In this latest embroidery project, I came to a point where I hesitated about filling in the entire hoop. Perhaps it stems from my days as a kid coloring within the lines, but I tend to work a piece until I cannot squeeze in even the tiniest of seed stitches. Whether it was decision paralysis or general fatigue, a feeling I inevitably experience with all my beloved crafty pursuits, I was leaning toward just stopping and deeming it complete.
I showed the WIP to Naz without mentioning my intentions, and he immediately said, “You should stop right there. I like the negative space.”
So I did. The beauty of free-form, modern embroidery is its simplicity. Manageable straight stitches, in a single color, only defined by their direction and length.
Sometimes the true art is recognizing an unpretentious route and acknowledging its natural end, rather than forcing any further action. A lesson in life, I suppose, as we all seek contentment without too much complication.
