i just returned from a fiber tour in the UK with my mom.
it was a dream to be in this beautiful place together, surrounded by endless rolling hills, winding roads, wandering stone walls, and SO MANY SHEEP. while i am a huge fan of putting real photos in keepsake photo albums, i also love to make tiny densely stitched pieces as a travel memento. incorporating my favorite qualities from a landscape and capturing the essence of how it made me feel takes time. i pour through photos from my phone and sketches from my journal. i make piles of thread until the palette is just right. then, i begin the slow work of stitching. the finished piece feels intimate and special. it is a sweet snapshot of a truly wonderful adventure.

i recently wrote about this process for taproot magazine — ‘stitching the scene: a project that fits in your pocket to be worked on wherever you might find yourself.’ it can be found in issue 52::SAVOR. the article includes steps for creating your tiny drawing, tips for selecting thread colors, and instructions for assembling the stitched piece into a pocket or square that can be worn as a necklace or hung on a wall. it is always such an honor to be featured in the pages of this lovely publication.

do you feel inspired to stitch the scene?
grab a copy of the magazine for some ideas, or you can find desert, forest, and seaside stitch the scene DIY kits on my website. each kit includes detailed instructions with color photos, a piece of organic cotton/hemp stamped with the design template, a plant-dyed piece of organic cotton/hemp for the back side, cotton embroidery floss, alpaca/cotton yarn, and a sewing needle.

more free sewing inspiration can be found on my website
find halloween projects and so much more… over 40 tutorials to choose from. is it time to start stitching holiday gifts?

as always, thank you for supporting small makers and shopping handmade. i feel so lucky to be able to do this work.

warmly,
alison kaplan
founder/owner/maker
kata golda handmade