Stitching the Days

Hello Gentle Readers. I am composing this on a very cold Monday. Yesterday snow with strong winds made for a quiet day indoors. A large flock of house finches and juncos swarmed the bird feeders all afternoon. Next Friday, the forecast is for a high temperature of 85 crazy degrees. Several days last week, strong winds encouraged wild fires in rural areas of Southeast Nebraska. March blusters on in all of its iterations.  

Last week, I completed my Stitch Journal. This project began in January 2025 when I was intrigued by the 2024 stitch journal project created by Kathryn on her YouTube channel. Some pieces were inspired by her prompts and other times I went my own way. The small size was perfect for playing with fabric and embroidery thread on hand. I knew I could discard anything I didn't like but I never did that. Uneven stitches, patches, and wonky proportions added to the charm. I created for fun.  

Sometimes I began with an idea I wanted to convey with cloth and thread while other times the words came to me during and after the stitching. I don't know that I'll make another stitch journal but working on this one was a delight. Journey, journal, and diary all come from the same Latin root word, diana. The pieces record seasonal changes, joyful family visits, as well as a longer-than-I-expected recovery from pelvic floor repair surgery in May. As I look back through the pages, I see the journey of this past year. At any rate here are the last three pages. This February I stitched the "heart of the matter."  

The remaining two pages were completed in March. The first "nourished a (handspun) thread of hope and the second the promise of Spring.

Thinking of Spring, I copied the flower from my Mom's mug and added the sun and green landscape. I learned the Basque stitch to create the sun's rays. That stitch was "fiddly." I doubt I'll use it much but it's good to try something new now and then. 

Coincidentally this week, I finished reading With Her Own Hands: Women Weaving Their Stories by Nicole Nehrig. In this nonfiction work, Nehrig set out to learn more about the importance of textile work in the lives of women. I have read nonfiction regarding the history of quilting, knitting, and spinning but the inclusion of weaving and embroidery was new territory for me. Did you know that some mathematical principles may have originated in weaving designs? I appreciated the way Nehrig included needlework from around the world and art created by women from marginalized and indigenous cultures. I'm still thinking about a project created by a woman to painstakingly unpick the threads of a Confederate Flag, comparing it to the difficult work of overcoming racism in this country. Nehrig's work is well researched and her discussion nuanced. If this sort of history interests you, I recommend this book. 

At some point on Wednesday, I'll link this post to Kat and the Unravelers. My husband is having the first cataract surgery on the 17th and then we have a follow-up appointment early on Wednesday. This is a routine surgery expected to go well but I may be scarce around blog-land this week as I am the designated driver and errand-runner.