Stabbing things a thousand times, but by hand this time!

Current crafting fixation: sashiko! As far as I understand it, it's using thick thread and running stitch to sew patterns onto things and/or do decorative mending, and it's genuinely about the right skill level for me. Cross stitch and embroidery: ugh, too much thinking. Running stitch but make it fancy: boom!

Like, I'm actually doing my mending now. I never do my mending, because ugh, effort and ugh, it looks rubbish – and now I'm like "Eh, if it's going to be ugly anyway, I might as well sew this patch onto my pyjamas by sewing around the dogs in the pattern and entertain myself!" and somehow it comes out looking okay! Or like with my notebook cover, I went "Okay, there's going to be an obvious seam here whatever I do, so what if I just sew a diamond pattern all over it?" So... I don't necessarily think I'm doing it "right," insofar as there IS a way to do a craft right, but I think it's giving me permission to not be upset that my mending and patching isn't perfectly invisible, and SUDDENLY I don't hate it or myself! What a strange coincidence.

(Maybe when I have levelled up enough, I'll have a crack at fixing ridiculous number of rips in our sofa. I don't think I'll hit the level of cool that is this person making a fishbone leaf to fix a hole, but also our sofa is the sort of fake leather that cracks itself to death, so if I do try to do that I genuinely can't make it worse.)

I'm also doing proper sashiko patterns – I bought a couple of pattern kits that I'm working through, and so far I really like how they look! The first one I finished is the blue and orange dragonflies one, and now I'm working on a grass one. My current plan when I'm done with them is to sew them together into a duvet cover for my mum, because I do not have the patience for quilting, but patchworking and then sewing it into being a big bag sounds like my skill-level! I'm currently planning to do some nature-y ones in colour, and some patterned one in a blue/black thread that won't show up as much so I can use them as... Blending squares? Slightly more neutral looking spaces in the pattern so that it's not just overwhelming splodges of colour. ... What I might end up doing is buying a pre-made duvet cover and sewing the patches onto it because pre-made bedding packs are WAY CHEAPER than the fabric to actually make the duvet cover itself. IT WILL STILL BE DECORATED WITH LOVE, JUST MAYBE NOT MADE WITH IT COMPLETELY. >_>

But yes, it's fun! And soothing! And because you're supposed to load a bunch of the stitches onto the needle at once, it's a craft you can do somewhat subtly at work, I'm just saying. >_>