The after school program I run can be especially challenging, because the ages range from preschool through eighth grade. As the years have gone on, I’ve begun to customize more and more to keep the kiddos engaged after school (and keep me sane!). Last year I taught the older girls how to crochet. This year I decided to tackle embroidery, which is one of my great loves. I thought this would be an especially good activity because the kids could really embroider anything they wanted–and along the way, learn that they can design their own embroidery projects. Even beginning stitchers aren’t confined to a pattern.

A few weeks ago I talked to some of the kids about this, and they got very excited. I explained what embroidery was then asked them to tell me what kind of design they would like for their first project. Each of them gave me directions:

• “BFF” with butterflies
• “Best Friends Forever” with flowers
• A garden with a message for her sister
• An angel
• Dragonflies and a message for her mom

That weekend I worked to design these patterns. I knew the kids were eager to get started, but I wanted to have them practice a bit before they jumped right into their designs. So, I traced a bunch of circles on muslin and brought those in for the kids to get started on. I expected there to be some disappointment that they couldn’t just get started on their designs, but I explained that it would take me a few days to get them all traced. To my surprise, there was no disappointment. They were just so excited to get started.

The older ones (4th, 5th, and 7th-graders) whipped through their circles and did very well. Some of the younger kiddos (1st and 2nd-graders) wanted to try too, so I let them. They surprised me and did very well, though most of them got bored pretty quickly. Though, each of them has come back and continued to work on their circles.

When the older kids finished their circles, I taught them how to make some French knots, and then I got busy doing a project with some of the younger kids. Next thing I know, three of my stitchers were adding to their circles.  Some traced other images onto the fabric; others just did freehand embroidery. Each day, they proudly added aspects to their work. After a week of practice embroidery, we had three very different practice circles: a monogramed “M” with stars and hearts; a monongramed “L” with a name, a heart, and a star; and a cell. I was amazed, inspired, and proud all at the same time. And I wasn’t the only one!

Here I had hoped to, down the road, teach them that embroidery was limitless–they could embroider whatever they were inspired to embroider. But, they didn’t need to be told; they did it all on their own. While I love all of these amazing first embroidery projects, I do have to admit that “The Cell” is my favorite (I know…I’m not supposed to have favorites!). Its stitcher gave it to our science teacher, who I’m sure will treasure it always. After all, she inspired a young stitcher to turn a circle into a cell. Oh, what a piece of fabric, some pearl cotton, and a circle can inspire!