EMBROIDERY WORKSHOP – INTERVIEW WITH STEFANIJA BY DAMAJA HANDMADE

In our HETTI. Shop at Reuterstraße 62 in Berlin, a lot will change: After two years and a wonderful time, our partner, Freundts wohnaccessoires, will concentrate on the online business and a new chapter will begin for us. We will soon be showing you exactly what that means, workshops with exciting and creative topics related to handwork are definitely part of it! It starts with Stefanija, who decorates sustainable clothing and textiles with handmade embroidery under her label Damaja Handmade . Her motifs vary between personal initials, tropical plants, animals of all kinds, plants and fruits - there are no limits to the imagination. On request, she also creates very personal compilations.

 

WORKSHOP: INTRODUCTION TO HAND EMBROIDERY ON DENIM

On June 10th from 1pm to 5pm there is the chance to learn from her personally. Stefanija gives a workshop that introduces you to the basics of hand embroidery - this time with a focus on embroidery on denim fabrics. Do you want to be there? Here is the event. Before we start, we would like to introduce you to Stefanija in a short interview:

 

Who are you, what do you do and how did you come up with the idea for Damaja Handmade?

My name is Stefanija Pejchinovka, I grew up in the small Balkan country of Macedonia - a country with many political conflicts, but also very rich in history and inspiring traditions. I was able to spend a lot of time with my grandmothers during my childhood and they were both very talented with their hands. My grandmother Milica was one of those magical grandmothers: she always knew what to do, could heal everything with natural remedies and never ceased to amaze me with her creativity and the strong colors she used. She taught me a lot - except for hand embroidery, which I regularly watched her do. However, this image stuck in my mind, because as a young teenager I had the inspiration to want to do something with my hands and I started with embroidery and just didn't stop. I studied architecture and I really enjoyed my studies, but I quickly knew that I didn't see myself in an office job. A short time after my studies and after some unpleasant work experiences, I decided to make individual pillow creations. I embroidered customers' wishes onto cushions made from upcycled materials. That's how it all started! Every year I do different things so I never get bored - for the last two years I've been embroidering clothes. I cooperate with local designers and choose sustainable materials. My designs are always eco-sustainable and I think that should be a basic benchmark today. We should never choose the easy way, but rather the one that is in harmony with nature and the environment. We've done enough damage to the planet, it's time to stop and think a little.

What does Damaja mean?

Damaja goes back to the English damaged, ie broken or broken. I focus my work on recycled or used fabrics, although I now also work with new but sustainable and organic materials. Nevertheless, my name refers to the nice side effect of my work, to give an "old" or used piece of clothing a completely new look.

  

Where do you get the inspiration for your embroidery from?

Everything inspires me! The nature, the people I meet on the street, things I see and touch, photos and images I see on Instagram, just like the classic paintings of great artists. At the same time, I get bored easily, which is perhaps why my inspiration changes so often. Embroidery makes each piece special, but the technique itself is quite slow and repetitive, so it's always exciting to try out new motifs. It is this balance of slowness and repetition and always new approaches that appeals to me. In this way I surprise my customers, but I also entertain myself and I am creatively challenged.

What do you like best about your job?

I love my independence and working with my hands and that I am not tied to any fixed office hours. Hand embroidery is a very practical handicraft, and the materials and tools are mobile and light. You can take your work with you anywhere, sit under a tree and work from there for a few hours. I really appreciate this flexibility!

If you would like to learn hand embroidery yourself, register quickly here (LINK)!