Stitch fish

Plus, a winner for the journal giveaway and treat yo'self to a new pin cushion

Hi friends, is March going out like a lion or a lamb where you live? It’s beautiful here, with everything greening up and my very favorite red bud trees just starting to bloom. And my other very favorite weeping cherry trees are about ready to pop. I bet in heaven the weeping cherry trees (and peonies) are always blooming.

Came across these awesome blossoms today.

\It’s Lent and in the Midwest that means Friday fish fry at every restaurant, Catholic church and social club. My husband and I make the rounds. I’m partial to the places that offer big slabs of homemade cake for dessert.

Speaking of fish, I thought I do a roundup of cuties you can stitch.

Sashiko accents Amy Camuglia’s fish, inspired by Ann Wood’s free pattern. Amy’s Etsy shop is filled with slow stitching goodness, too.

Christine Hicks frames her fabric collage fish in tins. She also offers craft-along videos on her YouTube channel.

One fish, two fish, lots of blue fish swim on this fabric collage by Sharon Blackman. Her Instagram feed brims with happy coastal, floral and pastoral scenes.

Stitch School in Brixton makes a fun sampler. If you live nearby, you can take the school’s Fishes & Stitches embroidery class in April.

Congrats!

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway celebrating 500+ subscribers to Slow Stitching Circle! The winner was Beatrice from Joyful Soul Stitching. Take a look at her Substack to see her beautiful work.

Cushy cushion

I decided to treat myself to a new pin cushion, since my old one was literally bursting at the seams.

My pins and needles deserved much better than this pathetic specimen.

Here’s the new one:

Before I walk you through how I made it, I’m wondering if you’d like to support my stitching and writing habits with a small donation through Ko-Fi? (No pressure of course!)

To make the pin cushion, you basically make an oversized yo-yo (or Suffolk puff) and stuff it. Start by tracing a circle on a piece of fabric. Then stitch around the perimeter. Pull the stitching to gather the circle up. Add polyfil or any other stuffing material you have. I stuffed mine lightly so it would remain relatively flat.

Tracing around a bowl lid. Gathering the fabric circle and stuffing the interior. Covering the hole with scrap fabric.

Sew a button into the center, pulling it tightly. Use perle cotton to wrap the puff and give it a flower-like shape.

Perle cotton sewn through the center and around the cushion creates "petals." The finished pin cushion's glamour shot (center), and what she looks like in real life (right).

As you can see, there are plenty of needles in my pin cushion, when really I should be using a needlebook.

Well friends, that’s all for this month. I hope you find some time for peaceful stitching in our noisy world. Happy spring!

—Janice