"Nature does not hurry...

...yet everything is accomplished"

Welcome to the November blog post.

I sat here this morning thinking about everything we could talk about at the beginning of November. The event looming on our horizon is obviously Christmas but we chatted about and organised ourselves for it, right back in the summer. Well, we made plans anyway. Did you make plans then or are you a last minute person?

Let's consider some other things and without wishing our time away, see what we have to look forward to.

Christmas Fairs

The great thing about November is that it's Christmas Fair month. So, if you didn't plan and start shopping for Christmas early this year, worry not! Or, perhaps visiting the fairs this month was your plan? And, as plans go, it isn't a bad one! I've planned to visit a big one in a couple of weeks and I'm really excited about it. I'm sure I'll find something to spend money on!

Perhaps you're selling at a fair and if you are, you're probably busy hand crafting your items to sell. That's exciting too. Sewing for a specific purpose is really lovely and can I say, there are so many projects on the website, you're never stuck for ideas.

The Weather

What a strange thing to be adding as a subject in a blog post! I'm not debating global warming, or ecological issues. It's just about the Autumn/Winter seasons here in the UK. The clocks return to Greenwich Mean Time, so the mornings are slightly lighter for longer and the darkness draws in really early.

If you are feeling negative about short daylight hours and long drawn out nights, let's explore the positives. Here at the LC Blog, we prefer to think of the cosiness of cold winter evenings and the rain and fogs we tolerate at this time of year, as opportunities for stitching and crafting. The garden needs less attention, the casserole for dinner is sorting itself out in the slow cooker or oven, hand stitching the binding on a quilt you've been making means you can enjoy the warmth of the project on your lap. We can even get away with going to bed earlier!

And so to the crux of this blog - The Pace

Autumn for me feels like a time to slow down. As hibernating animals settle down to sleep, and nature itself seems to decelerate, I naturally try to adjust my pace. I must admit to being the person who lives life in perpetual motion, rarely stopping and forever trying to fit more into 24 hours. However, this year, I am trying even harder to slow my pace and still accomplish what I really need to instead of what I think I should.

And to that end I've started some slow stitching.

I'm currently making Lexi with EPP hexagons. It is such a lovely little bag and using Christmassy fabrics makes me feel festive. EPP is so relaxing, the whole process of cutting the fabrics, basting onto the templates and hand stitching the pieces into the shapes I want, is truly mindful.

My next project is to make some of these Vintage Baubles. More hand stitching and a slow pace. I may not make as many as I'd like to but that's ok. I've just set my sights a little lower.

The other day I spent a quiet hour sorting through some of my vintage fabrics and matching them to Christmas fabrics. I had fun and it was a way to de-stress. I enjoyed the peacefulness of the house with the rain hammering down outside and still felt I was being productive. I'm looking forward to making these and it all starts this coming weekend.

Can you adjust your pace? Mum always used the well known say "More haste, less speed". It might sounds like a cliché but if you think it through, the truth in this case may indeed be absolute. By rushing, we risk mistakes, frustration, stress, fatigue and sometimes even failure. Why do we put ourselves through that? I'm speaking to myself here.

The title of this blog is a Lao Tzu quote:

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished".

Nature has a lot to teach us, but most of the time we're in too much of a rush to listen or observe. This winter could be the opportunity we all need to take stock, slow the pace, and yet still accomplish.

Let me know what you've been doing recently that has been a mindful process. Slow stitching? Hand stitching? Sorting out your craft space or planning your next project?

Or, just share your plans for this winter.

Whatever you do, take your time, pace yourself and enjoy every moment.

Until next time,

Happy Stitching.

Kath