Juby Aleyas Koll's Blog

Meet an Artist: Hand Embroidery in Mauritius

Stitched by Time, Sea, and Heritage Mauritius is more than just a tropical island—it’s a story shaped by time, fire, and people. Millions of years ago, this island didn’t even exist. It was born when underwater volcanoes erupted deep in the Indian Ocean. As lava cooled and solidified, land slowly rose above the sea, creating what we now know as Mauritius. But here’s something fascinating…

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How to Organize your Hand Embroidery Needles

How to Organize Your Hand Embroidery Needles (Without Losing Your Mind!) Let’s face it—embroidery needles are slippery little escape artists. One moment they’re where they should be, and the next they’ve vanished into the void (aka your sofa). If you’ve ever found one by sitting on it—ouch, we’ve all been there. So, how do you keep these tiny tools in check? After years of trying and…

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Climate Change and Hand Embroidery

Stitching a Greener Future: Hand Embroidery as a Voice for Climate Change Climate change isn’t just a headline—it’s a lived experience that’s becoming harder to ignore. We feel it in the air, in the seasons, in the news of fires, floods, and vanishing forests. It can feel overwhelming, even helpless at times. But as artists, makers, and storytellers, we do have a voice. And sometimes…

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Meet an Artist: A Stitch of Simplicity

A Stitch of Simplicity: Soumya’s Story of Slow Craft and Everyday Beauty In this month’s feature, we bring you a heartwarming conversation with Soumya—an unexpected maker who swapped spreadsheets for stitches. Based in Bangalore, Soumya runs a small, thoughtful business crafting everyday products that are both functional and quietly poetic. She calls it A Bee in the Garden. What sets her work…

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Biohacking with Hand Embroidery

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12 Must-Know Hand Embroidery Stitches

Hey there! Today, let me take you on a little embroidery time-travel. The first time I saw someone do hand embroidery was during a vacation at my aunt’s house. My cousin—who was basically a craft wizard—had embroidered a gorgeous design on her pillow. I was around eight, and my mind was blown. I watched, completely mesmerized, as she stitched the same pattern on a twin pillow. Now…

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The Most Popular Hand Embroidery Motif

Hi everyone! When I have to make an embroidery pattern for you all or even for myself, the first kind of pattern that comes to my mind is: floral motifs. Do you agree? Flowers have been stitched across cultures and centuries, from delicate roses and daisies in Victorian embroidery to bold lotus and peonies in Asian designs. Whether it’s a simple lazy daisy stitch or an intricate needle-painted…

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Sashiko – Sustainable and Mindful Embroidery

Hey there! Let’s chat about something super cool—how hand embroidery can play a role in sustainability! We live in a time where there’s way too much stuff. In fact, there is more than sufficient clothing today that can provide for the next 6 generations! Gone are the days when a well-loved sweater would be patched up and passed down. But guess what? Mending is making a comeback—and not just…

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The Front and Back of your Hand Embroidery

We all love making the front of our stitches look fabulous, right? But have you ever stopped to think about what’s happening on the other side of your fabric? Yep, the back of your embroidery! Paying attention to the reverse can be surprisingly helpful—and even magical. Let me show you how! Have you ever thought about making your embroidery look flawless from both sides? It’s totally doable!

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Best Practices to Follow in Hand Embroidery

Hi there! It feels wonderful to be back on the blog after quite a long break! Life has been a whirlwind—catching up on pending travels, helping the kids settle into a new academic year, diving into some new projects, and getting someone to assist us in our digital creations. The last time I wrote, I shared some common mistakes in hand embroidery – Gosh, that was so long ago. This time, I thought…

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