The third Monday in January (2025) is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year. It’s nonsense, of course (though I guess some of you in the US may not be in agreement right now…) The concept apparently was invented by a travel company in 2005, to sell more holidays, and only applies to the northern hemisphere because of the cold weather and the short daylight hours here. As you know, I love the winter and the chilly, grey, short days. I also like January, blue, and Mondays, so I’m just here today to disprove the theory. I hope you haven’t fallen for the marketing/sales hype that’s trying to persuade you to feel miserable today. You might want to look away at this point if you don’t like blue, though.
Today’s daily stitching had to be blue, if only to justify the title of this post.
And a closer look:
Recently I’ve been gathering together some little zero waste samples that I put together last year. These are just tiny scraps of fabric laid on a foundation, covered in a sheer fabric, and randomly (or purposefully) stitched. I thought it might be nice to compile them into a mixed media sketchbook. More on this later.
I’m doing zero waste with collage papers too, using all the tiny scraps and strips of painted papers, letting the stitched samples and collage elements begin a little conversation.
It’s all very intuitive and kinaesthetic. The hands start doing something with fabric or thread or paper, and the brain eventually gets interested enough to join in. You have to start doing the work in order to do the work.
There are a few more basted samples that need stitching.
And a box of glorious blue threads vying for attention.
So when I say ‘wishing you a Blue Monday’, I mean it in the happiest way possible.
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Yes I live in the US and my January 20 is black today with a bit of resistance thrown in. Love your blog.
Thanks so much Susan. Hooray for a bit of resistance 🙂
yes it is a blue Monday in the US but we will survive bc we have too. I LOVE all the blue fabrics and thread. That makes me happy.
I’m so glad there’s a bit of happiness here. And yes, it’s probably all about surviving at this point…
You are spot on that we in the US are blue 💙 today but your beautiful examples have helped. Keep up the good work you do. Thanks
I do feel for you, Annie. It’s always difficult to support something you don’t agree with.
This “ blue Monday” is a special Monday because it is Marten Luther King day and also a beautiful beginning for our country. Your stitching always make me feel happy
ah, I didn’t know it was MLK day as well – thank you 😊
You are truly an inspiration. I have started my own 365 embroidery project this year and I love the creative nature of this “non-plan” piece. I find it very satisfying to play with colour and design and to complete each day’s square, looking forward to tomorrow. As many of us here in Canada are “blue” today because of the US situation, I plan to add lots of Red and White for the Canadian flag in mine…. the Maple Leaf forever!
Thanks so much and happy stitching
Jane
thanks so much, Jane; that sounds perfect. I’m loving the way you’re stitching a little rebellion and subversion in there – it’s good for the soul, I’m sure of it 🙂
thanks to the kindred spirits in the UK and Canada (and wherever else you all may be) as we in the US shiver our way through a very blue-mood day in our political lives
Indeed… a tough day for you 💙
Beautifully and creative ❤️
thank you 😊
This is indeed the bluest day of the year here in the U.S. for most intelligent, thoughtful people. Your blues, however, are lovely.
Thanks so much. So many of us here in the UK are with you.
Well, blue is my favorite color and January my favorite month. Monday’s are my “no makeup, no errands” day, so always my favorite. But today, is indeed an emotional dung heap here in the US. Thanks for being a bright spot in this heart-rending day!
Thank you 😊 I love January too – it’s (usually!) pretty quiet and uneventful. Not so today though… thinking of you on the other side of the pond and hoping for the best.
You have so many lovely blues to delight in, I can’t see Blue Monday as a bad thing at all!
It’s true, a box of lovely threads – of any colour, really – is always a thing of joy. And who ever gets to tell us how to feel? Keeping calm and carrying on here 💙
I don’t think we got promoted the idea of blue Monday here. at least, I don’t recall hearing about it. of course I’ve lived in deserts and southern California for much of that time, so I wouldn’t!
today is all about all those little chores I’ve put off for me. so cleaning up my hard drive and sorting laundry. I am also focusing on the small, good things this year. that’s my goal for 2025. those little things that make lives happy ones: the good book, a nice meal, a homey environment, small celebrations, learning or getting better at a skill, (this year is all about drawing for me and, as you were talking about last post, trying to get tension of my fabric right and finishing up your lovely paper-piecing class that has one zillion uses for me!), small acts of kindness, and stitching and art. bringing a bit of beauty in the world, if I can do it. the things that make other lives better and make our lives kind (to ourselves) places to be.
here in Los Angeles, as the world knows, we are dealing with a major catastrophe. containment of the last two big fires is going well. (knocks on wood). but we have tens of thousands of people displaced with no homes to go back to. as we get further away from the immediacy, we’ll see how we do with helping them. hopefully we do well.
I am not a powerful person. I am not a rich person. I am not young. and often, I am not 100% well, though I’m working on getting myself in shape this year. so I turn to the small things: kindness, compassion, creativity, encouragement. those, I can do.
and I love the color blue.
Those are wise words indeed 💙
Thank you for sharing your views, Alison. The only reference I’ve made to this issue today is to recognise, very briefly, that some US citizens didn’t vote for the current president, which I think is a reasonable observation given the nature of democratic elections. The majority of my post is, as usual, about my work.
Yes, for me at least, this is the most depresing day of the year. I had major oral surgery, which was preferable to the political news. Your needle and paper art was a bright light in my day, thanks.
oh goodness, Freda, poor you – sincere sympathies on the oral surgery, that sounds very unpleasant. Wishing you a very speedy recovery. So glad to have given a little light, thank you 🙏🏻
I’ve never cared for blue because it was the only color my mother allowed me to wear while I was growing up. Only wear purple and red now and love to stitch red samplers.
Needlework is supposed to bring us together. Sad that a couple of shops in my area have had signs on their doors for the past eight years stating that if you voted a certain way don’t come in.
it’s really interesting, isn’t it, how colours affect us? I have a friend who says blue makes her feel ill. I love purple too, and I do enjoy seeing red work in stitching.
What a shame about the shops. I don’t know how or when we all became so intolerant of one another’s views. Surely we can listen to (and disagree with) someone’s opinion without invalidating it or excluding them because of it.
I’ve mistakenly liked this post, which was not my intent.
please ignore that like.