words...meh

Apart from the writing of small stones, words and I are not getting on at the moment.  They are getting on my nerves and I'd really like them to leave me for a while, give me some space.  So rather than write, here's what I've been doing lately...

Stitch a Year

From 1st July 2011, I will be adding stitches to a piece of freeform embroidery every day for one year. The "rules" are that I will make all the stitches on one piece of cloth, use one colour of embroidery floss each day, make a minimum of 12 stitches each day and not undo or unravel the stitches made unless I absolutely have to. Apart from that, it will be completely instinctual.

This project is inspired by Jay Hudson's knit a year project.

I'm doing this because I taught myself some basic embroidery stitches last year and have done little with it since. I also have a fat stash of embroidery floss which I bought with some of my redundancy money.

I am also drawn to the discipline / practice aspect of it, like a mindfulness meditative practice but through the act of stitchery. I like the unplanned instinctiveness of it and the excitement of seeing what unfolds. I'm also hoping it will help me to focus on the present moment and on making peace with what is - as opposed to trying to control and get everything perfectly right.

I'll be documenting my progress here.