1 Year of Stitches

Day 57, Self Portrait Sharon Peoples

Sharon Peoples has been participating in a project called 1 year of stitches with Sara Barnes (see below). This project focuses on doing a stitch a day and that could be one stitch, a new stitch type or maybe a flower. What ever the participant wants to do in one embroidery hoop.

From Sharon Peoples blog  

When I began this activity of posting my stitching each day on January 1, I didn't realise how consuming it would become. The rationale was to make sure that I revive my hand stitching as I have become a machine embroiderer over the years. I had made a list of rules for myself which have generally been broken. I wanted to try a new stitch each day but rather than the stitch itself the priority, the image became more important. 

Other rules included: only using materials in the studio - no new threads ; posting on Instagram each day (@peopsh); (I have upheld these two rules); only the colour range set out on the first day (nope); only DMC stranded cotton (nope) and only one piece of fabric (I foresee this will be broken). One of the questions in my journal is "But content?" Full Post

 I have been following Sharon's progress of her portraits since the beginning of 2017. It is easy to see her image in the embroideries and the variety of stitches used truly show the texture of hair and skin, shadows to give shape and always her amazing glasses frame her face.

The idea of  1 year of stitches fascinates me and I wanted to start this project as well at the beginning of  2017 but traveling over seas and then returning to intense work for an exhibition opening I gave up after about 5 days (and not consecutive days either). I am about to run away over seas and will be back at the beginning of April so I am aiming to try and stitch each day working stitches the will look and feel like bark, trees, leaves. It will be a good way to get inspiration for our concept of trees. Let me know if anyone would like to join me in this little experiment, I will not be as disciplined as Sharon but will give it ago. If you read Sara and Sharon's blogs you can also post photos of your work to Instagram and Facebook if you want to. By chance I see a tree in the image below.
My list of rules will be no new threads, will post an image each day @bellejane60 and try stitches to represent my concept trees. I will try writing in a  journal weekly and keep a list of stitches I have tried. First stitch will be Bullion stitch. 
DMC embroidery stitches 
(by Belinda Jessup)

 Sara Barnes embroidery ( I think)

Lauren Ridgwell

From Sara's blog 

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Hannah Claire Somerville’s ambitious 365-day project called 1 Year of Stitches. The name says it all—each day, she adds at least one stitch to the same embroidery hoop. Throughout the year, the design grows and grows, taking on a life of its own inside of this circle. In addition to the stitches, each day is chronicled via Instagram and includes a short post. It’s a compelling public diary of sorts.
I’ve thought a lot about Hannah’s project and decided that I want 2017 to be my 1 Year of Stitches. Hannah has always invited people to join her, and yes—I will take her up on the offer!

Lauren Ridgwell