January can be a long month for many, particularly if you don’t like winter, but for me it flew by as quickly as any other.
As always, it was a case of threading a needle and beginning, with no preconception of how it might turn out. There are some blocks I like less than others, but that’s to be expected with this make-it-up-as-you-go approach. It doesn’t matter whether I like it or not. It’s there as a witness to the impermanence of human time.
As always, I’ve used a variety of silk and cotton threads in different weights, from chunky boucle yarns to very fine silk. Life’s rich tapestry, and all that.
The earliest days of January feel quite far away now, but they’re not so distant in the great scheme of things. We’re now as far from early January as we are from the end of February, which is probably a sobering thought. By that time, one-sixth of the year will be behind us.
Time is always running faster than I am. It’s not so much a question of trying to catch up, it’s more an acceptance of the fact that there probably isn’t enough time to do everything I want to do. Tasks take longer as you get older, I find.
Today’s block is a spiral, couched in cotton perle 8 thread.
I always think of time as a spiral, with us travelling from the outer circles towards the centre throughout our lives. I think that’s why time seems interminable when you’re a child, and why it seems to speed up as you get older. It doesn’t, it’s just that the circular paths are a little shorter every year.
As far as the daily stitching is concerned, time is a long strip of linen. February, and the rest of the year, are ahead.
For anyone who has been disappointed by the news that my Facebook group (Stitching Life Community) will be closing shortly, there has been a surprise reprieve. Shannon has developed a new group for hand stitchers (daily stitching and more): Our Daily Thread. What a perfectly brilliant name for a hand stitching group (I wish I’d thought of it!) It’s a fabulous way to keep our lovely community together so you can continue to connect and share your wonderful work.
And a postscript for any new subscribers – three blog posts in one week is not my usual standard. Normal services (once a week, if that) will now be resumed.
Wishing everyone a lovely weekend.
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Hi Karen, being a newbie in this intuitive embroidery world, I am loving all the inspiration you offer on your blog and January’s stitching is just wonderful. Also, being in my 60’s I have been searching for a way to describe this feeling that “time” just seems to feel so different now, and it has me rushing to do all the things I want to do, so your analogy with the Spiral just seems so spot on and I will definitely add it to my creative journal to make sure I don’t forget it, also something that has changed with time, memory!
thanks so much Brenda. Yes, you’re right about memory – I find myself remembering some insignificant incident from 30 years ago as clear as day but then can’t remember where I left my reading glasses… (and on one occasion, the reason I couldn’t find them was that I was actually wearing them). Getting older has its laughs 🙂
Have a great weekend! (and thank you for sharing the link to Sharon’s stitch group!)
Enjoy 😍
It has been a treat to see all your posts this week, and we are all spoiled by the number. My favorite daily stitchery for January is the little house with the birds. For some reason, it reminds me of Spring, not winter.
thanks so much. The little house was for World Introvert Day on 2nd Jan, staying at home in perfect quiet. I’m sure there will be more little houses to come 🙂
Awesome!!! Love your stitching and your words too!
thanks so much 😊
I think also, a month is a huge proportion of your life when you’re six, and a very, very much smaller proportion when you’re a few decades older. Once I mistook a two decades for one, I gave up on keeping Time in any sort of order!
ah that’s very true, yes it is – and I’m right with you re the decades. I still think of the 1980s as being about 20 years ago
Oh, gosh, so do I. I think of 80s babies as still children, and it’s a nasty shock to remember they’re approaching forty!
haha, I know… I’m technically just about old enough to be someone’s great-grandmother… 😳
Eeek! At what point does one become an Ancestress? !
😆😆
when I was young, I think I found January boring unless I was skiing.
at this age, I’m the opposite, despite us having pretty quiet, low-demand holidays. the world feels so rushed, whether I am rushing or not, that January is a lovely break.
I need to adopt the idea that it doesn’t matter if I like it or not, just to quietly continue on. it’s a good way to go about it.
ha, same – I used to think January was long and dull but I love it now. I guess stitching is the same: you might not like it right now but you may well love it in the future 🤷🏻♀️
ah. lovely point.
I found you on Bluesky and then came to your blog. I am just getting back into some hand stitching after many years. I mostly did cross stitch years ago and now make lots of cards for friends and family. I really like the daily stitching you do!
thanks so much, Jan, and welcome 🙂 Hope you’re enjoying your rediscovery of hand stitching.