Sarah's Hand Embroidery

Hand Embroidery Stitches . Styles . Inspiration www.embroidery.rocksea.org

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Your first step into the world of paper embroidery! https://youtu.be/Juv5pdRs3jI

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I was named after my grandmother, Sarah. Not immediately, of course. That would have been too simple. 😃

We come from one of the oldest Christian communities with traditions tracing back nearly 2000 years. In this lineage, names are not chosen lightly, but they are inherited. No choice here! Grandchildren are baptised with their grandparents’ names, a tradition so enduring that some families end up with several Sarahs, Annas, Marys, and Elizabeths politely answering to the same name at family gatherings.

That said, parents are also free to ignore to add these names formally (restricting the baptised names to church records only) and choose something very fashionable for the time, which is exactly what my father did.

At the height of the “two-syllable, no-meaning-whatsoever” era, I was named 'Juby'. You would see it in my published books. 😁

I grew up happily unaware that I already had another name waiting in the wings- Sarah, after my maternal grandmother, who was in her nineties and very much alive then. Honestly, when I found out, I wasn’t impressed. 😒 Sarah sounded old. Serious. Sensible. All the things one avoids when young.

Then she passed away.

And suddenly, the name changed.

What once felt outdated became precious. Heavy in the best way. I adopted it as my pseudonym, and when I began my hand embriodery journey, it felt right to let Sarah lead the way. 

Today, Sarah represents lineage to me. Two thousand years of faith, tradition, stories, and quiet strength handed down thru generations. When people ask who Sarah is, I smile and prepare them for the long answer. 

Names, like stitches, gain meaning slowly. And some of the best ones are inherited. 🩷

I’d love to know if you carry an inherited name too? Or come from a family where names travel thu generations? And what do you think of this tradition?

#handembroidery

#embroideryart

#slowcraft

#mindfulmaking

#makersofinstagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUyDBH9jFBb/?igsh=ZXhjNmdka2U3a3Fv

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Let me introduce you to the most stubborn tool in human history: the Needle.

Everything else in life upgraded. Phones upgraded. Cars upgraded. Even refrigerators somehow talk to the internet now.

But the needle?

Still the same tiny metal stick with an eye at the end!

And honestly… it’s doing great. 😉

Archaeologists have found sewing needles that are over 50,000 years old! Of course, the earliest ones weren’t metal, but were carved from animal bones, with threads made from plant fibres and sinew.

Some ancient human (possibly wearing questionable fashion choices made of mammoth hide 😛) sat down and thought,

“Hmm. Cold. Need clothes.

Pointy bone + vine thread = problem solved.”

And humanity has basically been using the same design ever since!!

There’s even a theory that some of the earliest needles may have been made by Denisovans. They are an extinct cousin of Homo sapiens! So technically, your embroidery hobby might have been influenced by a prehistoric relative who disappeared 40,000 years ago! Imagine that!

Family heritage… but make it ancient. 😄

Meanwhile here we are in 2026 with AI, smartphones, and delivery drones. And, I’m sitting peacefully with the exact same tool concept someone used in the Ice Age with just a needle, fabric, thread and scissors. Yes, that’s the entire setup, which is honestly refreshing in a world where everything else requires a charger, an update, or a password you’ve forgotten.

Maybe that’s why hand embroidery feels so grounding. Because every stitch is a tiny reminder that humans have always done this: sat down, worked with their hands, and made something beautiful with a simple tool.

Okay, so, humans have been using needles for at least 50,000+ years. And here we are… still threading the same tiny eye and occasionally squinting at it.

So tell me honestly,

👇 How do you thread your needle?

A. Like a pro in one try

B. After 3 attempts and mild frustration

C. With a needle threader because life is short 😄

https://www.instagram.com/p/DV6JL5XjJeV/?igsh=MXZ0eXM3cWFxOHRwbA==

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5 Blanket Stitches for Perfect Edges | Easy Part 1

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NEW STITCH ALERT! Click and learn!

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Stitch a Snowflake | Cozy Winter Hand Embroidery Tutorial

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Stitch a Christmas Pine Tree with Lazy Daisy | Easy Winter Hand Embroide...

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Stitch a Snowflake in Minutes | Lazy Daisy + Woven Circle Tutorial | Win...

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When I asked the students to work on a project with 'Birds' as the topic, Archita Kaur from NIFT stunned me pleasantly with this gorgeous piece of work. She worked to make the stitches stand out, literally! The color palette and balance is perfect!

Sarah's Hand Embroidery - Library of Embroidery Stitches, Patterns, Projects and Books

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