Embroidery

If you want to clear your mind, embroidery is the perfect mindfulness activity. Why not give some of the embroidery projects in this article a go?

Jazz up your old jeans or repair a hole in your favourite pair of trousers by adding a little bit of decoration.

Trendy

Embroidery is back in fashion, but it’s been around for centuries. These days there are lots of bags, shirts and blouses around with detailed patterns and eye-catching designs. In the past, people used needles made from bones and thread made from natural materials. Today, embroidered clothing doesn’t have to be expensive, but it used to only be affordable for people in the higher social classes.

An original postcard

You can turn your favourite holiday photos into little works of art by embroidering over part of the picture. Print your photo out and then use a pencil to punch a grid of little holes over part of it. Then embroider this part with cross stitch. It’s a great way to make your picture look a bit more abstract. You can stick it to a piece of card and hang it up, or send it as a postcard.

Make your clothing more original and more personal by adding your own pattern to your sneakers, for example.

So simple

Buy it here

If you’ve never tried embroidery before, it’s a good idea to start simple. The easiest stitch is cross stitch, and you’ll need some Aida fabric. You can see the little squares clearly with this fabric, so you can make nice, neat crosses. The size of the squares, also known as the count, is usually printed on the packaging. The higher the number, the finer the fabric and the smaller the crosses will need to be.