ON THE COVER
Right now , she is especially enjoying a 52-week challenge done primarily by a group of French stitchers .
“ Many of the French people in the group are really interesting embroiders ,” she said . “ They use really unusual threads . I love looking at the examples that they put out there on Instagram . They are so different from mine because they are using thicker threads . Sometimes mine look really petite and fine and theirs are very bold . It ’ s a lot of fun to me , to see the differences and how people approach the challenges .”
Just as Stevens pushed herself to learn new teaching strategies and to stay current on education research while in the classroom , she now dedicates herself to learning new ways of sewing . She has become a follower of an Australian artist , for example , that has put out a book on flower embroidering . “ The way she does her flowers and plants – it ’ s something
I ’ ve never seen before ,” she said .
The 76-year-old jokes that her sewing is clunkier and slower than some of the others who participate in the challenge . She recently created a piece while watching Mississippi State University compete in the College World Series .
“ I was looking at it and decided that is one wonky circle and I know why ,” she said , laughing . “ It ’ s because I was watching the game . And that ’ s OK .”
She said that while she enjoys seeing what other people are
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14 • TIMELESS MERIDIAN