At the start of 2018, I had the idea to do a book quilt. But after life started to get insanely busy with my toddler underfoot, I thought this isn’t the season for a quilt. I still really wanted to do something to commemorate my time spent reading aloud with my children, but it needed to be less involved than a quilt. Then I remembered that we were already working on another tablecloth project (which I’ll discuss in a separate post), so why not a book tablecloth, too? Yes, a book tablecloth!
I am a sentimental person. I don’t keep all the things, but I do keep those special items that invoke wonderful memories and I’ve never regretted keeping them. This book tablecloth came from a deep desire to comfort my future self. These days are fleeting, I know this. Right now, we spend countless hours gathered around our school table, cuddled on the couch or snuggled in bed with me reading aloud to my babies. One day, sooner than I’d rather it be, they’ll be gone living their lives. This is my tangible record of those moments when I’m missing those days hard. Yes, this is for them, it’s for all of us, but truly it is for my momma heart.
When we first began, they needed my help a lot. I was sure they would never master threading the needle and knotting the thread. So much so, I started questioning if this was the best idea I’ve had. Gratefully, God is always teaching me patience through my kids, even when I don’t feel like being patient. With time, they did get the threading and knotting down. These days there aren’t as many threads getting all a tangled mess.
The only thing I ask of them is to fill it up. I want to see their artwork in every last space. They have complete and total cart blanche with the creative aspect. They decide the what, where and the size of their embroidery. Some times they stitch the cover of the book and then some times it’s an illustration from the book. Other times, they stitch whatever stood out to them the most and do their own composition. Again, I leave that up to them.
Before they begin embroidering, they draw out their design with a sewing marker. I don’t recommend using the disappearing ink markers, because the drawing will likely will disappear faster than they work. A lot of their work is done over days, even weeks, so it’s important to use something that will remain until they are done stitching.
I mentioned earlier in this post that this tablecloth is for them. I could have just had them draw and I do the stitching, but I wanted to use this as an opportunity to build on their embroidery skills. For a while, I just had them use a basic running stitch and did not bother with teaching them more than that. When I felt they had a grasp on basic embroidery, I started introducing new stitches. Embroidery: A Step-by-Step Guide to More Than 200 Stiches At first it was one new stitch a month, now we are up to a new stitch every week or every couple of weeks, depending on difficulty and time available. I typically will demonstrate it for them in their practice hoops and then they will do stitching while I read aloud. Once they feel comfortable, they start to incorporate the new stitches into their designs. The tablecloth has become a progressive showcase of their handiwork.
If you’d like to do this project with your children, you’ll need a tablecloth (this is the one I used), a sewing marker, embroidery floss, embroidery hoops and embroidery needles. Just remember, you do not have to be a master embroiderer to do this. I assure you I am not. I truly want to encourage other Moms, regardless of skill level, to take time out to do these things now and know that when you do, you are preserving all those special memories for your future self.