Slow Stitching: Finding Calm Through Needle and Thread

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I have a very good friend who has a husband going through cancer treatments. When he was diagnosed and I knew the hours upon hours she’d be spending at his treatments with him, I wanted to put together some sort of hand sewing project. The tricky part is that I didn’t want to give her something that required thinking, measuring, figuring… even reading an embroidery pattern seemed like it might require too much mental concentration.

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I thought on this for days and suddenly one day I remembered the term “slow stitching” and began to think on that. In a world that moves fast and demands constant productivity, slow stitching is a gentle invitation to pause. It’s not about perfection, speed, or even finishing a project quickly (if at all!). Instead, slow stitching is about presence—allowing your hands and mind to work together in a calm, intentional rhythm.

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The idea began to grow in my mind that a slow stitching kit might be a really fun thing to put together for her. In order to know what would and wouldn’t work, I decided to give it a try myself! I gathered lace, ribbon, vintage fabric scraps, handkerchiefs, all the little bits of sweet things I’ve tucked away in a box for years! Pink seemed to be a color that was speaking to me that day so I continued gathering until I had all the sweet little pink things I wanted!

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I decided to simply start with a piece of white fabric about 6 inches by 8 inches in size. I didn’t specifically measure and cut; I just grabbed a piece and squared off the edges a bit. This created the base for my slow stitching art.

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From there it was an incredibly simple process—cutting a piece of ribbon, a bit of lace, and a small scrap of fabric, then laying each one onto the base fabric. Nothing was attached yet. I simply moved the pieces around, experimenting with placement, until I reached a point where I loved the direction it was going. At that point, I took a photo so I could “rebuild” the layout once I began sewing. This step is completely optional, but I found it helpful.

And this is where slow stitching truly begins. Take a breath and start. You may refer to your photo if you choose, then gently hand stitch the first piece of fabric to your base. From there, let the process unfold slowly, adding stitches and layers as you go.

One of the most beautiful things about slow stitching is its freedom. Stitches can be uneven. Fabric edges can be raw. Threads can show. These imperfections are not mistakes—they are part of the story. Each piece is uniquely yours, shaped by your hands and your heart.

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Once I had completed my little slow stitching piece, I paused to consider what I might do with it. It could be framed and displayed, sewn into a pillow, tote bag, or zipper pouch, or even gifted to someone who needed a bit of encouragement. Or… I could simply include it with the slow stitching kit I was putting together for a friend. And that’s exactly what I did.

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And now I’m excited to tell you about the kit I put together for my friend. I did the same for her as I had done for myself—gathering lace, trims, buttons, and fabric scraps. I chose to stick with shades of blue for her slow stitching kit, knowing that blue is a predominant color in her home.

I also made a small needle book to hold needles and safety pins, and included thread and a pair of scissors so she would have everything she needed to begin.

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Then… began the hunt for what I would put it all in! Of course, I could have made a little project bag of some kind. But I really wanted something vintage to match the theme (of course I did!). So, on a relaxing afternoon, my daughter and I headed out to a few antique stores—and guess what I found? A round metal tin, about 8 inches in diameter. The perfect size and absolutely the perfect finishing touch.

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I could not have been happier with the overall kit. It came out exactly as I had envisioned it in my head and the joy it brought me to gift it to her was immeasurable.

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Enjoy the little time lapse video I took of putting it all together!

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So here are a few little tips to help you put together your slow stitching kit:

• Look in antique stores for bits of vintage lace, pillow cases with embroidery on them, handkerchiefs that have sweet touches of embroidery or lace, doilies, little bits of ribbon.
• Vintage sheets can have really pretty florals and since I almost always use vintage sheets to back my quilts, I save the edges that I are left over. They are super old fashioned florals and are so pretty for slow stitching.
• Buttons…. look for vintage buttons in the antique stores too. However, if you are planning to frame your slow stitched project, buttons will not work if there is glass in the frame.

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Put together your little kit, set aside a quiet moment, and start the year with the perfect excuse to slow stitch and relax. In a world that moves fast and asks so much of us, this simple act of stitching by hand is a reminder that it’s okay to slow down, to create without pressure, and to find calm in the small, ordinary moments—one stitch at a time.

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Until our gravel roads cross again… so long.

Dori

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