Embroidery: Sew Inspired

posted in: Crafty's Projects, Embroidery, Sewing, Stitching | 14

During this stay at home time of the covid19 pandemic I’ve been stitching a little happiness. The idea was started by by Pretty Fabrics & Trims with the idea of sewing a little bit each day to have a completed item at the end (whenever it comes).

sew a little happiness project at craftygardener.ca

My first little square was a little appliquéd house. This will eventually be made into a wall hanging with each square telling its own story.

This is the first in our lifetime to be requested to stay at home for weeks and weeks, while only essential businesses were open. Likely we won’t see this again. Though once in the late 1950’s, when I was about 10 I was in quarantine for at least 4 weeks as I had scarlet fever. Those days there was no internet and connecting with friends and relatives via social media. It was stay home, in bed, and read or colour or sleep.

sew a little happiness project at craftygardener.ca

Searching in the dabbling room I found a nice piece of white material, and lots of embroidery thread. Years ago I used to do lots of embroidery … table cloths, pillow cases, doilies, little pictures and more. What a great way to try to use up all the various colours of thread.

sew a little happiness project at craftygardener.ca

I didn’t start right at the beginning of the stay at home time but was sew inspired by Amy on Instagram. Better late than never is the old saying. Though I don’t think there is really any time line.

This project fits the guidelines for the stay at home time … wash your hands frequently because working with white material doesn’t need sticky fingerprints on it. It also requires patience to sew each little square.

We all need to show patience during this time, whether in the line at the grocery store, patience to wait it out, patience while the government figures out how to deal with all of this. Things change hourly and daily.

sew a little happiness project at craftygardener.ca

Each little square is edged in stitching, to emphasize the social distancing aspect that we must all follow. I did go back to some squares and change the colour of the stitching, or added details.

sew a little happiness project at craftygardener.ca

The rainbow has become a symbol of this world wide lock down. Many are displaying them in windows to give hope to others as they walk by. Another project I completed during this lock down was to paint a rainbow rock. So of course a rainbow had to be included in my stitching.

sew a little happiness project at craftygardener.ca
We are all Team Canada!

This project would not be complete with the Canadian flag. We are all Team Canada during this crisis, and working together will help us win.

sew a little happiness project at craftygardener.ca

My sew inspired project isn’t finished, and I’m taking a little time each day to stitch a new section. More progress shared soon.

I hope you are all finding worth while and productive things to do during this time. Stay safe and stay healthy.

14 Responses

  1. Margie

    What a crafty way to remember pandemic.

    Thank goodness for the internet! I saw a funny social media post about how if COVID-19 occurred 18 (?) years ago, we’d all be stuck with flip phones and dial-up internet (shudder!).

  2. Jeannie Carraro

    Very interesting squares, Linda. It will make a very nice wall hanging when finished, maybe even a very big blanket at the rate we are house bound.

  3. Myrtle

    Linda, You never stop to amaze me with your crafting. You must show us the finished project. It will be a memory of how you spent some of your time during the Coronavirus.

    • Crafty Gardener

      I’ll be sharing the finished item Myrt, got a ways to go yet. But a little bit each day sure does fill up the material.

  4. Ellen D.

    What a lovely remembrance of our “stay at home” time! So many different clever ideas and I love the bright colors. Great idea! Thanks for sharing.

  5. Vondean Erickson

    Linda
    I am so impressed with all the craft projects you do. Makes me want to get busy and get something done. I spend too much time reading and should get something constructive done. I especially like the square with the rainbow and hope the end of this stay at home will soon be over. Although so fortunate to have what I have so many people are really hurting.
    I need to go out and water my garden as we are having more hot temperatures today.
    When I come in from outside better get busy cutting quilt blocks. I misplaced my rotorary cutter and ordered one and it came yesterday. When I moved here I was not thinking when I packed and gave so much of my craft things to my friends and must have given my cutter away. My floss I gave to a dear neighbor who did a lot of embroidery projects to pass his time away and did such beautiful work. He was so grateful to get it as he was on a limited income and so sick with COPD. He just passed away a couple weeks ago. I miss our telephone calls on Sunday. I have some of his things he did and think of him whenever I see them.
    I will be looking forward to the next project you do. I know you must not be a person who sets around and be idle.
    Thanks
    Vondean

    • Crafty Gardener

      Hi Vondean, yes, I love to be busy, and this is certainly a fun project to do. How are the quilt blocks coming along, and what will you be making. A quilt obviously, but for yourself, your son, or a gift. Such sad news about our former neighbour, but lovely that you have some things that he made for remembrance. I’ve got a few other projects on the go, I’ll email you some photos. Take care, keep busy and stay safe.

  6. Karen Skowron

    Hello Linda
    I had the time…..and and the inclination…….to go back to the beginning of this post and and really read it and enjoy what you are doing. A wall hanging. And you start it with a home. And embroidery. Thank you.

    • Crafty Gardener

      It is a fun project to do Karen, gives me a chance to use those embroidery skills I learned so many years ago from my mom. Hope you are doing well, and keeping busy.

  7. Vondean Erickson

    Hi Linda,
    Thanks for the reply.
    I cut blocks yesterday I enjoyed doing it. Takes my mind off all the bad things going on in our world. I am going to make a throw for the end of my bed. It will brighten the room up and nice to use when I lay down for a nap.
    A friend called me yesterday and she ask what I was doing and she said she had been cutting blocks for a small quilt for a child. Guess we all are into doing something constructive. My son called yesterday and when I told him what I was doing he told me I reminded him of Grandma my mother. She always was busy. Just the way we were raised I guess. This is a good way to clean out my craft closet.
    I told my sister about your wall hanging and she said wouldn’t that be great as a quilt. A very interesting conversation piece. She never could sew but does knit. My mother always wondered what happen as my two other sisters and I always did a lot of crafts.
    She would rather be out playing ball.
    Have a good day.
    Vondean

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