Last year around this time, I thought my season was gone. I attended tumbling class on a perfectly routine Tuesday in early August since it was required for my sport. I absolutely loved being there to learn new skills and hang out with my friends/teammates. As I went to do a new skill I just learned, I remember falling straight to my knees and hearing a loud crack. The next day I went to practice with a brace and wheelchair. 

I needed a hobby to take my mind off things, and that’s where I found my on-going passion for embroidery. I think the perfectionist in me has allowed these projects to turn out so pretty. I first started very simple by embroidering white linens with a hoop. I would practice different flowers and plants, and I loved doing little animals. I remember watching Youtube videos on different stitches and saving countless TikToks with designs to recreate later. 

As I got the hang of patterns and stitching, I tackled bigger projects. First I saw this photo on Etsy of these cute shoes that had embroidered high tops, but they were all over $100. This inspired me to make my own. This allowed me to keep my mind on what I could do instead of what I couldn’t while I was injured. Despite the fact that the thick fabric caused quite a few pricks in my fingers along the way, these shoes turned out exactly how I wanted them. I love when I get to wear these shoes out and say I did this myself. 

But my ultimate project is my school backpack. I wanted a special keepsake that I could take throughout my career in high school and as a reminder of my time at FVHS. What better way to do that than make something unique out of the item I carry around with me at school everyday? I decided to combine two things I love into this big project. I cannot describe how much I adore the beach and ocean. Although the deep sea does scare me a bit, I am completely drawn in and mesmerized by the beauty of sea life. Whether it be coral reefs, different variety of creatures and animals, even the waves on top. Being prevented to swim because of the brace I had to wear all the time restricted my life. Using the skills that I developed over the past couple months, I made this ocean scene across my backpack with all the elements I love.  

Embroidery allowed me to take my creativity and implement it into things I love and get to use all the time. I was in my own space when I was making different projects and it let me express my imagination in a way I never thought was possible. Even when I knew my season was over, embroidery gave me a new perspective on the millions of things in my life to look forward to.