Category: categorized
Tenacity and Perseverance
These two words have become regulars in the vocabularies of those corresponding and chatting with me in the past three weeks. Why the frequent usage you may ask. Let me explain.
Surgery. The word most people cringe to hear a doctor say as the diagnosis. My right (and dominant) hand, most specifically the area where the thumb meets the hand, had worn away all cartilage and was painfully functioning by rubbing bone against bone. Surgery at the end of August was performed with the offending area cleaned out and a small piece of tendon, taken from the same arm, inserted between my thumb and hand as my “new” cushion.
As part of this entire process, I am sporting a cast for a month. I’ve had wonderful caregivers take turns in helping me learn to get through even the most personal tasks that we take for granted on a normal day. Let your imagination run and you’ll probably come up with the tasks I’m alluding to.
BUT no one could help me stitch! What to do?! Why learn how to do it myself using my only remaining hand — lefty! And I began doing this very thing 4 days into recovery.
The process is SLOW but the daily accomplishments makes my heart happy. Who knows, once I’m healed I may continue stitching in this manner. Probably not, but it’s a good fallback.
Here’s my completed piece stitched in 12 days, learning to use only my left hand.
Tribal Paw Print by White Willow Stitching, designed by Jamie Larson.
Stitched on 14 ct Aida using 2 strands of Carriage Black (Simply Shaker Sampler Threads)
Physical therapy is in my near future but for now I’m working on therapy for the soul. Till next time, keep that needle moving!
Tamara (@thisnanastitches)
Double the Stitchy Fun!
Jan and I enjoy a day at our local needlework shop, The Stitching Post in Catonsville, MD.
Watch us both on Flosstube:
Jan Hicks creates
Thisnanastitches
My New Flosstube is UP!
Stitching Update!
Life has been busy and fun and full of stitching! Check out my adventures below!
I began recording my projects on Flosstube (YouTube). If you aren’t already familiar with this community, sit down, tune in and fall in love with this group of people who love to create beauty from a needle, thread, and fabric.
My channel: https://youtu.be/Ath1vVhhGwY
Then there was the visit to Williamsburg, Virginia and the amazing needlework shop, Haus Tirol. The owner, Lydia, entertained us with her knowledge of cross stitch and an abundant supply of patterns, threads, and finishes kept us in awe for hours…literally! Lydia has been running this shop since 1979! She’s a delight and this shop is not to be missed in your quest for amazing quality and supply.
I’ve been busy stitching too! Here’s a glimpse at my summer projects…so far.
Keep an eye out for even more finishes as time rolls by this summer!
You can find my updates here, on Instagram (@thisnanastitches) and on my Flosstube channel, ThisNanaStitches.
Keep that needle moving!
Tamara (ThisNanaStitches)
Modern Folk Embroidery SAL
Check out the stitching of this fellow blogger. Amazing!
The supplies arrived a month ago and I’ve since finished January, February and March. We’ll see if April gets done. May is probably too much too hope for, but June should see me on track and able to work on some other projects again.
And on the last day of May, I begin May.
The Journey Begins
Thanks for joining me!
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
This Nana Stitches 