I write this from my new cosy little workroom, right next to the studio. I have a huge mug of builder’s tea and I am enjoying a little Caramello Koala which was an Aussie gift from Lisa Mattock, whom we had the pleasure of hosting this weekend. Let me tell you, the koala is delicious and goes especially well with Yorkshire Tea.
I spent half an hour today finishing off my little Slow Stitch stockings that I started with Lisa this weekend and I’m so pleased with them (even though they need a little press).
If Drew’s wondering where he can leave those diamond earrings for me this Christmas then I have provided just the thing!
Lisa has taught two days of slow stitching at our studio here in Northampton and everyone had the loveliest time. There was a choice between three patterns; most of us making either Christmas decorations (above) or 3D fabric Christmas cottages although I did pick up the pattern for Lisa’s advent calendar which I have also started.
It is safe to say that I am now addicted. It’s an easy practise to dabble in, with patterns and stitches becoming harder as you progress (if you wish). But with a few scraps of your favourite fabrics, new or old, and a needle and thread you have everything you need to create something beautiful stitched entirely by hand.
We began each day with a show and tell from Lisa. She had brought a selection of her makes, both festive and otherwise, for us to swoon over. Some were huge quilts, others smaller panels. There was a whole gaggle of Christmas decorations including baubles and stockings plus an advent calendar with 24 pretty pockets in which to pop a chocolate or tiny gift. (My friend at school had a homemade advent calendar into which her Mum had put various stationery items, like novelty erasers and pencil sharpeners. Heck was I envious, and I loved hearing what Elizabeth had received in her stocking as we stood in the assembly line each morning!)
All of Lisa’s projects are portable at some stage - whatever its destiny when finished - and you don’t need many tools for a Slow Stitch project. There’s a magic little formula that Lisa teaches and now I’m ‘in the know’ I’ve got lots more slow stitch projects planned, particularly for my trip to Paris in a couple of weeks. With headphones for my podcasts and some good French chocolat chaud I intend to live my best life for those six days that I am there. I can easily slip a few scraps of fabric and a needle case into my bag for a few stitches when people-watching in a café or sitting on a minibus!
The trip to Paris is a retreat that Lisa is holding - she holds them bi-annually and employs an amazing tour guide for the week to share with us the haberdashery delights and off-the-beaten-track shops of Paris. Check out Lisas’s website and sign up to her newsletter for details. I’ll be sure to share our journey over on instagram and I am planning a little video tour for my newsletter subscribers!
Lisa has another workshop planned whilst she’s here in England this Autumn - you can catch her in Bosham on 22nd November with our joint friend Liz Jones - I think there are a couple of spaces left if you’d like to join them - you have the added bonus of getting to stitch one of Liz’s wintery projects too!
I’ve got lots of work to do now so I need to put down my old fabrics for a while and pick up a pencil. I hope you’re having a good week and I send you lots of love.
Nicki xx