I chose to embroider. This experience was meditative, repetitive, rhythmic, kinesthetic, and sensory. I enjoyed feeling the tension of the cloth, hearing the thread pull through the fabric. There was a cognitive, planning component, as I had to plan out a scene or image, like a painting. I had to make decisions about placement, color, space, texture, shape. I chose to create a scene of a farmland from above. I saw something similar online and was inspired by the concept of creating such a painting-like, modern image with an old fashioned art form. As I worked, I reflected on the image. Scenes from the air bring up a lot of feelings in me: nostalgia, loss, excitement, change, fear. I grew up moving from country to country, always by plane. The aerial view was always the last glimpse I had of a home. It was always my first glimpse of a new one. This was not something I had intended before I started. Because sewing takes so much time, there is opportunity for perceptive and affective experience as the maker mindfully reflects on what is being created. There is more space for memory, emotion, and story and rich detail to emerge. Additionally, it allowed for relationship building. Because of the clean, transportable nature of embroidery, I could work it in the living room, spending time with my family. It is another skill that is often passed down generationally, so there was opportunity for my mom to give me tips and pass down her knowledge. All of our readings discussed in different ways how sewing is a way to tell stories. Craft in Art Therapy discussed how sewing is a way to document and a way to create communal belongingness and cultural affiliation (Leone, 2020).
I lived in South Sudan for a period of time, and women in our village often got together to embroider, chat, catch up. When the war came, many people in our village were displaced and moved to refugee camps in Uganda. They lost their homes, their loved ones, their culture, their way of life. I saw recently that some women started embroidery groups in their camps. It provided a way to rebuild community, be with others, rekindle old traditions, and teach the next generation traditional craft.
This made me curious about the benefit of embroidery and sewing for older adults with anxiety disorders. It provides a way for older people to pass on their knowledge and connect with others when they feel isolated. Embroidery can be a form of legacy art, leaving something of yourself for your loved ones. It also takes time, allowing older adults to reflect on their lives and tell their stories. The repetitive, rhythmic nature may also be helpful for people with anxiety disorders because it provides something to do with the hands. There is a release of anxious energy and something else to focus on.
Reference:
Leone, L. (Ed.). (2020). Craft in Art Therapy: Diverse Approaches to the Transformative Power of Craft Materials and Methods. Routledge.
