I created a worry doll and an embroidery. I did both because while very similar, felt very different. I am having a hard time describing the two separately, even though the processes felt completely different. While these two acts of sewing fall into the percpetual and cognitive for me interchangeably, it really was dependent on what I did with the sewing and not the act of sewing itself. Embroidery was very much repetitive and rhythmic once the design was created. I drew directly onto the fabric “defund the police” and followed my handwriting. It was a low-level design pattern and low frustration level. I could do this while I watched television. Yet, the slogan I chose, a popular one these days, also allowed this to be a socially conscious project. The worry doll involved more of a skill level. I had to create the pattern, cut it out, trace the design onto fabric, cut the fabric out, sew along the edges and I had to be careful that I did not miss sewing both edges together. When I tried to turn the pattern inside out, it wouldn’t flip because I sewed too much of it together, so I left it. I was still able to stuff it with stuffing but had to use a pencil to get the stuffing evenly dispersed within the doll. The worry doll project definitely involved more cognitive ability. Additionally, when I think of the material of sewing fabric, it is very much a resilient material. A few limitations would be sharp needles, lack of mobility in the hands in which one could use hot glue or fabric glue, however this would not be a sewing project.
I think in doing two very different sewing projects I was able to understand the expansive nature of sewing versus knitting. The complexity of sewing can be scaled to meet the skill level of a population, making it accessible to all ages. For instance, I am choosing to use sewing with adults who have the neurodevelopmental disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Adults with this disorder tend to have restricted repetitive behaviors, as well as challenges with social interaction and often struggle with verbal communication. For this reason, I believe adults with ASD would be really great at sewing due to the repetitiveness nature of it. If embroidery was the sewing project they could think of a phrase or quote they like and embroider it as a form of communicating what is important to them. This could also ignite some emotional responses pertaining to the slogan. They could do this in a group and share why they chose this quote, which would assist them in improving their social skills. In thinking about limitations, one would need to consider pointy needles and acquire the more thick, dull pointed embroidery needles even when doing normal sewing tasks like mending a pair of clothing or doing what I did, which was a worry doll. The worry doll originated in Guatemala, and are handmade dolls created for children to tell their worries and fears. Because those with ASD have a hard time communicating their feelings, this would allow them to organize or compartmentalize their worrying thoughts with an object. Further, in choosing to use something more cognitive for those who struggle with ASD symptoms and behaviors, this would allow a bit of education surrounding emotions. One might ask, “how did this process make you feel? Were there uncomfortable moments or moments of frustration? What parts did you enjoy and how did that make you feel (Hinz, 2016)?"
Hinz, L. D. (2019). Expressive therapies continuum: A framework for using art in therapy. New York, NY. Routledge.
