Embroidery community

One of the nicest things about my job is the “community feeling”. It is always difficult to explain to outsiders, but the embroidery world feels like a warm bath!

When I was pregnant with our son 23 years ago, I took up embroidery again after a long time. I bought a ready-made package at the local craft store and was immediately sold again.

Around that time, the internet also started to emerge more and more. No-one knew Google and Social media, but you had the “Homepages”. Via the Embroidery Home page I searched the world wide web and suddenly I came into contact with a whole new Embroidery world! I soon found like-minded people through the forum of the Home page. All people who did not know each other, but with the same hobby. And that connects!

I also discovered the Yahoo groups. These were email groups on all sorts of subjects. I first ended up with the Dutch “Embroidery list” and when I dared to start typing in English, I also ended up with all kinds of international groups. Hundreds of emails arrived in my inbox, all about embroidery!

I learned a lot from it: all kinds of finishing techniques, the many international designers, materials, English 😊... but most of all that embroiderers (M/F/X) are all very nice, sweet and generous people. There were occasional meetings of groups of embroiderers and although we only knew each other by e-mail, it was always fun.

Through the international groups I also started participating in “exchanges”. Everyone then made an embroidery for someone else and sent it to each other. I have received the most beautiful things from all over the world! Unfortunately, with the current shipping costs, that is no longer fun to do, but I still have contacts from that time.




Over time, Social Media also arrived and you saw that the mail groups slowly moved to Facebook. Here you can still find many Dutch and international groups on the most diverse subjects. For example, I have the “Embroidery with Soed Idea” group. Where we inspire and motivate each other. But also help each other if needed. Looking for an old skein of thread that is no longer for sale? One call in the group and everyone dives into their own stash to see what they've got.

When I started Randje per Week together with Annelies van den Bergh in 2013, we also started a Facebook group. The patterns were publicly available on a blog, but members shared their progress and inspired each other on the Facebook group. This soon led to the creation of embroidery groups in “real life”. People who lived near each other agreed to embroider together. The group now has more than 6000 members and there have been many meetings. One of the highlights was perhaps the Randjes Day in Metslawier (FR) where Randjes enthusiasts from all over the Netherlands (and beyond) came together!

Lately, you've seen a shift to Instagram. You can follow me there at @soedidee. Through, for example, #embroidery or #crossstitch, the most beautiful things pass by!


Are you not into digital contacts, but would you rather meet people in real life?

There are Handwerkcafés in various places in the country. A group of people who meet regularly to work together. Even if you don't know anyone there yet, I'm sure you'll have a great time there. People help each other where necessary, inspire each other with new craft techniques and of course there is a lot of chatting about your hobbies.

In some regions, the “Women of Now” have handicraft departments that pay attention to various old handicraft techniques.

The association Merkwaardig (for lovers of Merkklap) also organizes meetings for its members several times a year. Sometimes I can stand there with my shop and I always find it super cozy.

I got to know Aukje de Boer through Merkwaardig and Randje per Week. Aukje is an avid collector of samplers and her husband Wouter loves gardening. They will open their house and garden in Twello on Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July for a beautiful sampler exhibition. Soed Idee is present there for the sale of embroidery materials and there is a sale of Brocante (handicraft) items. An excellent place to meet other handicraft enthusiasts!
 

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I'm happy to be part of this great Embroidery community, where young and old are welcome, where we inspire and motivate each other, help each other and learn things!