Meditative Stitch entering the Advent Journey at San Damiano

During our time together will focus on designing a simple piece of embroidery. Using a small set of tools provided in class – a pencil, a ruler and a circle template, you will have the time and space to create a design that you can take home with you to continue to stitch throughout the season of Advent.

Everything you need to get started on the project will be supplied, including the base fabric, multiple colors of embroidery thread, needles, and a small pair of embroidery scissors. Please bring magnification (reading glasses), if needed.

We will be using the basic running stitch. If you can thread a needle and run it through a piece of cloth, then this project will be perfect for you. By keeping things simple, we can focus more on the process of stitching than on the learning of new techniques.

This approach to needlework is known as slow stitch, or meditative stitching. There is something in the motion, in the rhythmic rocking of the hand, that calls to something deeper in ourselves. It is a bit hard to describe, actually. Sometimes it is called something like flow. Knitters talk about this, too.

Stitching by hand is not a fast process.  By acknowledging the truth of it and letting go of the need to get something done quickly, there is a space to relax. It is in this place that there is space to breathe, to be, to pray. And also to wait. This is the call of Advent.

It is interesting to note that St. Clare of Assisi was also a master embroiderer and is the patron saint of needleworkers. Clare, a woman who dedicated herself to a life of prayer, what might she have known about this deeper place? We’ll take time to explore the question.

Come, let’s spend time together. And stitch.

Biographical Statement

Shelley Wells holds a master’s degree in education with a specialization in lifelong learning. For the past 15 years she has worked in the Bay Area creating programming for local museums, libraries, churches and embroidery groups. She was drawn to contemplative prayer over 30 years ago and continues to explore this approach to prayer as a framework for faith. Shelley began exploring meditative stitching over a decade ago as she moved more into the world of embroidery. Shelley is a member of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America.