A friend commented the other day that she would find it very difficult to actually *use* embroidered items like my tablecloth or handtowel, because she’d be too worried that they would be damaged. Let’s clear up a possible misconception here: I don’t use most of them either! 🙂
If you walked into my house and looked around, apart from the piles of fabric and partially completed projects in my office, you would have no idea that I design and make embroidery for a living. Most of my embroidery lives in a cupboard! Because I used to work as a picture framer, our walls are full, so there’s no display room there.
Several years ago we purchased a new lounge suite, having spent many years living with (ugly!) hand-me-down lounges. It was the first time I felt that the lounges were worthy of displaying any of my embroidery. We now have a selection of my embroidered cushions on the lounge.
I do use smaller things like scissors cases and needlebooks all the time. I also display ornaments on the tree at Christmas time. I wear embroidered clothing quite happily, though I don’t have much that is embroidered. The rest of my embroidery just lives in the cupboard, waiting to be brought out for classes or craft show displays.
I don’t feel bad about this, because for me a lot of the pleasure is in the making of the item. Some may see it as wasteful – spending all that time and money on something that ends up in a cupboard – but I don’t. You could spend $20 on a movie ticket and enjoy a few hours of entertainment. For me, $20 spent on embroidery supplies would be likely to supply me with many more hours of happy stitching, so I don’t see it as a poor investment.
Do you actually USE many of your embroidered projects? Or do you consider them such a labour of love that they are therefore way too special to be used?
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
I agree with you that the fun is the point of embroidery! I do display my embroidery and quilts on the wall, because I’m not very good at home dec type stuff, so I decorate with quilts and embroidery. I give away a lot–most of the time I don’t much care what happens to the piece after it’s finished.
Sometimes I smock and embroider clothing, so that gets worn by my daughters and nieces. My project for the past couple of months has been a smocked and beaded dress for a niece’s upcoming baptism (like a 1st confirmation).
The only pillow I’ve ever made was a sashiko piece years ago. It’s been on my couch every since, and now it’s pretty threadbare. Just last night I was wishing for a new sashiko kit!
I give most of it away. I’ve been embroidering since I was five, and other than a dresser scarf, had none of my own work until I did the Floral Glove last year. I’ve been making silk cosmetic bags for my nieces and female friends lately, and I make them promise they will USE the things.
I do have two iris cross-stitch pieces on my dining room wall; one done by my aunt, one by my best friend.
Years ago I was shopping with my brother (who always encourages my hobbies, aren’t I lucky!!), and I was um’ing and ah’ing over whether something was too expensive, he immediately said that it was a small price to pay for something that would give me so many hours of enjoyment.
I have some of my hand made doilies out on tables (crochet and tatting, I’m about to make a knitted mat in crochet cotton too), but most finished pieces are like yours Yvette, in a box, they come out for competitions or show and tell. To me, the main thrill is making them too, I have many projects “almost” completed, I think subconsciously I don’t really want to finish them!!
regards
Julie in Australia
Over the years I have collected dresser scaves, doillies, etc. made by my older family members. When you visit my home these things you will find displayed on end tables, chairs etc. The beauty of the needlework should be showed off. I have embroidered, cross stitched, done crewel picutres, pillows etc. Some are displayed and others ae still in a box or drawer just waiting to be finished.
I have some seasonal things that get stored away and brought back out again – it is like displaying something new!
Don’t hide your pieces in a cupboard,box or drawer – finish them and display them – why hide all that work for no one to see?
The true beauty of needlework is showing off your skill.
The self satisfacion you obtain from seeing your work displayed is fantastic!
Anything usable – made by myself, my mother, either grandmother and an assortment of great aunts – all gets used. It’s pretty much all cotton on cotton or linen so it’s washable, and I like seeing it in use!
I might just add, in my defense for not using any of my embroidery, that I have youngish children, one of whom likes to explore the world through touch!