Embroidery; the Next Big Hobby in Cairo

Have you ever seen an embroidery hoop? If you have, you might have found yourself wondering how a simple thread and needle can create such intricate and beautiful imagery.

For most people, it may seem like a complex and difficult skill. But creating an impressive piece of embroidery can be simpler and much more enjoyable than you could imagine. It’s also an effective way to destress and get creative after a busy day.

That’s why we’re happy to announce that we’re bringing you an embroidery workshop at Ellie Home! Read on to learn more about embroidery as a hobby and get to know your embroidery instructor.

What Is Embroidery?

Embroidery is a form of fiber art where you decorate fabric with a needle and yarn. You can use practically any material that can comfortably handle a needle and threads, but the most common materials are cotton and acrylic.

To maintain the shape of the cloth you’re decorating with embroidery, the cloth is placed in a hoop that stretches the fabric and holds it in place while you thread in your design.

There are lots of different types of embroidery and the more popular it gets, the more innovations you can find online. Two of the most well-known types are needlepoint and free embroidery.

How Can I Get Started With Embroidery?

We know that starting a brand new hobby can be a bit daunting. “Where should I start? What supplies should I buy? What can I do as a beginner?” These are only some of the questions that beginners can get stuck with.

So we’ve partnered up with Mariam Satour to answer some of these questions for you. Mariam is one of the rising talents in Egyptian embroidery and an old friend of Ellie Home. In celebration of Mother’s Day, Mariam will be holding a mother-daughter embroidery workshop at our space in Arkan Plaza on Friday 18th.

Mariam Satour at Ellie Home, Sheikh Zayed

In this interview, Mariam will tell us how she got started with embroidery, how she turned her passion for it into an independent business and the easiest way to get into embroidery in Egypt.

Q: Tell Us About Yourself!

I’m Mariam, I was originally a graphic designer and worked in branding, advertising, and packaging for a few years before I decided to start my own business.

I’m a mother, I have a daughter named Jamila. I work from my own home studio. I now work full-time as an embroidery and fiber artist. I do commissions, customized work, embroidery workshops, and I also sell embroidery kits.

Q: How Did You Get Into Embroidery?

My mom taught me embroidery when I was 13 years old, but back then I used needlepoint which is different from the free embroidery I do now.

I started by following ready-made patterns. After I got into graphic design, I decided to turn my own designs into embroideries.

As a business, I started my business in 2018. That’s when I became a professional embroidery artist and turned it from a hobby to a job.

Q: What Would You Recommend for Someone Interested in Embroidery?

As a start, the easiest thing to do is to attend an online or offline workshop or buy an embroidery kit.

Of course, you can learn embroidery on your own from YouTube tutorials and online content, but to teach yourself, you’ll need to do a lot of research, trial and error, and time.

Attending a workshop or having a beginners’ kit puts you on the shortest path to doing your own embroidery in an organized manner.

For example, when I was still learning, I had to go to a lot of different places to find supplies like embroidery hoops, fabrics, threads, and needles, which you can’t really find in the same place. I bought things I didn’t need or couldn’t use. Not to mention all the time I spent on YouTube looking at different stitches, designs, patterns, and so much more.

That’s why I created an embroidery kit that includes all this, along with a pamphlet with all the information you need, and premade designs.

Q: Do You Think Embroidery Is for Everyone?

Of course. Sadly, most of us were raised to view fiber arts such as embroidery, crochet, and knitting as a hobby for homemakers and women only, but that’s not at all true.

This idea is changing, though. Embroidery and all other forms of fiber arts are becoming very popular around the world across all genders, ages, and cultures.

Q: What is an unexpected thing you learned from embroidery?

I expected to learn patience and do things one step at a time, but I didn’t expect how meditative the activity is. Working on a hoop at the end of your busy day without any goal behind it can be extremely relaxing and therapeutic in itself.

You don’t have to aim for a complex design or to sell your work, just the activity of making something is very rewarding, and that applies to all other crafts as well.

Final Thoughts

Embroidery is one of the countless activities that give you a huge boost of creativity and satisfaction. The colors, elegant designs, and mechanical focus have an incredible ability to loosen up your brain and relieve stress.

So if you’ve made it this far in the article, it may be a sign that you need this workshop! This is a wonderful workshop for some mother-daughter quality time, and it’s also loads of fun if you’re attending alone or with a friend.

Sign up for our embroidery workshop taking place at Ellie’s store in Arkan Plaza, El Sheikh Zayed, or contact us for more details.