This mini hand stitching kit can be used for grief stitching or meditative slow stitching. It contains everything you need, snippets of fabrics and lace, a needle, needle threader and threads. The finished project is a hand stitched fabric scroll that can be rolled up and stored back inside the small tin (please take care to clip your tin tightly closed and to be extra secure wrap fabric around it). It’s just the right size to pop into your handbag or pencil case.

Slow Stitching:

Slow stitching is a meditative process involving hand stitching fabrics, with a variety of knots, and free stitching (stitching any way your body prompts you to). There is no need for "neat outcomes" or pretty completed projects to show anyone. Slow stitching embraces imperfection, wonky stitching  and messy, un-evenness. Slow stitching embraces  moving the needle in and out of the fabric one stitch at a time. Create a ritual of slowing down and stitching, invite awareness of your breath, (don’t change anything, just notice), discover the sensations of the fabrics and needle, your hands creating and settle into your surroundings. You can even add your own sentimental fabric remnants to enhance your experience.

Grief Stitching:

Grief Stitching is the ritual of allowing needle, thread and fabrics to companion us in our grief and loss journey. It is free stitching; inviting the threads to navigate their way through the fabrics, for hands to intuitively establish their own rhythm of up and down, in and out, push and pull. The cloth and needle know what to do.  Grief Stitching is an intentional form of slow stitching which is informal and free in its style, it is traditionally done one stitch at a time. It’s imprecise, messy, unstructured. Overlap pieces, cut wonky, incorporate frayed edges, skew pieces on angles, tear the fabric up. Release all thinking and sink into the making of the stitches. This kit comes in a tiny tin and may give a sense of containment for big emotions and experiences. Take your Grief Stitching to bedsides, waiting rooms, quiet corners of cafes and sitting up in bed when sleep doesn’t come.

I facilitate a collaborative support community for grief and loss called the Stitching Pharmacy which you can find out about here.

 Kits are suitable for beginner stitchers 12+ years.

Slow Stitching Kit Contains:

• Embroidery needle
• Needle threader
• Vintage & reclaimed fabrics  and lace
• Calico backing fabric
• Vintage wool blanket pins & needle holder
• Embroidery threads (vintage and reclaimed)
• Pins
• Tiny tin (6cm x 4 cm)
• Wood dowel (roll up your slow stitching)
• Optional – printed instructions

or opt out of printed instructions and download basic slow stitching instructions and grief stitching principles here  

You also need: 

• A pair o f scissors that can cut fabric
• Lead pencil (optional)
• Thimble (optional)

Finished stitching project is approximately 30 cm x 3.8 cm

Seasonal Themes: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn

Elemental Themes: Earth (natural dyes), Sky/Air, Fire, Water

Fabric in kits are reclaimed / vintage fabrics and laces and are sourced in varying amounts. Fabrics and thread colours pictured are representational only. Your kit will contain fabrics and threads in very similar colours/patterns /sizes to what is depicted.

SORRY NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING IS AVAILABLE (EXCEPT BULK ORDERS)