A story about a girl and her romance with embroidery, lately
I have been dabbling in embroidery lately.
Which is funny because I gave away all my embroidery floss a few months ago.
Overwhelmed by my belongings, I impulsively tossed all my materials, thinking “when’s the last time I embroidered?”
In the summer of 2020, actually, with this T-shirt DIY:
During a more recent moment of stillness in July, I added some cutesie trim to this plain shirt I had:
Our newfound interaction sparked some curiosity in me, inspiring this experimental piece…
Then, I remembered this old hat that I desperately needed to change. And hey! Someone embroidered that.
I began to understand the process of undoing alongside my practice of doing.
To reimagine! Letting my instincts free and dreaming abstractly with my new love was so sweet.
Now, in September, our initial flame has died down but many lessons remain. Embroidery challenged my artistic processes as I prefer automatic ones: a broad brush stroke on a white canvas, one stitch that completely changes a garment’s movement.
Still, there is something meditative about the slow meticulousness required for these processes. It’s ancient, rewarding, gentle.
Besides some upper back pain from straining my neck, this romance with embroidery has been fruitful; it feels so loving to learn a new skill by following tutorials and making my own rules.
Most importantly, this time has provided me with a necessary break from my first love: sewing. I’ve been able to set up my new sewing station and fill my mind with fresh ideas for more projects to come.
And it looks like she’s ready for me!
My summer fling with embroidery isn’t going to cease forever. I’m excited to use both of these skills together, adding this experience to my tool box of upcycling methods for new projects to come.
A new love story begins.
XOXO LEXI LEE
First published on Substack. Read it there and subscribe.