Hello! It’s been a while. I took an unintended break for the past six weeks (or so) to work on some custom embroidery orders for the holidays. They all went out (and were received—whew!) on time, but after that much stitching, I really needed a break with as few obligations as possible. The first full week of the new year seems like a great time to return, so here I am. Let’s start 2021 with some 1 Year of Stitches talk. If you were reading last fall, you might’ve seen my articles on participating in 1 Year of Stitches 2021.
Unfamiliar with 1 Year of Stitches? It’s a yearlong daily embroidery project created by artist Hannah Claire Sommerville. The premise is that you make at least a stitch a day (typically on the same piece of fabric) every day for a year. It’s simple and fun. Learn more about it here.
You can technically start 1 Year of Stitches any day of the year as long as you’re stitching 365 consecutive days. I like to start on January 1 for a few reasons. First and foremost, the dates are easy to keep track of. Second, I feel a renewed creative outlook because it’s the new year. And third, this time of year is cold and dark so why not brighten it with an embroidery project?
I’d been thinking about my own 1 Year of Stitches for months; it began this summer when I was browsing the Poshmark app and saw a denim jacket on sale for very cheap. On an impulse, I bought it with the intention of using it for embroidery… somehow. It later occurred to me that this would be a great garment to use in 1 Year of Stitches 2021.
Stitching pet portraits on clothing is my specialty, and I knew I wanted to do something that centered around animals. After all, 1 Year of Stitches is a great way to practice a technique or style of embroidery. So, my plan is to stitch a different animal portrait (most likely a dog or a cat) every month for the entire year. If all goes according to plan, I should have a dozen creatures all over this jacket. (I’m calling it the #creaturecoat this year.)
I spent my Christmas holiday finalizing the sketch for January. It’s a portrait of my parent’s dog Maddie, who sadly crossed the rainbow bridge in late 2020. (She was the ring bearer at my wedding!) You can follow my progress on Instagram, but here’s how the first few days have gone.
I look forward to sharing with you more throughout the year! If you’re participating in 1 Year of Stitches, let me know through DM or email.
January 1, 2021
January 2, 2021
January 3, 2021
Want to try 1 Year of Stitches? I send periodic emails about the project that will inspire you and help you prepare (and hopefully keep you on track when you begin).
