The Intersection of Design & Motherhood
By Koseli.
This incredible embroidery work by Max Colby amazes me. He uses found fabric, handmade paper, embroidery floss, and other miscellany to create stunning framed art and sculpture. It’s some of the most unique handiwork I’ve seen. His book would make a beautiful coffee table book.
I’m curious. Do you sew, knit, crochet, or enjoy other needlework? Who taught you?
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My name is Gabrielle Blair. I'm a designer and mother of six. We currently live in a farmhouse in the French countryside. I post on where design and motherhood intersect.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
When I was about 13 my mom said, “Hey, what if you sewed all your own clothes this year!?” Cool right? I finished one badly fitting shirt and told my mom I’d rather go naked. hehe.
Ha! I admire people who sew their own clothes.
I crochet and embroider and recently learned to knit. I come from a LONG line of women who did needlework. And I’m happy that my mom taught them to me. There’s something about making things with your hands AND having them be something useful and practical.
And with this artwork, I also LOVE how artists are taking what was disparaged as “craft” and taking it to another level. Just beautiful. I wonder how many of our ancestors would have created work like this if they had the chance…
“Craft” is whatever you make it. It seems traditional craft forms are on the up and up, but also there’s craft-mash-ups everywhere. Like embroidery on paper, or Max Colby’s use of many different materials. It’s awesome to see.
I have tried most of them. The only one i really even touch on a semi regular basis is sewing. My mom taught me- she is AMAZING.
What beautiful work! I knit, sew, and crochet. My grandmother taught me to crochet and I taught myself to knit and sew. I want to learn to spin and weave. You know, to round out my needle arts skills, lol.
You’re deadly, Dee. :)
I learned cross-stitch from my mom, and sewing in Home Ec in middle school. (Oh, how I wish they still required Home Ed and Industrial Arts in schools today.) Now it’s crewel that I love.
Crewel is so beautiful! I love it so much but don’t know much about it.
Inspiring. I want to try this.
Mom taught me to sew when I was a kid, but I stink at it for the most part. I adore crochet and I taught myself from a book. I thought it must be so easy for everyone if I could learn from a book, but it appears that it is a God-given talent since many of my friends find it confusing.