Everyone's Got to Start Somewhere...

Hello my friend!

If I told you that we're already in September and that back to school is done, would you believe me? But where has the summer gone? I regret that it doesn't last longer, don't you?

To start this new part of the year, I've concocted a mini-series of articles for you on embroiderers. I had fun defining what exactly an embroiderer was to try to understand us a little better!

This is part of this week:

In the Beginning

As the title suggests everyone has to start somewhere, and this is true in all areas of life, not just for embroidery!

Personally I started to embroider at a very young age with my maternal grandmother (if you haven't read my story yet it's here: https://bit.ly/2NKdXzK), not cross stitch though but canvas. I still have the stitched piece somewhere ... pink roses on black aida canvas ... a little kitsch nowadays but there was only that on offer at the time. She showed me how to stitch a half-stitch and I was away .. I loved it!

Example of my first canvas!

• When did you start, where and how?
• Who showed/taught you? At school maybe or with a family member?
• How did you live that experience?
• What feelings are evoked when you think about it?

After that I didn't stitch for a while, but the gestures were learnt and the day I took it back up it was like riding a bike..you just don't forget ...


The Importance of the Beginning

There is nothing more special, or rewarding than making someone want to take up embroidery. I'm proud when a young woman or teenager asks me "Is embroidery easy" or "Can you show me how?"
In my 15 years of doing shows I've met many embroiderers of all levels, and I think that initiating a beginner to embroidery fills me with the most happiness.

It's something we, seasoned embroiderers, should teach, bequeath, pass on to the next generations. Even more now, that there are no more embroidery classes at school. There are not enough young girls or boys who embroider. Just show them, accompany them a little and the seed is planted!

Have you already shown/initiated the young people of your family, in the art of embroidering?

• How did they react?
• How did you feel?
• Have you given them your embroidery virus?
• Do they still embroider today?

Definition of an Embroidery Beginner

I found these definitions on the internet about embroiderers:

"Woman realising patterns on a fabric with thread and needle, embroidery."
"Worker, stitcher doing embroidery work."

La Brodeuse, painting by Franz Xaver Simm.

For me, a beginner in embroidery is someone creative and interested and she's rather brave! It's a long embroidery journey with quite distinct stages of evolution, which I'll share with you all along this series of articles.

She is someone who is eager to learn and use her hands to create art with a needle.
She's someone who is lucky to be able to access the soothing and meditative virtues of embroidery.

We must encourage our children and grand children to stitch!

See you soon for more, and the next step!

Please feel free to share this article on your social networks!
I'd be very happy to read your answers to your questions, and to know your opinions in the comments;)

Happy Stitching!

Melanie

xxxxxx