a florist, pavement cafe and library. A few pretty pastel cottages and a greengrocer. A bakery and, of course, a town hall. As it is a street in my imagination, flowers bloom whatever the season and the buildings are individual and quirky.
Pieces will be a mix of embroidery and applique with a little fabric painting in places. You will be given access to Stitchery Lane at the Stitchery Studio online where I will demonstrate easy applique methods and linen painting with the odd livestream stitchalong. Whilst you will be able to buy a ready-made linen fabric journal they are very simple to make and I will be demonstrating how to sew one as part of the subscription.
Each month you will have a building or scene to stitch that will be transferred to your linen book. If you prefer not to complete the book, however, each embroidery will be an attractive piece of textile art in its own right, suitable for framing or making into a decorative wallhanging. You could also make a quilt block with each piece, should you wish.
I don’t have photos or sketches to share yet as you will be working on your artwork alongside me; I will stitch and share each piece monthly with the first available at the end of January.
Stitchery Lane will be my only kit subscription for 2021, sent monthly. There will be no quarterly subscription next year as I kind of fancy having a little freedom for a while to create ad-hoc standalone kits. I am currently obsessed with The Language of Flowers courtesy of Enola Holmes; a film which I have watched approximately 398 times so far. I love it. The film has also refuelled my love of typography and Victorian illustrations.
Full Year Subscription Packages Available Now
At the moment I am only offering full year subscription packages for 2021 to help me ascertain interest and, subsequently, numbers for print cost purposes. I have kept the full year price the same for the third year running and monthly subscriptions will be available at a cost of £27 per month plus p&p from the beginning of January.
As we know, the best way to eat an elephant is bit by bit and I hope that this monthly subscription will give you the confidence and impetus to create a large, detailed, piece of textile art that you might never have attempted otherwise. My kits are always aimed at enthusiastic beginners whilst being, hopefully, an enjoyable relaxing stitch for the more experienced embroiderer. 2021 will be no different and I am excited to start this project with you and help you to create something you are proud of.
Don’t worry if you are an absolute beginner and don’t feel ready to attempt such a project. 2021 sees the launch of Stitch School; a series of online tutorials specifically for the beginner. Each month we will tackle one specific stitch with a downloadable mini project at the end of each module. Each mini project will demonstrate uses for the stitch we’ve learned. I will share more here next month for those interested.
FINALLY (phew!) I will be relaunching the Alphabet Sampler next year as a monthly digital subscription (with fabric and threads available to buy separately). More soon I promise!
Thank you for your enthusiasm and support this year, I am so enjoying stitching with you. If you have any questions at all please do drop me an email, I would love to hear from you.
Love
Nicki xx