Working with your hands, the very act of moving them – focusing – being still and in the moment – lends itself to mindfulness and wellbeing. With this in mind, I always discuss and make my clients aware of this act they are experiencing to explore the benefits and encourage them to continue the craft.
Working with a trauma informed practice, I provide space, guidance, and calm confidence. To create a safe space where people can relax and express themselves is what I aim for.
I provide wellbeing activities such as:
Mindful sewing
Mindful sewing is the art of working with textiles to create random patterns, pictures, or decorations. It is an absorbing but simple activity where the client is guided to use the fabrics, colours, threads and stitches that ‘call’ to them. My job is to move clients away from feeling they need to match patterns and textures, to feel free to chose what they like the touch, design and the colour of.
Mindful stitching can be a simple running stitch, it can be exploring different embroidery techniques and I use my experience to demonstrate embroidery stitching through building on the stitch before.
The work opposite is using a simple running stitch to attach cut outs onto strips of backing fabric. The patterns and the placement of the patches are random with the sewer deciding not to sew over the entire piece but to use random circles, creating a more free flowing feeling.
This is a piece that has been put down and picked up when needed, and will continue to evolve according to the sewer’s mood and what they like or dislike about it at the time.
This sewer has depression and uses flowers as her prime focus as she goes to flower pictures on social media when low. The textures of the fabric contrast with the loose weave of the vintage flower curtains and the tight weave of the cotton backing.
Worry/Confidence Dolls
Worry dolls originated in Guatemala as an object that people could whisper their worries to before they went to bed, waking up to find them gone as the worry doll has removed that worry. Learning about these, I decided to add an extra element to work with some of my less confident groups.
Confidence dolls can be made from many different items including pipe cleaners, yarn or pegs. The little fellow in the picture next to this text was made using pipe cleaners, felt and a bead, and used in a session with people who were long term unemployed as a final session in an eight session skills course.
My premise is to encourage people to create an image of themselves now, and then to make an image reflecting the person they will become.
Reflecting on positive feedback from the group, pointing out instances in which I have seen them helping others, displaying knowledge, working well in a team, the client is boosted by positive affirmations as I provide a simple but clear path forward.
The doll can then be attached to a keyring and carried around.
A Worry doll is made in a similar way with my twist being that the image is made of someone special to the person or child. Is there anything as powerful as a child’s hero worship of a sportsperson, musician, or superhero? To have an image of that being to tell their worries to?
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