Sunday Odds and Ends

Happy Sunday to you! I'm having a quiet day of knitting and stitching, in between working on a freelance editing project. This morning as I worked on Stitch Journal 2017 I was blessed to witness a gorgeous sunrise. I didn't stop to take a shot of it, but here's an equally lovely sunrise from the other day (we've had lots lately!):

As you can see, we've finally had some snow this winter. Fluffy and soft, the very best kind. It's been perfect mitten weather!

Today's the last day to save 25% on my new Leaf in the Wind mittens pattern, or any of the fingerless mitts in my Ravelry pattern store. Use the coupon code HAND25 before midnight tonight EST to get the discount (you can use it multiple times).

As for the stitching—this year's Stitch Journal project, "Presence/Absence," is moving along. I'm now at work on the second piece—a negative space embroidery of a piece of bark I found years ago.

If you'd like to see progress on the Stitch Journal 2017 plus help me raise funds for photographing and exhibiting Stitch Journal 2016, head over to my Patreon page. You can become a patron for as little as $1 a month. There are other levels, too, which give you lovely things like Stitch Journal postcards, free patterns, and even original embroidery pieces. I'm thrilled to already have 25 patrons, whose support has helped me reach my first goal of $100—which means I'll soon be ordering the stretchers for mounting the 12 Stitch Journal 2016 pieces. 

Well, time to get back to my editing work. I'll sign off with a recent sunset, and wish you a very happy Sunday.

Stitch Journal 2017

Stitch Journal 2017 is nearly a month old—I started the new project on my birthday, January 13. This year, the journal's theme is "Presence/Absence." The subjects are found objects, both natural and manmade: negative space embroideries (worked on every day) are the "absence" part of the project; pencil drawings are the "presence" part.

The first subject in "Presence/Absence" is a rusty washer that I found some years ago at the farm in southern Illinois where my mother grew up. 

As I worked on Stitch Journal 2016 and posted daily on Instagram last year, I discovered how much I enjoyed sharing works in progress and getting feedback from followers. This year, to document Stitch Journal 2017, I'm trying something new: a Patreon page. 

Patreon makes it possible for artists to raise much-needed funds for our artwork while giving fans a simple, easy way to support our work and see it develop. I aim to make my Patreon posts a far richer experience than is possible on Instagram—in addition to photos of works in progress, I'm posting (and answering questions) about the materials I use, embroidery and drawing resources, inspiring books and poetry, and details about each of the found objects I'm stitching and drawing. We've already had some interesting conversations about compositions that have been really useful to me, too!

For as little as $1 a month, you get access to all of my Patreon posts. Your support will help me raise funds for Stitch Journal 2016—for stretchers needed to finish the 12 pieces, professional photography, a website, and frames and other expenses of promoting and exhibiting the work. There are patronage levels above $1, too—with rewards like free knitting patterns from my Ravelry pattern store, lavender eye pillows from my Etsy shop, one-of-a-kind embroidery pieces created just for you, and Stitch Journal 2016 postcards. 

With only a few more patrons, I'll reach my first fundraising goal of $100 month—pretty exciting! I hope you'll join me on Patreon to follow the progress of my 2017 project and keep up with news about Stitch Journal 2016. 

Thank you very much for reading.

Stitch Journal 2016: Final Days

In the final days of my 2016 Stitch Journal, colors ranged from browns for winter weeds, field stubble, and squirrels; to orange for a leaping fox; to red for bittersweet. On December 31, I ended the year as I began it last January, with white seed stitches, for snow.

Day 358

Day 359

Day 360

Day 361

Day 362

Day 363

Day 364

Day 365

Day 366

By stitching every day for a year, I proved to myself that art can be a daily practice and need not be relegated to "spare time." This was incredibly affirming to me as an artist. It was also a real pleasure to spend a year observing nature each morning in my corner of western Massachusetts. Thanks to this project, I feel more deeply tied than ever to the place where I live.

Best of all, those following me on Instagram grew to anticipate my daily posts—and knowing how much they looked forward to each day's stitching made me very happy. This was easily the most satisfying project of my career as an artist, thanks in no small part to the delight expressed by my Instagram followers. Even though I sometimes felt tethered to social media, I'm so glad I shared this journey every day, all year. And I look forward to witnessing the seeds I have planted grow, as others begin their own stitch journals!

Here is a shot of four of the months together (January, March, October, and December):

Next steps? I need to raise funds for stretchers, professional photography, and a website. After that, I'll seek exhibition opportunities for the project, so you can come see it in person. 

Many followers have asked if I will have a new Stitch Journal this year, and the answer is a resounding "yes!" The theme for 2017 will be "Presence/Absence." I'll begin it on my birthday, January 13, and it will involve both embroidery and drawings. I will document it on my new Patreon page.

