When Iris ter Haar was going through a difficult period, she discovered the (relaxing) art of embroidery.
“I was suffering from panic attacks and had been placed on a waiting list to get help, but still had months before I could be seen,” she says. “So I decided to look for my own ‘occupational therapy’ that would help me switch off. I immediately found embroidery to be the thing: it’s a slow activity and has to be very precise, and it automatically makes me breathe more calmly.”
Ter Haar loves to embroider flowers the most, but she also stitches the small pep talks she gives herself. After having been asked via Instagram whether she sold her works, Ter Haar started up an Etsy shop and then her webshop, irisborduurt.nl . And because many of her Dutch followers wanted to get started themselves, she now also sells embroidery kits and supplies (Dutch only).
- Want to see more? Go to Iris’ Instagram
- More tips on embroidery can be found here.
- Find more embroidery kits, patterns and supplies on Etsy.
Text Marije van der Haar-Peters & Ellen Nij Bijvank, Translation Julia Gorodecky, Photography Iris ter Haar
