stitching

"Gentle stitching is not fraught, demanding or nerve-jangling. Instead it is simple, straightforward - something that can be done while relaxing, talking, sitting in the sunshine or on holiday. It doesn't require great amounts of skill, confidence or planning and is best started by simply threading a needle, abandoning high expectations and creating stitches on a nice piece of fabric."

And so... encouraged by these words from Jane Brocket and inspired by the Japanese art of sashiko stitching and the traditional kantha stitching from India I've been enthusiastically stitching. I've used the simplest stitch of all - running stitch - on linen (off-cuts from this project) to make some lavender bags and a potholder. I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed making these things. It was just so relaxing.

Also, posing next to the lavender bags is a little Crown Lynn "reflections" dish recently purchased from here.

Reading: The gentle art of stitching by Jane Brocket and Six poets - Hardy to Larkin: an anthology by Alan Bennett

Eating: Feijoas from our trees

Listening: Big inner and Fresh blood by Matthew E. White