The Fun of Stitching

"I'll stitch a picture of a fennec fox for my animial research project." One day Rebecca told Mommy. She found a piece of white fabric and started to draw a picture of a fennec fox on it. After she was done Mommy helped her cut out the fabric and install it on an embroidery hoop. Then Rebecca started to stitch the picture using yellow and brown threads.

When Mommy was a little girl there were not many activities for her to do at her spare time. One activity she did was stitching shoe pads. The shoe pads were to be put inside the shoes to make the shoes more comfortable. They needed to be stitched to be more durable. This job was taken by girls and married women at Mommy’s village. They used color threads and stitched all kinds of patterns on the shoe pads. Every shoe pad was definitely a craft. Mommy doesn’t know if they still stitch show pads nowadays, but at that time it was very popular. On winter days when they were not busy in the fields, a few girls sat together stitching shoe pads or knitting sweaters. They talked and shared their secrets. It was a good way to spend time when there was no TV and internet. Mommy didn’t remember she ever finished any pair of shoe pads that were used by anybody. Probably she just did it for fun and didn’t make any usable products.

About one year ago Rebecca got interested in stitching, which made Mommy think of her childhood and shoe pads stitching. Mommy bought Rebecca some embroidery supplies. Her first product was a bible verse “Everything is possible with God.” Mommy put it in a photo frame which now is hung on the wall in the kitchen. Rebecca has finished the picture of a fennec fox. Now she is working on a little patch of a dolphin.

To the people who don’t like to stitch, it is kind of boring. However, to the people who like it, it is fun. At the time of completion when they look at the product they have made they feel proud of themselves. They also learn a lot of things from stitching. They learn how to use patterns and colors. Their fingers become more flexible. A lot of stitches make a product. They learn to be patient and hopeful, too. Their character somehow is trained.

"You could be a surgeon when you grow up because you are so good at stitches." Mommy likes to tease Rebecca. Mommy thinks a surgeon does the similar thing - cutting and stitching. The difference is a surgeon does that on human body instead of on fabric.