I took my embroidery kit to the archery range on Sunday to work on a new t-shirt that says 'Hypnotist' on it. I'm using waste canvas to keep the text straight (hopefully). Then after the word is done I'm going to put flowers all around it in embroidery and scraps of lace and a few scattered beads.
While I had my embroidery box there, I taught my friend Paige how to do chain stitch, lazy daisy stitch, French knots, stem stitch, split chain stitch and backstitch. Learning on felt is easy on the eyes and the hands. She picked it up straight away. A few hours spent learning basic embroidery can open up a whole new world. You can use it to embellish beadwork, decorate a purse, make a headband more posh, and cover stains on things that still have a lot of wear left in them.
Or you can stitch words that express your political, religious, or anarchist views on life. The sky is the limit really. I learned when I was a kid. It's definitely something you can do if you are homeschooling too. You can embroider everything from tea towels to bloomers. And it's a blessing if you need to make a gift for someone with an unusual name when you can't find their name on anything in the mall.
Beaded embroidery
