Discoveries and Embroideries

They say you learn something new every day. Well, I probably do, but today I learned some unexpectedly new things about myself. I'm not sure exactly how this came about--oh, yes, I am.

If you're my kind, wonderful mother, please don't read any further until after Christmas. =)

For everyone else out there:

Every year at Christmas time, my brothers and I make gifts for Mom and Dad. Rarely do we purchase them. This year, I decided to make something for Mom, so I bought the supplies and petted them and loved them and practically drooled over them until I decided that this gift would actually suit a dear sweet friend of mine much better than it would suit my mother. That dear sweet friend shall remain unnamed because I suspect that she reads my blog. So I created something that I love to give to someone that I love, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process. In my opinion, that's what creating things (especially gifts) is all about.

Well, after creating that something for that someone, I needed a new gift idea for my mother. I contemplated this dilemma and came up with a few general qualifications: The gift had to be quick and easy, because I don't have time to be elaborate before leaving for California. Or, it could be something that I could finish in the van. The gift had to be something interesting, out of the ordinary, and wonderful. And then I remembered a book of darling cross-stitch patterns that my cousin mailed to me, knowing that I would thoroughly enjoy them. They are sweet, out of the ordinary, wonderful, and small (i.e. quick). Perfect! They fit all my criteria, so I set off on my Quest to find the booklet. I looked everywhere. I even pulled everything out of my closet to look in a box in the back corner. And I couldn't find the booklet!

Now, I know it's my own fault for being so very disorganized, but I was really disappointed. The only way I will ever be able to find them is to go through everything and majorly organize my serenely green bedroom. Of course, I don't have time for this, and I was quite dejected to find that my perfect Idea had blown away with the wintry wind.

By now, I've certainly bored you all to tears, but I'm enjoying my writings, and I don't think I'll stop just yet...

During my Quest for the booklet, I stumbled upon a large bag of fabric scraps, embroidery floss, needles, beads, and other delightful sewingy things. I was putting them away this morning, and I stumbled across a little project that I never finished. It was an adorable red felt Scottie dog, and I was making it to go in a hope chest (er, box), along with a darling pair of infant socks with a purple lace edging which I crocheted. This wee puppy was made with a pattern from the Internet, and it reminded me of a website filled with adorable crafty things. I visited the website and looked at my favorite section--Embroidery. The website reminded me of a book that I forgot I owned. I opened the book--and then, I was Inspired.

Somehow, embroidery projects, when photographed tastefully and beautifully, catch my eye, sending me into all sorts of embroidering fantasies. An Idea popped into my head--I would embroider something for Mom's Christmas gift! I had all the supplies, so I wouldn't even have to venture outside my cozy home into the howling, frenzied wilderness of the shopping mall at this time of year. This Idea, I knew, was even more perfect than the last perfect idea!

Therefore, I rummaged through the bag of sewingy things, and ended up with a soft square of well-worn denim from an old pair of jeans (I'm so glad I chopped them up instead of throwing them out!), a square of mauve-rose fabric with little rosebuds on it, and six colors of embroidery floss. I picked out a pretty pattern from the book, transferred it to the denim, and began to sew:




This is the center. The starry-shaped thing is satin stitched, and the bumps in the middle are French knots. I love making French knots--perhaps because it took me so long to learn. I reap so much satisfaction out of creating a perfect French knot!



Then I added three claret-colored petals. These are also satin-stitched. In the northeastern corner of the photograph you can see the background fabric.

I forgot to mention that my brothers are wonderful. I have been so delighted to be embroidering that I've acted rather strangely. I was reading (er, drooling over) my embroidery book in the kitchen while Daniel was eating lunch, and I showed him some of the pictures, rhapsodizing about embroidery the entire time. To his credit, he actually seemed interested in what I had to say! He probably thinks I'm losing my marbles, but he hides it well.

Well, I need to embroider the denim some more before I post new pictures, so I'll blog them later.

Oh, I nearly forgot the discovery! This is what I discovered: I love embroidery. Embroidery somehow fills a desire in me, a desire to create something beautiful, something useful, and something worthwhile. I am enjoying it so much, and I can't wait to enjoy it further. Also, I love embroidery even more when I photograph it! Embroidery is relaxing, feminine, pretty, charming, delightful, useful, and great. And I love it.

I'm off to drink tea, eat a cookie, and embroider some more! I wish you all the best of Saturdays. Or Fridays. Is it Friday still? Well, I think it feels like a Saturday. Therefore, I get two in a row! This hasn't happened to me since Thanksgiving!

What do you love?