‘Sewing relaxes me more than wine!’
meliSSA lAne, 32, is a Scene of Crime officer. She lives in Surrey with her partner, Stuart.
I absolutely love my job. It’s hugely rewarding to know that my work to preserve and record a crime scene can have such an impact. However, the flip side is that it can be mentally exhausting and disturbing. I constantly see the sad side of life, and people I meet are usually having one of the worst days of their lives. I’m able to stay professional and focus on my work, but it’s impossible not to be affected. Even though there is counselling provided, the emotions do build up. there are days when you just come home and cry.
that’s where my crafting hobby comes in. some people do yoga as a way to release tension, I do cross-stitch and quilting. I’ve never thought of myself as creative before now – but
I’ve discovered I absolutely love to stitch and sew. I had a short dalliance with knitting in my twenties and managed an owl-shaped cushion. It wasn’t the best but I felt really proud when I’d finished it. after that I did some booties, a few scarves – but there’s only so much cosy knitwear you can have in your wardrobe, so I stopped.
the urge to stitch came three years ago, at a time when I was feeling quite stressed with work. on a whim, I bought myself a sewing machine and, never one for half measures, decided I’d make a massive quilt. It took months, but I loved the process. then, after seeing some wonderful embroidered cushions at a craft show, I thought I’d give cross-stitch a go. unlike quilting, it requires no space; you can just pick it up and do it on your knee in front of the tV.
I’ve always got something on the go. I’m someone who finds it very difficult to switch off, but with this, I think of nothing but where the next stitch is going. I love the simplicity of the action.
I make all sorts, from samplers or pictures for my friends, featuring fun or motivational quotes, to intricate cushion covers. I often used to open a bottle of wine to help me unwind in the evening, but that’s not healthy and nowadays it’s my sewing I reach for. I truly think stitching is my Zen.