Needlepoint Instagram
I’ve been needlepointing for a long time, y’all. If you can believe it, my first needlepoint project was way back in 1994; a belt to coordinate with my sorority jersey. Needlepoint belts were huge at my college; it felt like every girl at Transylvania worked on a belt for herself, her boyfriend, or her dad.
Over the years, I’ve tried a lot of crafty hobbies. I’ve learned to knit and cross-stitch; while I enjoy both of these, I always come back to needlepoint. It’s one of my very favorite stress-relievers, and I love the creative forms that so many needlepoint projects take. I started needlepointing seriously again a couple of years ago. I started back into it by making a few belts for Bob, including this University of Kentucky campus belt and this black Lab Christmas ornament.
Around the time I started to get interested in needlepoint again, I started to notice that a lot of folks were spending their free time stitching as well. I ran across an article that coined the utterly wonderful term “grandmillenial”, and I soon found a social media community of other folks who enjoy needlepoint as much as I do. I created a HerKentucky Stitches Instagram account a few months ago just for needlework projects; I didn’t want to bore my Instagram followers with a ton of needlepoint-related content. In addition to my ongoing needlepoint and cross-stitch projects, I decided this would be a fun place to post photos of the gorgeous quilts my grandmother has made for me over the years.
Y’all, I’ve had so much fun with needlepoint Instagram. I’ve discovered so many fun new techniques and ideas that have improved the quality of my needlepoint projects. There are so many needlepoint stitches that I didn’t know about, and a whole world of needlepoint designers and shops that have passionate followings. It’s so nice to take a hobby I’ve had for years and learn ways that I can improve!
I’ve also found myself learning to use Instagram in a totally new way. I’m less concerned with being a “content creator” for this small, niche account, and more interested in learning from others’ ideas. Did you know that you can save others’ Instagram posts and sort them into collections? Even better, these saved posts are completely private — nobody sees your saved posts! It’s like your own private Pinterest! I save stitch ideas, ornament ideas, etc., on my needlepoint account for future reference. It’s a great time-saver!
It’s so fun to use social media to renew my interest in a longtime favorite hobby and to learn new tips! If needlepoint is your thing, join me at HerKentucky Stitches!