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backyard stitching

Backyard Stitching

My family doesn't vacation often, especially in the summer. As of this posting, we're on a mini road trip, but typically, we stay home. And I like that. Know why? Because sitting in the backyard, with the summer sounds surrounding, is like a vacation.

With a morning coffee or afternoon iced tea at hand and some embroidery in my hoop, I can think of nothing more relaxing than being on the back patio at our table with the striped tablecloth. After dinner, I stitch until it's just too dark to see. I don't think of myself as an "outdoors" sort of person, but this is different. This is delightful.

Now, I will say that backyard stitching comes with some dangers (a bird nearly bombed me and I got a leaf in my coffee), but it also has some sweet surprises (like spotting a baby possum walking through!). It's become my summer "thing" and I've started tweeting and Insta-gramming #backyardstitching updates. Does anyone care what I'm stitching in the backyard? I don't know...but I'm enjoying myself, and that's what this is about.

Do you stitch outdoors when you can?

16 comments:

  1. I love to bring some stitching with me where ever I go, and in the summertime that often means outdoors. I've stitched at the park, at the beach, pretty much anywhere our summer travels take us :)

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  2. I love to stitch outside. My back deck is my favorite place to spend my time. The park is also a relaxing place to stitch. There's even a Flickr group for "stitching in public".

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  3. I always try to bring something outside with me, but I don't always get to work on it lol. I take our three cats with me outside so they can get some fresh air, but sometimes they are bad and I have to keep a close eye on them =P

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  4. I'm hoping to get outdoors and do some stitching this week! I'm looking forward to seeing your backyard stitching!

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  5. Anonymous12:08 PM

    I also take my embroidery with me when I go places. I have a grab and go setup for my projects, which is okay, because I have limited craft organization space, I do not have a spare room or anything, just some sewing machine drawers, a large wooden (Danish? accordion) basket and a couple of floss bobbin boxes. I have to admit, I do not do a lot of stitching outdoors for one big reason, the weather. In the winter it is too cold and rainy, in the summer it gets (often) to over 100 degrees F, with about 85 by noon, and spring and autumn are each about a month of "middle of the road" pleasant weather, so I am stuck inside most of the time. I do garden, but we get started outside before 8am in the summer, and inside by 10am or we are miserably hot. Feel free to enjoy my unused outdoor stitching hours! :-)

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  6. I have five outside cats, so crafting outside would be a challenge! Then the carpenter bees are being a little too curious. One started a hole under our 'lid' on makeshift small patio. Two ants crawled up my legs and a few assorted bugs came in on me... so I still like being outside but have to be careful. A wild turkey came walking down our gravel driveway yesterday. Day before a vulture was walking on it. The birds are taking over!

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  7. I love to sit outside and sew. I had never been camping before, and my husband took me; I thought what do they see in this? I really ehjoyed
    doing my embroidery out under the trees by the river. This year, when
    we go, I plan on taking my "new" old hand crank sewing machine with me~~
    I think it will be fun.

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  8. I like to bring handiwork with me, either knitting or embroidery. I'm not great for small talk, and naturally on the shy side, so it either serves to give me something to talk about, or people assume I am concentrating and let me work.

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  9. I love to stitch on my balcony during the spring and summer! My favorite part is leaving little bits of embroidery thread out on the bird feeder for birds to use in their nests. Last week I saw one fly away with a bright green piece of thread.

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    1. I do the same thing with my bits of thread :-).

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  10. I save my hand sewing for car and train journeys, at home when it is warm I set my sewing machine up in the courtyard and piece like crazy. Sunlight is incredible to sew by, all the colours seem clearer, white can give a bit of glare though, I just wear my sunnies.

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  11. I would love to sit outside and do some stitching, but here in Florida our summers are brutal. I'd be afraid that I'd be making a wet, embroidered mess. :) Ah, but in the spring and early "winter"... that's when Florida is truly delightful for outdoor art projects. :)

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  12. I'm an outdoor stitcher and knitter. Love it.

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  13. Anonymous10:19 PM

    sounds so lovely! I always read outside but maybe i'll start doing some embroidery when the weather's nice :)
    Rebecca @ tr[i]b[e]cca

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  14. I stitched the hexi sun hat out back today and the little bikini yesterday :-).

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