It was with slight trepidation that I picked up my needle the other day, the first time in about six months. I had lost my way with embroidery a little, starting lots of different projects and never finishing one, too many moments of inspiration that spread me too thin.

Having moved house last September I have also been distracted by decorating and getting settled, however, new year, new start. I returned to an old project, a small tortoishell butterfly as there is a lot of opportunity to practice the basic stitching again, not too much colour grading. I still love it, I am a little rusty but loving the repetitive, meditative split, pull, jab, motion. I am not saying it is perfect, far from it, but enjoyment is the start.

I am going back to the start, right back to the initial sketch, how should I compose a piece of work? What is the best material to use? What equipment should I be using?

At this point in in time my website and blog is purely selfish (I am even working under my own name instead of Love in Idleness). I am not making pendants anymore, I am sewing for my own enjoyment, if something comes of it one day in the future that is great but for now I am indulging in my hobby. I will try and be honest, I will show my complete disasters as well as the peices that I am reasonably happy with (this could get messy).

Let’s see what happens…