How my dear friend Ellen sparked a quiet movement that now spans the world

Back in September 2010, I was at the opening night of a new exhibition, chatting and mingling, caught up in the joyful whirl of showcasing Iktomi - a piece I had created with my friend Carol.

Amidst all the buzz, I found myself talking to a woman I had not met before. She mentioned she had seen another of my works, The Seamstress, in a recent exhibition. When she realised both pieces were mine, her excitement was so genuine, it swept me up with it.

We kept chatting, and slowly, threads of connection began to appear. She had done her BA at the same place I had studied for my MA. Our creative styles were eerily similar - so much so that we both laughed at how we had not crossed paths sooner. There was a spark of something familiar… a kindredness. Just then, my daughter Fiona joined us, and without missing a beat, I turned and said, “Meet my new best friend, Ellen.”

And that was it. The start of something quietly extraordinary.

Threads of Friendship

From that night on, Ellen and I were inseparable in spirit. We spent hours upon hours talking about textile art, creative dreams, life, and all the tiny things in between. Sometimes we stitched together in companionable silence. Other times, we shared ideas with such wild enthusiasm, it felt like fireworks in slow motion.

It was a friendship stitched together with joy, honesty, and deep respect.
The kind you think will last forever.

But forever came too soon.

Ellen’s life was cut short. I was holding her hand as she took her last breath in the local hospice. And in that moment - quiet and sacred - I made her a promise.

I promised to honour her. To gather women together. To create safe, gentle spaces where we could sit, stitch intuitively, and let our hearts speak through our hands.

It was a promise from the depths of my soul. And slowly, stitch by stitch, it began to grow.

Stitching a Legacy

A few short years later, that promise had become something real and beautiful. A Facebook group called Slow Stitched Books – Ellen’s Legacy. What started with a handful of women has blossomed into a thriving, heartfelt community of over 11,000. Women from all over the world, coming together to create, to share, and to simply be.

It is more than a group. It is a sanctuary. A quiet rebellion against the rush of the world.

From that seed, the Slow Stitch School was born. A place where I continue to teach, encourage, and hold space for creative souls who, like Ellen and me, find peace in the slow, mindful rhythm of thread and cloth.

Every stitch I make, every workshop I run, every connection made in that space - it all carries Ellen’s spirit. She is there in the threads. In the stories. In the community we have built.

Finding Peace in the Process

If you are feeling overwhelmed…
If life feels too loud or fast or heavy…
If you are yearning for something quieter, something real…

You are not alone.

That is exactly why Slow Stitch School exists.

It is a place where you can pause. Where you can sit with your thoughts and let your hands do the talking. Where you can be gently held by a community that understands the value of slowing down and finding beauty in the simple act of making.

Here is what you will find there:

• ✿ Time reclaimed – a few precious minutes each day, just for you.

• ✿ Creativity rekindled – with gentle guidance and inspiration.

• ✿ Connection – with women who are kind, open, and encouraging.

• ✿ Calm – as each stitch brings you closer to a quieter way of being.

Whether you are a seasoned stitcher or picking up a needle for the first time, you are so welcome.

Ellen, my lovely friend -Thank you. For your spark, your friendship, and your quiet bravery - you continue to guide and inspire us all as we honour your legacy together.