Threads have a special place in our lives.May it be the button sewing process that our grand mothers undertook for our grandfathers or the usage of thread by our mothers for tying 'bittergaurd/karelas' while cooking a sumptuous meal for us. In one place it has existed in the form of 'Mouli' that has been adorning our hands during all Pujas and festive rituals and on the other hand been there as 'Rakhis' symbolizing that strong bond between brothers and sisters. As children we have also played with ropes in 'Tug of War' and seen immense dedication of our domestic helps as they dried our clothes on those ropes.
We all have been there and used strings,threads and ropes for many a functions that stick with us even today as we live away from our parents in distant corners of the world.
All our loved ones have done some kind of art and crafts for us using threads ..an age old craft that lies in our cupboards...on our sofas... on our beds.... on our shoulders.... in our purses and in all the possible corners of our house. The art of HAND EMBROIDERY. My mother and sisters have done it for me and shown their immense love in a material form, as their love cant be measured otherwise.
During Vrinda's first year I thought of using the same craft for her and make something memorable. Thats when I decided to go on tube and learn hand embroidery. Thought was to make something for her each year with a collection of that year's memories on the product. And since it was the first year, I zeroed on her "Names". Now all of us have a "formal name" and a "nick name", but then, we are also called by "love names". These are the names that our 'Nanis', 'Dadis', 'Uncles', 'Aunts' and parents call us with - names attached with love and affection. Vrinda also had such names, and a lot many of them.
Aim was to document all her names at one place. So I picked up a white sheet and started my first year embroidery project.
Weeks and months went by and my work started to come together.
I tried picking up motifs that would appeal to her in my opinion, and colors that would attract her towards it. I took inspiration from her things, like her frocks and shoes.
One by one each name took its place on the sheet as if they were always meant to be there.
I was gaining confidence and expertise with time. I wanted to learn more as I maneuvered my way through new stitches and techniques.
At the same time with each new pattern coming along, I could realize the time and effort my loved ones had put into something like this when they made it for me.
The flowers, the names, the colors, the combinations...all of them display the essence of my feelings while making it. I had never been happier while creating something.
As I finished making my Love's first birthday gift, my happiness had no bounds imagining the time (in future), when Vrinda would actually realize the worth of this gift from her mother.
And now its time to start work on my next embroidery project as a gift for her second birthday, and what that would be...you will have to wait and watch ! :-) I am already short of time!
