So many of the activities I do to relax are done through a screen—watching TV, browsing the Internet, even reading when I opt for an Ebook to avoid having to lug stacks of heavy books to college. Then, of course, there are the obligations I have which also are done through a screen—homework, projects, job searching, etc. It feels like no matter what I do I’m looking at a screen. Sometimes I just want a break for my eyes, or I want to do something tangible.
Over the summer, I decided I wanted to learn a new hobby which wouldn’t require looking at a screen. I wanted to learn to do something. I wanted to get my hands on something and interact with the physical world. Occasionally while scrolling mindlessly on TikTok, I’d see videos of people embroidering, and I became intrigued. These people were creating beautiful pieces of artwork or embellishing items like clothes and bags using just a needle and colorful floss. I decided to give embroidery a try.
I started by ordering a beginner’s kit on Etsy. It came with a hoop, a needle, some floss, and four squares of fabric pre-printed with markings and guidelines for different stitches. Each piece of fabric had a different level of difficulty. I’ll admit, I had to turn to my phone for help when I first started; I used TikToks to see demonstrations of each stitch and then repeated them on their designated section of the fabric. I very quickly came to love the act of embroidering.
I’m someone who pays a lot of attention to sensory experiences, as well as a person who enjoys repetition, so I’ve found embroidery to be really satisfying. I enjoy the feeling of bringing the needle through the fabric over and over, I enjoy the feeling of victory when I learn a new stitch (looking at you, French knots, my beloved), and I enjoy that it’s a simple, physically repetitive activity that helps clear my mind.
Although I didn’t entirely complete the beginner’s kit, once I felt comfortable with the most common stitches, I moved on to another kit I found at a craft store. This one came with another hoop, fabric, floss, and a pattern of flowers. However, I hadn’t realized the pattern wasn’t pre-printed onto the fabric. I painstakingly copied the pattern onto the fabric by holding the two up against my window so I could trace the pattern. It was a little messy, but once my stitches covered and filled in the pattern, I could barely tell. I felt so proud when I completed embroidering that design and got to see the finished product!
I’ve just started a new kit, also from Etsy, which shows a scene of an owl sitting on a snowy fence. I’m already having fun choosing kits to buy based on the season. I could not be happier to have started embroidering—it gives me something to do that’s fun, relaxing, and hands-on, it’s meditative, and it allows me to be creative. Eventually, I’d like to buy either water-soluble paper or a pen so that I can create my own designs to embroider. If you’re looking for a new hobby to try, I would definitely recommend embroidery.