Saturday's Sew La Tea Dough saw the amazingly talented Shirley McLauchlan host a "Mother's Day Workshop". Participants were encouraged to embroider a love heart onto a woollen blanket square to make an embroidered card. For many it was the first time they had tackled a project like this since school !

A group of visibly nervous women huddled around Shirley asking "is that okay?"

No matter how many workshops we host, I am continually struck by the amount of women who have simply lost confidence in their abilities to make anything. They share stories of "victorian style" school teachers repeatedly sending them back to unpick there work until it is perfectly straight ! Beads of sweat are visible on foreheads and palms stick to fabric. However, after half an hour with Shirley the group is transformed - laughter is heard, foreheads are unfurled and everyone looks at Shirley with love in their eyes ! They are stunned by their ability to create something so beautifully NOT perfect ! Each piece is uniquely decorated with the expressive style of the participants - straight, wobbly, clashing colours or harmonious tones beautifully perfect in the eyes of the individual maker.

I never tire of seeing the transformative power of stitching. However, under the loving guidance of Shirley McLachlan it's pure bliss !

p.s. Did I say that Shirley had a book ? Available at Amazon http://amzn.to/1YmkJLm