A Feather Sketch Stitch : :

When it comes to sewing, these days it's pretty impossible for me to think of anything other than project ideas for my fabric collection Wild & Free. I've shared the digital swatches and still plan to share a little back story on the inspiration and reason for each print sometime soon, but the true testament will come when I have my fabrics in hand and I can begin to sew with them! This waiting is a little brutal, and so, last night when I sat at my sewing machine hoping to make something to share here this morning, I decided to begin creating the project ideas that are within my power, so when the fabrics arrive at my doorstep I can dive right in!

Sketch Stitching or thread sketching is something I truly love to do, but rarely make the time for. After having spent so much time drawing the sketches that became Wild & Free throughout these past several weeks, I'm certain now that drawing nourishes me in a completely different way than sewing does. Combining them in this way creates a feeling so good that I've decided to give just an hour a day to this type of work solely. It's too beneficial for me to continue ignoring my need for it, and after sharing just a quick feather thread sketch on my Instagram last night I felt so encouraged that this is something I truly should be doing and sharing here.



This sketch began with a rectangle piece of Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Element in Sweet Mint quilted to a scrap piece of StitchnSew fleece by Therm O Web. Next I pulled from my box set of colorful 50wt and my jar O' Aurifil a thread color story that matches Wild & Free, and I began to freely sketch stitch a simple feather.







Just as the wildflowers that are illustrated in Wild & Free, feathers are a common and meaningful memento of my days spent exploring with my children. To me the feather has multiple meanings, but mostly represents beauty, lightness, and being free in life. And although there aren't feather designs found in any of the prints that make up my small collection, I do hope to share those other meaningful symbols that won't be found in the prints, in the projects I create for Wild & Free.



Once the outline of my feather was sketched in Navy, I used several spools of Aurifil to add in color and texture, combined with some of the beautiful decorative stitches my Janome offers. I really love the end result!



I'll be saving this to either finish as a pillow once Wild & Free arrives or it might end up as part of a wall display idea I've been dreaming up for my Quilt Market booth!

Happy Monday & happy stitching, friends!

♥ Maureen