photo by jenn bakos for By Hand Serial
how do i love thee? let me count the ways:
i love that i can take you anywhere and stitch when i have a few minutes throughout the day.
i love that even though you move slowly, i might finish you quicker than a machine-stitched project, because you can be with me always, unobtrusive, on an airplane, in a meeting, on the couch, at a picnic.
i love that you require very little in terms of tools, really just a needle and some thread, and some snips. perhaps a thimble.
i love that you quiet my mind, engaging my hands so i can hear myself think.
i love that you can be virtually invisible, hidden between layers and with fine thread. or you can be out there and proud, calling attention to yourself with fat floss and fancy stitches.
i love that your stitches look wonky and irregular, unlike the perfect stitches my sewing machine churns out. your stitches have personality and character; they reflect my mood and stress level. every time i sit down to stitch, they start out a bit wiggly and uncertain, but within a few minutes they straighten, become more uniform, gain confidence.
it’s official: i’m in love with hand sewing.
my newest virtual class is How to Sew a Hand-Stitched Shirt. i taught it for the first time in March, and much to my joyful surprise, it sold out quickly. we all had a grand time, and some lovely shirts were made. so we are offering it again next month. it’s three 2-hour sessions, spread over two weekends, so you have time in between to practice and progress. you can find the dates and full details over on the Stitches website.
in the class we work with a simple Boxy Tee pattern (you can draft your own, or purchase one of several options, and you’ll come to the first class with it already cut out). i will show you four different seams, four different edge finishes, and some bonus details too. by the end of class, you’ll have a sampler of techniques that you can actually wear!
i’ll also be teaching it in person (knock wood!) at the Medomak Fiber Arts Retreat in Maine this summer. i can hardly believe that we will be able to start gathering and stitching together in cabins and docks on lakes again soon…..
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