The Secret to Happiness Embroidery

Why embroidery? Have you ever found something you can become completely lost in? I’m not talking lost as in ‘Where am I?’ - I mean that moment where your breath slows down and your mind escapes to another place. That’s what happens to me when I pick up a needle and begin stitching. It’s meditative. That’s the very thing that keeps me coming back for more and staying up past midnight drinking cups of tea.

Have you tried any other crafts? I’ve always been a girl who likes to try new things, so I’ve played with many different types of arts. Most of them were either messy, dusty or noisy (sometimes all three). There is one other art form that allows my mind to imagine anything is possible, and that’s drawing. You only need two things: blank paper and a pencil. Minimalist art, maximum mindfulness.

Who taught you your crafting skills? Ella (my nan) was a beautiful dressmaker, although she never got the chance to see me designing and sewing. I often wonder what creations she would have made with my fabrics. I still remember tiptoeing my way through her sewing room, dodging stray pins in the carpet. I learnt sewing basics, both machine and hand stitching, at Sacred Heart College in the ’80s, but most I what I know today has been self-taught. You can also learn much from your mistakes so a quick unpick is always close by for reverse sewing.

What’s your advice to other stitchers? (1) It’s not a race. (2) Go at your own pace. (3) It’s very easy these days to be overwhelmed by all the pretty things on Instagram and Pinterest, so don’t compare yourself with anyone else – no one is on the same journey as you. (4) Allow yourself to take time out when it stops being fun - create when you can and do what makes you happy; it will reflect in your sewing.

What does this craft mean to you? Drawing and designing allows me to escape into my imagination. I can’t imagine life without. I breathe it, love it.