Besides displaying, storing, and marveling at my children's art, my favorite thing to do with all that inspiration bursting out of them is to turn it into another creation. It's a joy to take a piece of their art, be inspired by it, and then add my own ideas and creative expression. Embroidery is just one of the ways we have done this in our home.

I love the lines and shapes of children’s art, and embroidery feels like a wonderful way for me to, in effect, trace their work and really get into their heads about how and what their process is. I also love how simple it is to transform their two-dimensional art into a more textured version of itself that begs to be touched and loved. They are always so honored, pleased, and proud when their art makes its way onto my embroidery hoop, destined to become a pillow, wall hanging, or quilt. While the end result can be as complicated as you like, the initial act of taking a drawing and turning it into an embroidered piece is actually quite easy. There are a few different methods for doing this, but this is the one I use most often:

Step 1: Trace and place
On a bright day, tape your child’s artwork onto a window. Over this, tape a piece of fabric so that you can see the outline of the drawing through the fabric. I prefer working with linen for embroidery. Using a light pencil stroke (you can also use a wash-away fabric pen or pencil, found at your local craft store), trace the outline of the drawing onto the fabric. Taking everything off the window, place the fabric in your embroidery hoop, and begin.

Step 2: Embroider
There are lots of great books, kits and online resources out there to help you get started if you’re new to embroidering. You can check out chapter 6 of The Creative Family for the basics and intermediate tips, or see the Resource Guide at the back of the book. I also recommend Kids’ Embroidery: Projects for Kids of All Ages by Kristen Nicholas.

Step 3: Enjoy!
Once the embroidery work is done, the possibilities are endless as to what to do with your finished piece. It can be framed as is or framed alongside the original drawing that inspired it. It can be turned into a pillow (see the photo of my son Calvin’s drawing, transformed), used as a patch on a piece of clothing, or incorporated in a larger project, such as a quilt or quilted wall hanging. When Calvin was four, I embroidered several of his animal drawings, along with his handwritten animal names, and used each of these as a square on a large quilt that was full of his drawings and my embroidered interpretations of them. This is now a favorite treasure of his—and mine as well.

From The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule, (c) 2008 by Amanda Blake Soule. Reprinted by arrangement with Trumpeter Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publ., Inc. www.shambhala.com


About The Author
Amanda Blake Soule is the author of the popular blog SouleMama, where she writes and posts photos about her adventures in crafting, thrifting, and exploring art and nature with her three young children.