Monday, October 09, 2006

Because ninety-three hobbies is exactly one hobby too few

My partner-in-crime and I took a Freeform Embroidery class at the Stitch Cafe's new Artisan Studio yesterday.

We learned a lot, and we remembered some things. Mostly, we remembered that we really shouldn't be in "formal" situations together. I think you might agree.

(Disclaimer: The following will be annoying to anyone who knows the history of embroidery, or different styles of embroidery. It might, however, appeal to those with pervy minds. To the former I apologize, and to the latter, I humbly submit the following.)

The instructor started the class by reviewing materials, resources, and the many different kinds of embroidery techniques. When she said "a Brazilian" the first time, we had a little chuckle. Ha ha, a Brazilian. She went on to say "Brazilian" about a brazillion times, and we continued to be pleased and amused.

Imagine our delight, then, when the instructor said, "With the Brazilian, you really need a needle with a (some size) head." Ha HA! Don't ask us what size head is appropriate for the Brazilian, because we were so pleased that she'd used Brazilian and head in the same sentence that we stopped listening altogether and almost peed our pants!

(For those not familiar, a Brazilian is a kind of bikini wax where all the hair - ALL the hair - is removed. Brazilian! And "head"? Well, I'll leave that one up to you.)

So, it's like we're twelve. Only we're doctors. And in reality, we weren't peeing our pants, we were just kicking each other under the table.

Anyway, here's where I am so far on my cute little sampler. The pattern in the fabric is a little more subtle in person.


We learned the backstitch, fishbone stitch, French knot, and the Brazilian bullion and cast-on stitches. We also learned to make silk ribbon flowers.


Purty.

I'd like to make a commitment here, though, not to get all caught up in crazy quilting, where you make a quilt and then embellish it with embroidery and what not. Because while 93 hobbies is one too few, 95 is downright pathological.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I once met a woman in Portugal who tried to show me how to do a French Knot. I got a stitch in my side, though, and we had to give it a rest. I think we saw a movie, or something, instead.

L.B. Bloom

Anonymous said...

Reminds me of a story where one of my friends joined the gardening club, and the speaker kept referring to double-headed peonies! Beautiful embroidery.