How I’m Getting Ready for the October Slow Stitching Challenge
On October 1st, I’ll be joining stitchers from all over for the Slow Stitching Challenge, hosted by Michelle Cox Creative. Each day we’ll receive a prompt to spark our stitching, and together we’ll share and celebrate the beauty of handwork.
This will be my very first stitching challenge, and I’ll admit—I’m both excited and a little nervous! To make sure I can keep up (and to give myself the best chance of actually finishing), I’ve done some prep work. I thought I’d share it here in case you’re joining too, or if you’ve ever thought about doing a stitching challenge yourself.
Why I’m Preparing in Advance
I know myself: if I have to cut fabric, dig through scraps, or go hunting for beads in the moment, I’ll lose my momentum. By preparing a little bundle of supplies ahead of time, I’ll be free to just stitch when inspiration strikes.
My Stitching Prep List
• Fabric bases: I pre-cut a stack of 3x5 inch rectangles from my hand-dyed indigo fabric. This fabric went through a rusting process, so it has random rusty patches—like little sparks of imagination already waiting for me.
• Batting for stability: I also cut 3x5 inch rectangles of batting. Layering my indigo fabric on top makes the pieces more stable and easier to handle. I don’t always stitch through the batting, but I like having it there as support.
• Scraps, beads & wire: I gathered a bundle of fabric scraps for embellishing, along with beads and wire. Right now I’m in a “more is more” phase—adding beads and wire gives my stitching sparkle, texture, and light.
I ordered my wire and beads from Amazon. Here are the links.
• Pre-binding in downtime: Sometimes, when I’m not sure what to stitch, I sew my batting and fabric together. It’s not necessary, but it gives me a jumpstart once inspiration hits.
• Brainstorming the prompts: Some challenge words are easy to stitch; others make me pause. When I get stuck, I look up the word and ask: How could this translate into textile art? Into a symbol? Into a texture? That simple exercise usually sparks an idea.
A Few Final Thoughts
The most important thing I’m reminding myself is that there’s no right or wrong way to approach this challenge. Each piece can be as simple or as intricate as I want. The real joy is in showing up, stitching, and seeing where the prompts lead me.
If you’re joining too, don’t forget to share your work using #stitchandgather—I’d love to see what you create.
Here’s to a month of slow stitching, daydreaming, and finding beauty in small patches of fabric.