I hope you enjoyed this year of daily art and stitching. Thank you so much for following along. 

LINKS

Stitch Journal 2016 Blog Posts
Stitch Journal 2016 on Instagram

Stitch Journal 2016 Flickr Album

Other Embroidery and Artwork

My Etsy Shop

Stitch Journal, Week 51

Red for the cardinals, browns for tree trunks and winter weeds, buff for chickadee feathers, white for snow: the palette for December more limited than for other months of the year yet still beautiful. I have to admit, though, there are moments when I look out and miss the myriad colors of summer—masses of green leaves, patches of yellow sunlight on the grass, orange daylilies.

There's little more than a week to go for this project. I can't say time has flown by this year—not at all. It has been a long year for me, in some ways a difficult year. Last January now feels very far off. But thanks to this stitch journal, a part of every day in 2016 was focused on nature, beauty, and art. As an artist, I can't ask for more than that!

People have been asking me if I plan to do another stitch journal project in 2017. The answer is yes—but I'm still pondering its form and theme. I'll let you know more soon.

Day 351

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Day 357

***

If you have enjoyed my Stitch Journal project throughout 2016, I hope you'll consider making a purchase from my Etsy Shop to help support it. Funds are needed for stretchers, professional photography, and a website to serve as home for this project and my other artwork.

If you don't wish to make a purchase but just want to support the project, you can do that, too. Thank you!

LINKS

Stitch Journal 2016 Blog Posts
Stitch Journal 2016 on Instagram

Stitch Journal 2016 Flickr Album

Other Embroidery and Artwork

My Etsy Shop

Stitch Journal: Weeks 49 and 50

As I write this, snow is falling. Steady, fine, lovely. Naturally, I chose to stitch with white thread today. Tiny white scattered stitches.

This month I've been stitching round and round, outward from the center. Circles have appeared in every month's piece, so now I'm rounding out the year (pun intended) with one large circle/spiral. I'm also revisiting stitches that appeared in previous months, as a way of tying together the entire year. There are only two weeks of daily stitching left in 2016!

Day 337, Week 49


Day 338


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Day 341


Day 342


Day 343


Day 344, Week 50


Day 345


Day 346


Day 347


Day 348


Day 349


Day 350


I'm so grateful that it's Saturday and there's no need to go anywhere. I can simply stay put and enjoy the beauty!



***

If you are enjoying my Stitch Journal project, I hope you'll consider making a purchase from my Etsy Shop to help support it. Funds are needed for stretchers, professional photography, and a website to serve as home for this project and my other artwork.

If you don't wish to make a purchase but just want to support the project, you can do that, too. Thank you!

LINKS

Stitch Journal 2016 Blog Posts
Stitch Journal 2016 on Instagram

Stitch Journal 2016 Flickr Album

Other Embroidery and Artwork

My Etsy Shop

Stitch Journal: Highlights of Weeks 46-48

With all the busyness of November—new pattern releases, the Indie Design Gift-a-Long, Thanksgiving—I've fallen a bit behind with my weekly Stitch Journal posts. Sorry about that! Of course, I've continued to stitch every day, and post on Instagram. But the blog suffered a little. 

So rather than post a long string of photos, I thought today I'd share a few highlights of the past weeks. Overall, November was visually quieter than October, with more subtle, less saturated colors. One little tree (not sure what kind) held onto its lemon-yellow leaves for longer than all the others, so over several days I stitched a golden circle of French knots.

Day 319

Day 320

The dense wildflowers at the eastern edge of the yard—where all summer the groundhogs feasted on the leaves of the Joe Pye weed—are now dry stalks of a marvelous brick-red color. They're especially beautiful in sharp morning light. That color went into the journal as well, along with greys and browns for squirrels and birch bark.

Day 324

Day 328

And then, there's the bittersweet: brights bits of red and orange among the bramble at the far western side of the yard, where the woods begin. For the bittersweet, I stitched red crosses and orange French knots over several days.

Day 325

Day 327

Faded leaves, frost on the fields: pale colors dominated in the last week of November.

Day 331

And now, here we are at the final month of the year and of the project: today I began stitching the December piece, white French knots for droplets of water sparkling on bare branches.

Day 336

***

If you are enjoying my Stitch Journal project, I hope you'll consider making a purchase from my Etsy Shop to help support it. Funds are needed for stretchers, professional photography, and a website to serve as home for this project and my other artwork.

If you don't wish to make a purchase but just want to support the project, you can do that, too. Thank you!

LINKS

Stitch Journal 2016 Blog Posts
Stitch Journal 2016 on Instagram

Stitch Journal 2016 Flickr Album

Other Embroidery and Artwork

My Etsy Shop