Update on embroidery piece

This class and this assignment has taught me so many things. I am grateful that I got to take this class with you, Future. I have learned that there is an excellent resource/book on crafts that I can use in my classroom, that a great deal of time needs to be taken with embroidery if you’re doing a French knot, that Crafts in America is an awesome tool for educating myself AND my students, that crafts have gone through many stages throughout its existence, and that my fingertips can only take so many pokes with a needle!

My piece didn’t turn out quite like I’d envisioned. I think to fill the entire space like I’d initially thought, it would have taken nearly a month! The knotting takes so long! Although it isn’t what I’d planned, I am really pleased with the experience and eager to try again. I am happy I didn’t resort to something that I’m already comfortable with.

I noticed that I tend to do spirals in my artwork a lot. I don’t know why I do that or where it came from, but organic shapes are much more appealing to me. This form reminds me a lot of the Maori in New Zealand. They have this amazing plant there, the koru, and they often incorporate the spiral of the leaves into their artwork.

I know it sounds silly, but I quite like how the back of the fabric looks on the side with all the knots and cross overs. I think the randomness of it is more interesting to me. I would like to continue with this project and add patching of other fabrics that compliment it. I have even pushed several of my students to try embroidery, and a great number of them love it and find it relaxing! This is something that I will definitely continue with in my won work and with my students, as well. One of my students just got a medal today for one of the crafts pieces I had him do for our district art show. He’s my too-cool-for-school kid, so it made me very happy that he won and that he was proud of himself.

Thank you so much again for everything. This was awesome.