I’ve started this new project. Something that is dear to my romantic heart. I deeply believe in Love – with a capital L. I believe in Love as the most powerful energy, the most beautiful, healing and creative force.
And that Love I believe in deserves better sometimes than a virtual message on a screen.

I’ve been embroidering received Love messages on handkerchieves (in case I shed a tear you know!) for a while. The idea came when I read some Love letters I kept at my parents, letters from my teenage years, a little treasure I can’t throw away. I realized that the Love messages we got now are going to disappear in a cloud, if it’s not done already. Because they are text messages. I didn’t want mines to vanish because some are so lovely and touching I want to keep them. I’m not even nostalgic, I just respect them and what they represent : something that comes from the heart. And there is nothing more sacred to me than a heart. I truly deeply believe that hearts can remain very innocent and pure.
I’ve shared a few pictures on Instagram but at some point, and even if I didn’t give any names and will never do, I felt it was not right to show them, without the consent of the people who sent them to me.

Not long ago, I read an article about a Portuguese tradition, from the 18th/19th century : Lenços dos Namorados – the handkerchieves of Love – originally from the North of Portugal. These handkerchiefs were embroidered by young woman to declare their love to their chosen one. « They were used as a ritual of romantic conquest ».
It spoke to me so much that I went back to my vintage handkerchieves and my needles. But this time, to embroider my messages. From my heart.

I used to embroider poems, lyrics and quotes from my favorite writers and artists for an other project, and someone asked me why I didn’t write poems myself? Well, the answer is quite simple, and I’m ok with it : I don’t have that talent. Even less in English and my heart speaks English. I’m not fluent enough to write poetry but I am enough to express my Love on my iPhone, even in a very simple English.

So I’m back to my thread, using red one, not because it’s prettier than the black I used to use, but because I kept a red thread on my iPhone case for a few years. It was given to my classmates and I by our meditation teacher in our 1st day as meditation students. In Buddhism, it represents the invisible thread between people who are mean to be together. « The string symbolizes a deep, unbreakable connection (also, the red color is strongly associated with attraction and desire)

So here is my project :

I’m still embroidering Love messages I had sent, and that I want to keep, « engraved ».
And I want to include you, all the romantics in here! If your heart is up for it – and it can stay anonymous – you can send me a Love text message, that is important to you, and that you would love to see on a beautiful vintage handkies. It can be a message you have sent or one you have received. I will embroider it and ultimately, my goal is to make an exhibition out of all those embroidered text messages, and I will send your personal one once I have made this exhibition!

I want to spread love, not virtually, but for real.

From le Sacré-Coeur,
With Love, forever,
Eveline.