What is slow stitching? Slow stitching centres around the ‘make do and mend’ ethos of yesteryear. It is a nod to the generations who came before ours in which re-using and recycling were a necessary part of life.
Simplicity is key. It’s about the timeworn nature of your materials and the individuality of your stitching methods. Slow stitching is also fabulous for fabric lovers who love to hunt at flea markets and thrift stores for fabric treasures and embellishments they can repurpose.
And it’s a great way to use up your stash of ‘just because’ pieces you have found along the way, that you dip into when you need that ‘something special’ for the next project.
To order your slow-stitch kits, visit bhgshop.com.au
Download the instructions for your slow-stitch cottages here

Make these utterly charming slow-stitch cottages using reclaimed fabrics, with sprinkles of ricrac, fabric yo-yos, buttons and simple stitching. You can embellish the cottages as much – or as little – as you like. Try out a few new techniques and follow our easy-to-use instructions to create a whole village! They make great gifts, too.
To order your slow-stitch kits, visit bhgshop.com.au
Download the instructions for your slow-stitch cottages here
Included in your kit
- 2 pieces of vintage 1920s hand-stitched ‘cutter quilt’
- 3 skeins of Cottage Garden hand-dyed thread in Raspberry, Spruce and Silver Fir
- A specially curated selection of Forage reclaimed fabric scraps sourced from Lisa Mattock’s travels to France, the UK and the USA, in complementary colours
- 10 vintage mother-of-pearl buttons
- #22 Chenille needle
- Paper templates for the roof, walls and floor of your cottage
For you to note
- Fabric in each kit varies for one-of-a-kind houses. Sufficient fabric (excluding calico backing fabric) to complete one house. You’ll need about 45 x 45cm calico.
- Toy fill for stuffing not included in kit.
- Feel free to incorporate embellishments, such as lace, ric rac, ribbons and buttons, from your own collection to truly make this project your own.
For more craft projects, pick up a copy of the latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine in selected newsagents and supermarkets or buy online today!