How I started? Typical “Sz” style. My mother and aunt (who was living with us temporarily) embroidered. Auntie was untidy (she isn’t blood related, so that isn’t where I got it) and left her stuff in the common areas. Being a curious 2 year old, I played in it. After repeated warnings to both Aunt and me, Ma gave up and bought me my VERY OWN hoop and printed design and threads. No, I do not have any of those works of art. I wish I did, so I could see my progress. 😉
I had stubby nosed scissors, as I couldn’t be trusted with the pointy ones. So we 3 embroidered together. I loved the feeling of the threads running through my fingers then, and I still do now.
Stitching is very therapeutic for me. I truly block out extraneous sounds, and zone in on the project.
I started counted cross stitch again, after marrying Bill. He was fine with my “hobby”, and it slowly became over reaching! 🙂 I got very ill (Legionaries) and made a very slow recovery. After 3 months, I mentioned that I might be able to sit up and do a bit of stitching IF my eyes weren’t so “bad”. Bill went out that day, and coerced the store owner into loaning him a Luxo magnifying lamp while she waited for delivery of one he ordered. Brought it home, set it up by my chair, and I stitched my way back to health.
I made some of my own clothing through high school and college. And I helped my mother with tailoring – threads, again. My grandmother was a talented needlewoman. She tatted, quilted, crocheted, and sewed. (She nor I could ever figure out how to work those two needles, and talk, so we don’t knit!) Grandmother taught all of her children, boys and girls, and my father continued in some form all of his life, before a stoke rendered him paralyzed on his dominant side. He did counted thread pieces, but hated doing the backstitching that gave it some definition. So, we tag teamed several pieces. I still have them, and treasure them beyond measure. While I was his evening care giver, I couldn’t leave the room long enough to sew any project, so I took to my embroidery in a different fashion. I practiced bouillon roses on all my (and mother’s) tank tops and undershirts. I still have some of those! And taught myself Silk Ribbon Embroidery. After his death, I went back to sewing.
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I signed up for a vest class at “In The Beginning Fabrics” with Lorraine Torrance. After reading over the supply list, I called to find out if I had to bring a sewing machine, as mine was a cabinet model. Yes, you need a machine, HOWEVER, I have an extra I can bring for you for the class, and down the rabbit hole I went. Bernina machines and quilting. Never looked back! I have been blessed with some wonderful teachers and mentors!
Went into QuiltWorks Northwest in Bellevue Washington, looking for some fabric to finish a vest. The manager, Debi Scott, liked my worked and asked if I would like to make samples for the shop…..and then come to work part time, then full time. And like they say, that’s the rest of the story.
What inspires me? I become God-struck by color, texture and patterns. I see them everywhere I look.
