mindfulness – Every Stitch A Story

Seasonal Stitch Walks: Walking, Noticing & Slow Stitching

Join me for the first in what I hope will be a series of slow-stitching workshops throughout 2026, inviting you to slow down, connect with nature and explore your creativity through mindful stitching.

Friday 27th February – 10am – 1pm – Brailsford & Ednaston Institute

Step into the rhythm of the seasons with a gentle countryside walk, followed by a calm and creative slow stitching workshop. An opportunity to pause, notice and connect with the natural world, be inspired and connect with your inner creativity through a calm, supportive creative process.

During our time together, you will:

Enjoy a gentle, unhurried countryside walk with plenty of pauses

Take time to notice textures, light and subtle seasonal changes

Explore guided slow stitching inspired by the season

Share the experience in a small, supportive group

Receive all materials, plus a mini Seasonal Stitch Walk Journal to take home

Each session is suitable for all levels of stitching experience, from complete beginners to seasoned stitchers. All materials are provided, and there is no pressure to produce a finished piece. The emphasis is on process rather than outcome, curiosity rather than skill and kindness towards yourself and your making.

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. Thomas Merton

The first session in February is titled “Noticing what is quietly beginning”, capturing the subtle signs of late winter and the first hints of spring, snowdrops, bare branches, moss, and damp earth. This is a space for curiosity, playful experimentation and slow, mindful creativity; stitches can be wonky, loose, layered and experimental. This is a space to slow down, try things out and enjoy stitching as a form of care.

Pricing

Tiered to support accessibility — please choose the rate that works best for you:

£25 — supported place

£35 — true cost

£40 — supports others & future workshops

Book your place by emailing me at laura_burrill@outlook.com

If cost is a barrier, please get in touch — everyone is welcome.

Future Seasonal Stitch Walk dates (subject to interest):

20th March – Spring Equinox: Stitching in Balance with the Season

1^st May – Beltane: Making in Full Bloom

17^th July – High Summer: Slow Making in the Fullness of Summer

25^th September – Autumn Equinox: Grounded Making in a Season of Plenty

27th November – Late Autumn: Threading Calm into the Dark

In community and wellbeing spaces across Derby, artists, educators and facilitators hold space for others every day offering room for creativity, connection, and healing. But who holds space for the practitioners?

That’s the question that brought us together on Sunday 20th July at Brailsford Methodist Church for The Art of Holding Space, a half-day workshop created especially for those working in community and creative practice. It was a gentle, powerful space for rest, reflection, and reconnection, offering creative tools and trauma-informed approaches for those who spend so much of their time supporting others.

The day opened with grounding rhythms from Chris Sylla, whose drumming circle invited us to settle into our bodies and the space. Some participants had never drummed before and left surprised at how deeply it helped calm their nervous systems and shift anxiety into rhythm.

Marie Hegarty from Scraggy Moo then introduced the principles of trauma-informed care, sharing practical and thoughtful ways we can shape safer, more responsive spaces for others — and for ourselves. One participant noted a key learning moment around using boundaries not as barriers, but as tools for care: a reminder that supporting others also means protecting the group from harm.

We closed with a slow stitching workshop I led, creating space to explore gentle creativity with hands and heart. Threads moved quietly through fabric as people reflected, shared, and simply breathed together in stillness — a chance to make something, slowly and softly, just for themselves.

The feedback from the day left me full of gratitude, not just for what was learned, but for what was felt and shared:

“Today created space for healing and a sense of togetherness.”
“I feel empowered. I’ve connected with others running similar work and feel more confident about trauma-informed practice.”
“It reminded me that we are an incredible resource — full of compassion and skills. We need to connect more.”
“I was able to reflect on my own needs, my boundaries, and my self-care as a facilitator.”
“It was warm, supportive, and full of ideas. I’m taking this energy with me.”

Moving forward… Holding space for others is beautiful work, but it can also be heavy, complex, and isolating. Days like this are a reminder that we need each other just as much as our communities need us. We need space to reflect, to reconnect with ourselves, and to be in the company of others who understand the unspoken weight of this work.

I’m deeply grateful to everyone who showed up with open hearts and open hands. And I hope this is just the beginning, of more conversations, more collaborations, and more care for the carers.

If you were part of the day, thank you. If you weren’t, I hope we meet next time. Because the art of holding space isn’t something we do alone, it’s something we learn, share, and strengthen together.