I don’t know about you, but when I look at some of my completed projects I am immediately transported back to where and when I was stitching them. So for me, my English Cottage Tea Cosy will be forever long warm afternoons in the summer house at Coombe Leigh …
And my Woodland Deer Cushion brings back memories of cosying up in front of the blazing woodburner on dark November days last year …
Which makes my current wip a little confusing! I took it with me on holiday and spent several happy hours stitching on my sun lounger next to the pool before disaster struck – can you spot the problem?
The clue is in the blurry smudged colour beneath the berries and on the deer’s legs. There is no Sticky Fabri Solvy. It has gone. I left my sun lounger to fetch another cool drink and when I returned my work was floating face down in the pool, I can only assume snatched up and deposited by a pesky breeze.
Luckily I was able to rescue it before it sank, but the Solvy simply dissolved away before my eyes. So I dried it off, brought it home, printed another sheet and finally began stitching again today – and now I will have two very different sets of memories associated with this piece of work when it’s finished. I began in warmth, sunshine and blue skies, whilst here today as I sat in the conservatory working the rain was lashing against the windows …
while Daisy snored at my feet, on what has turned out to be a very autumnal day ….
But all is going well, and I’m getting back into the rhythm of stitching this piece again, it’s a little white Christmas deer surrounded by berries ….
For the November issue of the Bustle & Sew Magazine. But I wonder – am I slightly odd – or is it quite usual for a finished piece to bring back memories of where you were and what was going on as you stitched? I’d love to know if you feel the same way?
If you’re slightly odd then so am I! I do it in reverse too though, sometimes if I’m watching a favourite film or telly program I’ll remember stitching a particular piece.
Phew – perhaps we can be odd together – it’s a nice sort of oddness anyway 😉
Oh absolutely! I think it’s the memories associated with the project that make it hard or easy to give away. I have some complete stinkers I could not bear to part with, and some beautiful pieces I couldn’t wait to get rid of because I didn’t want to remember what was going on at the time.
I like the idea of the deer floating in the pool of a foreign country; won’t he have a story to tell!
Happy Days,
Jenn
Haha yes! If only stitches could speak! xx
You are not at all odd, that is one of the pleasures of sewing, and also of having items made by family members. I still keep a butterfly my mother crocheted onto a pillow for me, even though the pillow fabric is fraying, because of the thoughts of her working on it.
Aw, that’s lovely Glenna xx