Intense But Rewarding

Micah

W.

Sidney

This week I taught a lesson on embroidery to my art classes. I have thought about trying this for a few months, but finally figured out a project I thought would work. This is what you need:

*embroidery needles-I used size 5 

*embroidery floss-I used three strands of white. For simplicity, we only used one color and I had these split from the six strands the night before.

*felt, pre-cut scraps-felt is firm enough to stitch without stretching, and is inexpensive and does not ravel

*scissors-to snip the thread

We learned three basic stitches: running stitch, back stitch and laisy daisy stitch. I also brought examples of embroidery for them to see: a book, dish towels, pillow cases, stuffed animals, bookmarks, finger puppets, seasonal decorations. I also brought my collection of embroidery floss to show them the range of colors you can use. After demonstrating the stitches, the kids could practice while I assisted those that needed more help. My largest class has 12 students.

I felt this was an important lesson. It is good for eye/hand coordination, it is highly creative, and it is a traditional art practiced in many cultures. We talked about sewing and tailoring, and pointed out that many fashion designers were/are men (movies). Next week the kids will decorate larger felt pieces as they wish, and then we will sew them into  pocket tissue holders.