Hello, sewing friends!  Hope you have a good Memorial Day, in honor of those who sacrificed majorly so we CAN enjoy our long weekends. To them, infinite gratitude and thanks.

I made this tiny sewing project in colors of the flag and metallic gold floss; as well, it helped me realize how rusty my hand embroidery skills are.  Takes me back to a childhood memory…..

I have a vivid memory at about age eight, I think. It was my first day at a new school; when I entered the classroom and settled at my desk, the teacher handed me a white cotton square of fabric, a needle and red embroidery floss.  My first class in the new school was a sewing/embroidery class!!  Yep, they actually taught those things at that school besides the usual curriculum.  On that first day, the teacher traced a flower shape on the white fabric and showed me how to make a stem stitch; my eight year old hands probably couldn’t do a stem stitch, but I managed to outline the printed design with what could only be a lazy-daisy stitch.  I also remember the teacher loving my lazy-daisy stitched flower, and holding it up for other students to see. I’m sure that went well with the other kids who probably resented being one-upped by a newcomer.

That fun memory is etched in my mind!! Was that the beginning of a love for needle and thread? Maybe. But then, my mother was a champ knitter, and her mother was an ace embroiderer. I have a bunch of metallic gold flowers that my great-grandmother was supposed to have made. Maybe these things are inborn.

Back to the rustic mug rug. It came as a kit and has been in my pile of stuff for very long. The “kit” included the already cut main fabric, borders, backing fabric and a pattern ready to be traced. I think the “kit” might be a freebie; hey, it’s charming – well, it did have a sewing machine image, so.  Out it came from the stash, the borders sewn in place, the “machine” traced on, the whole thing hooped and the stem stitch outline worked through, batting, backing and binding added.  Despite the uneven stitches, I love it. It takes me back to that elementary school, lazy-daisy memory.

So here it is (pictured with a mug that describes me perfectly. It’s a gift from my daughter and son-in-law –they know me well).  Excuse me while I go practice the lazy-daisy stitch.

Samina