Why the Needlecrafts & Textiles Fascinate Me
There’s something so grounding in practicing crafts that are passed down from generation to generation.
It makes you feel connected to history, and to the people who love (or, at least, put up with) you.
Growing up, I could barely sew a button.
Meanwhile, my grandmother made everyone’s clothes, sewed everything from curtains to comforters, and crafted all sorts of holiday kitsch, samplers, embroidery kits, crochet afghans, and the like.
My other grandma was a crocheting machine - perfectly precise and impressively prolific - and made more needlepoint crafts and ornaments than any 300 grandmas… combined.
And let’s not forget Great Grandma Del Papa, who rocked the lace and doilies.
It wasn’t until just within these last several years
that I truly forged my own relationship with sewing.
In fact, I only got behind the foot pedal of a sewing machine because I couldn’t find curtains I liked, gave up looking, and ordered fabric to make my own. Grandma G. gave me a crash course on her antique, 3 million pound, flip-top, Singer workhorse; that sewing machine can sew through ANYTHING.
Thanks to her, I enjoyed the process, and got it in my head to sew some mini Christmas stockings as gifts. Grandma and I tag teamed it, had a blast, and I was hooked.
Over the years, I came to her with a variety of projects, and we enjoyed problem solving for each one. When she passed, I inherited her two sewing machines, plus an inspiring collection of needlecraft goodies - everything from bias tapes and embroidery flosses, to crochet hooks and enough thread to sink the Titanic. Using them each day makes me feel like she’s still a part of my crafting.
There’s a lot to love about this art form.
First and foremost, it’s hyper-textural. You’ll find a lot of “ooo… I want to touch that!” in needlecraft and textiles. Happily, you usually not only can, but really SHOULD. If you want an art form that makes you feel hugged, this is the one.
It’s also worth marveling at how these crafts, born from utility, have transformed so quickly into transcendent art forms… while still retaining their function! How outstandingly cool is it to create fine art that you can USE?!
There really is something for everyone here. Timid and aimless? Bring your meandering back to center with a simple unicorn latch hook kit. Type A and tense? Lighten up with a loose and abstract rug hooking session. Love an epic challenge? Petit point can be your grail.
So, yeah… go ahead, and paint with thread. Wrap yourself in yarn. Express yourself in fabric. Stitch yourself into your creations, and know that what you’re really creating is a legacy and a link between past, present, and future. That’s heady stuff, right there.
Who in your life has introduced you to the textile arts? How did you become inspired to try needlecraft? Please share your story in the comment section below!
