How I Found Embroidery After Loss
Calming Stitches
Embroidery was on my bucket list. I held it in high regard as one of those crafts I would need a lifetime to learn, and certainly more experience with a needle and thread than I possessed. How wrong I was. I was amid my whirlwind of learning to sew (read more on that here). But at the same time, helping care for and losing my grandparents. I would sometimes indulge in whirling at the sewing machine with a group of inspiring, encouraging women. It soothed and fuelled me all at the same time.
But then I lost the last precious soul. Until then, two hours a week sewing had been my brain’s strategy to get through two years of loss. There was no space to stop or grieve for one when another was in need of care. Something in the pace and rhythm of sewing kept me moving. But now I had lost them all. I struggled to lift my head let alone sit at the machine. And sewing was my shared passion with granny (read her story here)…our little escape as we walked through many long difficult days together. It was too hard to do it alone now she was gone.
Finding a Quieter Way to Stitch
I happened upon a beautiful embroidery pattern and my heart leaped. Stitching right then seemed a reach too far but I took that one little step and signed up for the free masterclass. Instead of stitching along I just watched. I felt the encouragement of the teacher and the familiar rhythm that had carried me through the previous years. But it was more gentle, more accessible and all the more therapeutic. Adding to the simplicity was an invitation to learn to embroider with that soothingly patient teacher and a group of like minded creatives. It drew me in and I quickly gathered the simple supplies and joined The Academy. I have been inspired, encouraged, loved and celebrated by this beautiful community of women. Embroidery was so much easier than I imagined and far more accessible as a beginner than I had thought. It gave me a hands on focus as I walked through loss. It offers such beautiful creative freedom and a blank canvas for you to paint with thread. For me, it is a rewarding expression to capture nature’s inspiration from flora to fibre. One of the first patterns that felt like this for me was The Branch, a simple, rhythmic design that marked the beginning of my Eden Collection. But my favourite part of embroidery is seeing it as a companion skill in a wider creative process…sewing gives embroidery a purpose when I use it to embellish something I have made. And embroidery brings sewing to life as you make your projects truly yours. After just 6 months stitching I have lifted my head for the first, taken little steps back into the world and started my sewing & embroidery business. All because of my now dear friend Anastasia and my Why Not Stitching family.
Why Embroidery Became My Most Accessible Craft
For me, aside from being a soothing process embroidery has some other great advantages you should know about if it’s something you’re considering.
Immediate Reward for Beginners
I was shocked at what I could achieve as a beginner in embroidery (see the photo below and remember I had no previous training and wielded a needle and thread like a caveman would a club! Pattern below by Why Not Stitching).
Tailored for Your Pace
Another perk is the flexibility to stop and start and work at your own pace. As homeschooling multitaskers our life is wonderfully crazy. Carving out dedicated focus for a task might be a challenge for you too, so stitching is a perfect grab and go craft for the 2 little minutes you might have. It will be waiting for you saved happily in stitch as you come back to it again and again and you’ll be surprised at the progress you’ve made in those little stolen moments. With my children a little older now they were eager to try it too and have taken to embroidery as easily and joyfully as I have (my youngest at just 9!).
Simple Supplies to Begin
On resources, stitching is feather light! A piece of fabric, a needle and some thread…and you’re set. Of course there are some optional extras that make the process a little smoother if you’re starting to go deeper in but starting simple will give you a feel for the craft with no risk.
A Craft You Can Take Anywhere
The best perk of embroidery? You can take it anywhere you go. Just a few supplies in a wee bag and you can be enjoying that picnic in the park, day at the beach or simply passing the time as you wait on the bus all the more with your stitches in hand. If embroidery has been sitting on your ‘one day’ list, you might find my beginner embroidery guide a helpful place to start. With just a needle, thread, and a little curiosity, you’ll be amazed at what you can create, and how much joy it brings.