January Stitch Explorer
10:09 AM Posted In depression and creation , embroidery , Stitch Explorer Edit This 6 Comments »
I'm so glad that I'm participating in this challenge!Yesterday was a miserable day. I'm struggling with long term exhaustion, Seasonal Blues, an overwhelming list of tasks that I'm consistently not getting done, a recalcitrant homeschooler and a constant level of domestic stress caused by the cold, this old house and my husband's job & church calling demands. All of that peaked yesterday and I was feeling like I just didn't have anything left for anyone or anything.
So I played with January's Stitch explorer stitch yesterday and today I feel a bit renewed.
I really need to get my hands on a copy of Lifting Depression, a book by neuroscientist, Kelly Lambert. Lambet's work shows that there is a direct correlation between our state of happiness and performing physical labor to accomplish a task. The labor may be something as small and detail oriented as stitching, knitting or beading or as large and vigorous as stacking wood or tending a garden. Regardless of the exertion required, the act of working with our bodies in these ways triggers a series of chemical processes in the brain that lead to a natural state of happiness. Brilliant!
I got to take part in a little of that yesterday. This month's stitch is Chicken Scratch. I played with two variations. I did not have any gingham, which is the traditional backing fabric for Chicken Scratch, but I did have a red and white checked fabric with large red squares and teeny white squares.
I worked large stars & tiny circles in both black and white.
Then I worked lage circles (squares) and tiny stars in blue. I love them both. The stitch works up quickly and easily into a vintage look pattern. Check out Sharon's January Stitch Explorer challenge post for links to instructions.
6 comments:
Oh, I'm so glad you're participating in SE, too! This is beautiful work on a lovely fabric.
Best wishes,
Elizabeth
They are great samples. The fabric not having equal sized squares makes an interesting difference.
I really like the way it looks on the different sized squares. The bottom one is especially nice.
I enjoyed seeing your Chicken Scratch. The peach background was refreshing, and the blue against peach just made me feel good!
Diane
I know I already commented... but on second look, I think one of the reasons your choice of background fabric worked so well is because of the thick lines between large squares, which then create small squares at each corner of the large squares.
This enabled you to create bold, original designs!
Diane
Thanks, Dianne. In hindsight, I'm actually glad I couldn't find any gingham in my stash! It forced me to think outside the average box, so to speak.
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