Hello friends!
If you're here, it's because you're curious to learn more about how my embroidery journey began. Well, let me share the story with you :)
It all started in February 2021. I had recently moved to Bologna for university studies and was sharing a house with two friends, Silvia and Marta. Around that time, my boyfriend, Michele, was completing his master's degree in Milan and was gearing up for his thesis defense towards the end of the month.
Eager to mark this special occasion in a unique way, I decided to create a handmade gift – something that would serve as a meaningful reminder of this significant moment in his life. I've always had a fondness for handmade gifts; they carry an extra personal touch. In this instance, I wanted to craft something linked to Michele's studies in molecular biology and bioinformatics. Thus, the idea of embroidering a DNA molecule on a t-shirt emerged. Something along these lines:
I wasn't exactly an expert at embroidery – my best had been sewing on a button – but I was ready to test myself. I watched some video tutorials on YouTube and got the necessary materials to start my project at the little shop near my house.
The embroidery process was immediately an exciting and revelatory journey; I discovered the beauty of the repetitiveness of gestures, the sound of the thread passing through the fabric, and the tranquility that arises from concentration on manual work. No thoughts or worries, just the emotion of seeing the idea come to fruition with my hands. An emotion that, to be honest, I still feel today, every time I start a new project. After about six hours of intensive work (yes, I was much slower than now) the result was surprisingly rewarding. The t-shirt was exactly how I imagined it, maybe even better!
The emotion of delivering the gift to Michele was uncontrollable, and his reaction was one of great appreciation.
This first embroidery project was not only a gift for Michele, but also for myself, because it represented the beginning of a passion without which I would be a different person today.
From then on, a month passed before I found time to start embroidering again. But when I did it the second time, I didn't stop: I decided to open my Instagram page dedicated to embroidery, starting a journey that I share with you today. But that's another story...
If you want to know more behind the scenes of my adventure, let me know in the comments!
Thanks for sticking around :)
A big hug to Silvia, Marta and Michele if you are reading.
Simona