Loosened from the mud, I find myself floating in a world of possibility.

So can you.



Iron Craft: Money, Money, Money

This week's Iron Craft challenge turned out to be a pretty special project for me. The challenge was to create something with money (in recognition of US tax day).

I picked coins from all the countries where I have lived and tried a Gujarati embroidery technique. I am Gujarati and I have always - always - admired the embroidery that includes mirrors and metals that is so distinctive of the region. Turns out it was not so difficult to do.



Although it did take me a while to get the technique down in a way that I was satisfied. I was busy because I also had a knitting project I had complete for a Naming Ceremony gift that had to be finished by Sunday. But this was fun and I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge.



I was born in India, then moved to Canada with my mother to join my father who was already there. We then moved to Pennsylvania. In the eighties we moved out to Minnesota. I returned to India for a few years during high school, then back to Minnesota where I met my husband and bought a home.



I used all these country and state coins and embroidered them into a circle in an order that represents my multiple moves across the globe and back again.

The center coin is a Sacagawea coin and I chose that one because my mother always uses them in her Laxshmi pujas (she is the goddess of prosperity). I get a kick out the fact that she chooses a coin that has an Indian on it, even if it is a different kind of Indian.



I feel like I am always searching for my "thing". That craft that represents me and my history. I may have found it. Since starting this project, I have picked up a few books on Indian embroidery from the library. Perhaps this will be the "thing" I do to earn some extra income. Maybe. Hopefully. I loved doing this project and look forward to doing more!


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I forget to add this earlier. Here is a good tutorial for working the coins!

Comments

  1. It really is amazing...I should give you some coins from all the countries I've been to make me one!

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  2. That is just lovely. I'm glad you found something that you connected with. How satisfying.

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  3. What a cool idea! Is there a site with instructions on how to do the embroidery?

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  4. I forgot to add that to my post! Here's the link to a tutorial:
    http://www.joyfulabode.com/2008/02/12/tutorial-indian-shisha-mirror-embroidery/

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  5. Wow! That is beautiful! I sure hope you make more and post photos.

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  6. This is beautiful. I have always wondered how that was done.

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  7. That is beautiful! Thank you for sharing!

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