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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

A Quiet Afternoon

embroidering

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Ernie came to me with a few yards of fabric, and an armful of my most colorful spools of Gutterman thread, asking to "draw with thread."  I wish you could have seen how she lit up when I carefully stretched a piece of fabric into  a hoop, and showed her my boxes of embroidery floss.  She picked out a dozen of her favorite colors, piled them into an old basket, and started "drawing" with her thread, all straight lines, all different colors.  Mimi chose her own colors, and criss-crossed her own hooped fabric with yards of embroidery floss and a sharp needle- this project has kept the girls busy for the better part of two days now, in their spare time.  Every few minutes they come back to me with a needle and a new color of floss, and I string them up.

I've had to bite my tongue to keep from "helping" Ernie.  Does it really matter if she's cutting off the thread, so close to the fabric, without knotting it?  No.  Does it really matter that she doesn't care if the knotted end of the thread is in front or back?  No.  When she says it's finished, I'll help her glue it onto a piece of cardboard to put into a picture frame, so it can't unravel, but I love seeing her create and dream and work so hard.  

6 comments:

Ticia said...

I need to let the kids try drawing with thread too.

Teresa said...

wonderful pictures...love the idea of drawing with thread.... I will need to get some supplys to have on hand so my little grandchildren can do this.
Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

This is wonderful!

Erin said...

what a fabulous idea! Post the finished products!

Su said...

Just adorable! I'm trying to picture my oldest child drawing with thread..... nah, can't do it. But she'd happily chat with you on and on and on!

Alexandra said...

This is wonderful! My daughter would love to try this....been thinking about it.