My Mixed Media Slow Stitching Pictures - Beach House Scene and English Cottage Kits

On my beach scene mixed media slow stitching picture adventure I mentioned that I was looking for beach or spring flower kits.

Even though I am a seasoned crafter I was new to slow stitching so I thought a kit with a picture of the finished item would be helpful.

My "Float Along Quietly" Mixed Media Slow Stitching Collage Picture

As you all know over the years I have bought a lot of craft related items and tend to prefer craft kits as I just don't have a lot of time to peruse fabric or craft stores.  That's what makes shopping on the internet a problem for me.  I can't just buy one kit.  I have to buy more than enough figuring I'm saving time in the long run.  

If you remember some of my stories about making dolls and crafts that I always made things in a factory line way.  I'd design a whole bunch of items, cut all the wood for all of them, sand all of them, put the kits together for all of them and then save them in contains for future assembling.

I also wanted to try every single craft there was and have been endeavoring to do this for the past sixty+ years.  The problem is with numerous kits for each craft you want to try you end up with a LOT of containers filled with items waiting to be made....LOL

So, when I read about "Slow Stitching" I couldn't just buy one kit.  I bought MANY of them.

I was particularly interested in ocean and summer themed kits and found several kits that I liked on Etsy.  I should clarify that - I found "many that I liked.....LOL

My "Surprises In The Mail" Package For My Sister

Yesterday I published a post on my Linda's Blog entitled "My "Take Me To The Ocean" Mixed Media Slow Stitching Applique Collage Wall Art Picture." about the new slow stitching picture I had created recently from a slow stitching kit I had bought.

In that post I mentioned that I had enough fabric from that kit to also make a "surprise packages in the mail" for my sister. However, I didn't have enough embellishments so I had to improvise and add some from my stash.

My "Take Me To The Ocean" Mixed Media Slow Stitching Applique Collage Wall Art Picture

A couple of months ago I saw a Facebook group "Slow Stitching For The Soul" that intrigued me. So, of course, I had to do a little research.

The group which was started by Bev Ramsbotham - Textile Artist, based in Retford intrigued me because it was a group of no judgement on right or wrong ways to sew something - just creativity.  The idea was to relax and spend time hand stitching in different media to achieve a hand made piece of textile art.  

According to Bev, it was meant for members to "soothe their soul or just have some fun and not worry about 'perfection' or criticism from others, and be pleasantly surprised at what they create."

Given how much I love history and research I decided to find out a little more about "Slow Stitching."

According to "The Craft of Oz" Slow Stitching is: "Slow stitching is a relatively new concept that incorporates old hand stitching traditions. It's a craft where ancient practices and creativity collide. Unlike stitching that is used to mend or make a garment, slow stitching is the act of using needle and thread to create art; just as you would paint, draw or sculpt out of clay. I like to think of it as hand stitching with a creative purpose."

Given my curiosity I wondered when this movement started and who started it.  Well, according to my Google search it was started in 2015 by Mark Lipinksi, an internationally known quilting artist.

So, I thought to myself, "where have I been for the last eight years...." LOL