Hanging out with Mr. X Stitch in London
Video and pictures from Summer in London Study Abroad participant Angela Perez. Hanging out with Mr. X Stitch
At our little meet, greet, and stitch with Mr. X Stitch, there were an array of different skill types. From people who have never done it, to people who have done it half their lives. It was so great to see how one stitch could bring everyone together. Mr. X Stitch told me he really enjoys cross-stitching because it is so relaxing. After stitching with a bunch of people I can agree. The motions are repetitive and it puts your body into a soothing state. It was such a great time for us to unwind and see how others cross-stitch and enjoy it. There were young and older people there. Mr. X Stitch taught everyone who needed teaching and lent his hoops and floss for us to use! Although relaxing, we got stuff done. It wasn’t like sitting on the couch watching tv and at the end of the day have nothing to show for it. This two hour meet up felt relaxing, refreshing and productive. It is so nice to see how Mr. X Stitch can turn cross-stitching into something younger generations can get into by making contemporary pieces. Here is a link to the QR code I referred to in the video. Again, this piece is done by Jamie Chalmers, QR Code, 2014. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrxstit…
On this abroad trip we have looked at a lot of older pieces of embroidery so it is interesting to see what the colors looked like before all the dust and age, as well as how the embroiderer’s felt. It was refreshing to see the old and stitch the new because it was exciting. I also enjoyed working in nontraditional colors. When visiting the museums there were a lot of greens and blues and reds. I have plans to stitch a rainbow on mine. It made me want to experiment more and try this and that because I haven’t seen that in any museum. It was good to see where embroidering and cross-stitch came from and where it is going. It was a fun atmosphere that Jamie Chalmers brought to the table. He really created a good atmosphere for creativity. Can’t wait to go to another!
