Embroidered Pieces From my Mom

I think I've mentioned before that my mom went through quite the crafty phase herself when she was in her mid twenties to early thirties. She and I seem to share the same interests and habits in crafting. Neither of us really craft(ed) with our kids, and we both have a passion for embroidery. I don't mind that my mom didn't craft with us much as kids, because I can see why it was her thing. It's the same reason I don't do much crafting with my kids, especially when it comes to embroidery. That is my sacred, post-kid-bedtime activity. My mom revealed to me that it was a hobby she picked up with she was a young mom (like me) with a long-working-hours husband (like me) and she was trying to keep her hands busy at night when she watched tv so she wouldn't overeat (like ... me!) I love that even though we never really *talked* about craft before, I still managed to evolve into the same craft habits that she had.


A few weeks ago, I was at my sister's house for a playdate with the kids. I walked down her hallway to fetch one of the kiddos, and stopped dead in my tracks when my eyes fell on this old piece of embroidery. I'd completely forgotten it, but as soon as I saw it, memories and feelings from childhood came rushing back. My mom made this for me and it hung in my room for years when I was a little kid. I remember looking at it so much, for so long, studying every stitch.


This was another piece she stitched. I can't remember if this was in my sister's room or my room, but again - it brought back floods of memories. I remember looking at these pieces with such focused attention, taking in every color and shape and stitch. They were so familiar to me once I saw them again that I can't believe they had ever slipped to the far reaches of my mind where I forgot them for a while.


I love these pieces, not because they are "kitchsy" or "vintage" looking. That's fun and all, but I love the memories of knowing them so well. And now that I know more about why and when my mom made them, I love having that new connection to them. It makes me want to make more things like this for my kids, and to not worry so much if they seem excited about them now. I have a feeling that if they land in their houses decades from now, my kids will have the same loving connection as I have with these.