If you’ve been here for any amount of time then you know that I love the process of making. Process over outcome has been my way for a long time. And really it still is, in a sense. But I also do love the making and finishing of a ‘thing’. Let me explain.

When I say I love process over outcome what I mean is that the making of something - the thing I’m holding in my hands - is what’s important at that moment. It’s the actual doing. The sitting and stitching, the planning, the playing with fabric, the idea-ing about what colour goes next and what stitch to use.

Of course, while I’m working I am thinking about the ‘finished’ piece. But just as often the finished piece is not ever the end goal. The making of a little stitched piece is simply what I’m doing. 

My slow stitching is my way of calming and quieting myself. Giving cues for my family to know that I need space, that they can perhaps curl up beside me, but that my lap is full of the threads and fabric (and the needles and scissors). This is a way to signal a space to sip tea. I can’t scroll my phone while I’m stitching or arranging fabric. 

The making of small slow stitched pieces is about that. About the breathing. And the mind-action of making. About the way of mindfully entering into a new day or ending a busy day. Sometimes it can be a time when I am sitting and waiting, to not feel the impatience of a late appointment, but rather just settle into the ‘being there’ aspect. 

This is something that’s important to my practice for my mindfulness, for my quiet and my focus. But it’s also something I use as a visual process diary. I don’t really do a lot of drawing, design work for what I create. And the pieces that I stitch or the fabrics and actual stitches that I create can then become an idea for a bigger piece or a fuller piece. They are like practice pieces, in a sense. 

This is a fun way for me to allow something to begin and evolve in my hands. Which is what often happens. I start with a vague idea, a sense of something, and that often - more often than not actually - progresses into a new thing. A something else. This is the exciting part of play, or experimenting, of seeing where the process of just allowing evolves, of having a conversation with my fabrics, my threads and the moment of time. 

But here’s the thing. This can lead to a lot - a LOT - of little bits of un-finished things sitting around. Some I will never finish. Some I grew bored of, or never really liked while I got into the doing of it. Some just didn’t evolve into a way that meant anything, or felt like much. And that’s actually really ok. 

In fact, I think that’s good. Because it allows me to work on something and develop ideas and see where that goes, without having to know that I’m planning an ‘end’ result. 

Though, then what am I to do with all these stitched pieces? That sit filling up my drawers and  boxes.

I thought I’d share a list of 10 things you can make if you have an assortment of slow stitched pieces.

I’d love you to share things you make with your slow stitched pieces; leave a comment so we can all be inspired.

1 Make a treasure pouch for small secrets

These are my newest little making love. Perfect for small pieces of fabric and small slow stitching moments. You can also feature your natural dye experiments as you only need little bits of fabric to make these. Learn how to make a treasure pouch.

2 Make a drawstring pouch

I love making these little pouches, and use them for lots of different things. My camera has a dedicated pouch just the right size (the blue one below), and I use one for carrying my face-mask and reusable cloth pads.

3 Make a Japanese rice bag - Komebukuro

Based on a traditional Japanese pattern used for carrying rice to temples or shrines. You can use them for holding your stitching or yarn (knitting, crochet) projects, or holding things like a camera, drawing supplies, or even as a purse for special outings.

4 Make a zippered pouch with a gusset

Usually these zippered pouches would be stitched by machine, but really there are no rules are there! I loved making this pouch entirely by hand, including attaching the zip. What a wonderful way to show off your special fabrics and your stitching. I do think that using special things like this for everyday use is wonderful; a reminder to not keep our special treasures stored away. Here’s my zippered purse course with a special way to overcome your fear of inserting a zip!

5 Mend something

Little stitch experiments are great for mending or patching, as they have their own detail features that are then being given a new life in a super practical way.

6 Make a needle case

How could you not make a needle case with the sweet little stitching pieces. It’s one of the best ways to show off that stitching work and you get to see it everyday when you’re sewing again. A daily reminder of the beautiful work you’ve made. Great gifts for other sewing friends or someone who is new to sewing; how about start a love of sewing, crafting and mending.

7 Make an improv hand-stitched quilt

Well, of course of course I would say this. My improv sewing course used hand stitched (machine pieced) stitching, but I find that using my already stitched pieces make an amazing start to the quilt. You can work on small patches one-by-one and then join them together when you have enough.

8 Make a fold up purse / pouch

I use this pouch to hold my coin purse and other little supplies in my handbag. With a wrap up string it can be used for holding tarot cards (or similar), a little pouch for a notebook and small pen, or a great pouch for your phone and money or cards for the day. Here’s my Fold-Up Purse pattern.

9 Make some 3D artwork or a wall hanging

These pieces (on the left) came out of me making the stitched pieces the ‘wrong size’ for another project I wanted to make. So, with some fabric manipulation, and just going with the flow to see what evolved I created a series of pieces that are unique and quite wonderful; like little pods opening slowly.

The wall hanging is hand stitched using fabrics that I’ve collected and stitched over time. The blue parts are seed stitching that I spent many hours quietly working on. Some silk and an old top that I pulled apart. And it stitched together to become a wall hanging.

10 Make textile wearable jewellery

These could become wall hangings or adornments for your body. I’ve found that over time I no longer want to wear the heavy jewellery I once did and these are lightweight (so no headaches), and gentle so they don’t ruin any fragile fabric dresses I have. For these I’ve used various textures, stitches, dimensions and 3D pieces as well. They have a backing sewn one, with brooch backs, or necklace attachments.

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