Kasia’s Weekly Threads - Issue 71
Happy Friday my crafty besties!
Or.. happy whatever day of the week it is that you’re reading this :)
It was quite synchronous that last week I mentioned that I’ll share a story of my grandmother Helena’s last words to me and that I should be focusing on embroidering words for a new project this week. Unconnected, but somehow connected.
Story time
You’ll remember Helena from a couple of weeks back in Issue 69 and how much care she took to look after her home and life.
She lived independently in that little flat for decades until her health started to decline when she was in her 80s and she subsequently moved in with my dad. I visited Poland many times when I was in my twenties and saw her and my dad at every visit.
🏡
As she had been an exceptional dressmaker in her time, she would sometimes alter clothes for me at my request. Even at over eighty years old she was precise, meticulous and deliberate. Working and moving with that same presence that I described in my earlier story.
I felt myself being drawn into her quietness and focus as she gently adjusted the shoulder of a dress on me, pinning it ever so carefully but with complete confidence.
It took me back to a memory of when I was five, of a hat she crocheted for me. It had bouncy bright pink spirals that swung from the top as I walked. I would wobble my head to make them even more noticeable to everyone. Her hands adjusting the hat on my little head, checking its evenness and fit felt the way they did at the moment I was in my twenties and she was adjusting a dress on me. Her presence and focus and care were felt deeply then and now.
I had my dress altered and probably went to a party. Totally oblivious in my twenties of how precious those moments were. I had a narrow band of interests at that age; namely boys, parties, clothes and hating to run out of cigarettes.
👗
I’m not sure how long after that I saw my grandmother for the last time. But our last moment together went something like this.
She was already starting to lose her memory and found it hard at times to know what was going on around her. Occasionally when I visited she had to be reminded who I was.
One time we were sitting together on her bed. She was asking about what I’m doing with my life. I told her I was in between university courses (in other words working shifts at a local bakery in Sydney) and tried to make it sound like I was responsible and mature enough to know what to do with my life. As though I had a plan. Ha!
But somehow my elaborate explanation of a serious and important career in the making seemed of little interest to her. Instead she was looking at my hands.
Her own wrinkly and crooked hand reached over and picked up one of mine, my nails shiny with a loud Chanel nail polish. She took my hand in both of hers as though she was examining it carefully and said:
“Your hands are so beautiful and young. My hands are old, they can’t do what they used to be able to do.”
I felt a pang of sadness for her and tried to tell her that her hands can still make wonderful things. The clothes she’s altering for me are done so beautifully! She sat quietly shaking her head as though resigned to the idea that her hands are at the end of their life. Maybe she was thinking of all the things she had made over her lifetime and how she can’t make them any more. We sat together for a little bit in silence.
Not long after I returned back to Australia and about a year later dad called to say that she had passed away.
To say that I think of her often is an understatement.
I feel she’s with me when I straighten out the tea towels in my kitchen drawer, when I tidy up my wardrobe and hang my clothes with care and respect, when I organise my sewing threads. It’s as though she’s watching and reminding me to take care of what I own and to take care of every day of my life.
Would you believe I actually say “Thank you” to my hands regularly? Haha! It’s true! I don’t know where I’d be without them. Those precious things that have served me all my life.
Now… let’s link this story to stitching words.
I’m currently finishing a wonderful project that’s been in my head for some time.
I will share it in detail over the coming weeks but for now I’ll just share the words that I have stitched onto one of the pieces I’m working on.
Next week I’ll flip it over so you can see what’s on the other side and see what this thing actually is. I think you’ll like it.
The embroidery is done with a split stitch. Not a stitch I use often but have now returned to it after many years.
I find split stitch to be excellent for lettering especially when you have lots of curves, twists and turns. This one was done with four strands and you can see it in more detail in the next section below.
Close up
The split stitch is wonderful for a no brainer bit of work. It’s easy to make go around curves and it gives a lovely chain stitch like finish.
It works similar to how a back stitch works except you don’t go back into the end of the previous stitch, instead you go INTO and split that previous stitch. Below is a photo of my needle coming up and the next photo shows where the needle goes in.
Have a go if you haven’t tried this stitch yet. You’ll love it.
Maker of The Week
- FIONA FOSTER -
I had a hard time picking the maker of the week for this week as so many gorgeous projects were shared in our Facebook group. However, Fiona’s project was radiating so much joy and her description of it carried that same happiness. She made it as a gift for a little girl called Nora. The pattern was adapted from one of my designs called “Natasha”. I also zoomed in on the lettering and noticed that she used a split stitch! Perfect for this weeks stitch focus!
Thank you to Fiona for such a beautiful project.
From The Tribe
This week I delivered a new pattern to our members in The Wednesday Tribe and I was extra proud of myself because I managed to sew it into a square bottom bag. This is beyond my usual pillowcase skills so bonus points to my hands for managing the engineering.
What I’m super excited about though is seeing what our members come up with. I have not yet gone a month without being amazed at the skill and creativity in our group.
If you’re in TWT and you anticipate each months pattern with excitement, rest assured that I anticipate your versions of the projects with the same eagerness!
High fives crafty sisters!
🙌
New goodness coming inside The Wednesday Tribe
I am currently building a new membership area that will go live in time for the October pattern.
Good things are coming!
One of them will be a members only shop where TWT members will be able to purchase past patterns which will slowly become available to purchase. Not all at once, and not the whole back catalogue in one go, just a rotating handful, released a little at a time. More details soon, but I wanted you to know it's coming.
The next intake is on 18th September.
You can register your interest to receive a cool bonus if you join TWT.
Till Next Week!
OK that is definitely, positively, for sure enough talking for one day… although I’m about to go out for dinner with one of my besties so there is probably another three hours of non stop talking, haha!
Below is a pic of my proud smiling chops with the box bottom bag I made with my clever hands that I love so much.
I hope you love your hands too.
Say thank you to them from time to time.
Sending you infinite love and gratitude for being here. I couldn’t do this without you.
xxxx
Kasia
