Transbee
Transbee
Inspired by “Wings of Freedom”
Embroidery has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember—since I was much younger! I practically grew up in my mother’s studio, surrounded by threads, beads, and fabrics. My earliest “hobbies” were stretching French wires, mixing up beads, and unravelling embroidery threads—much to the bemusement of my mother’s team, who somehow always put up with me. Looking back, I think that’s where the roots of my fascination with embroidery lie. I wouldn’t yet call it a passion, but I’d say I’m deeply intrigued and definitely fond of the craft.I’m pretty sure my mother tricked me into doing Transbee. What started as an idea for a simple standing bumblebee evolved organically into a lenticular version—a more ambitious and dynamic take on the subject. I had previously participated in a few of her workshops, mostly out of curiosity, and found encouragement from seeing the other participants’ work. But Transbee became my very first completed embroidery piece.
Over the years, I had watched my mother use various stitches, and while I didn’t always know their names, I could understand how they worked and why she chose them. That instinct came in handy while planning stitches for Transbee. Creating a stitch direction sheet before starting the actual embroidery helped tremendously—it was like having a roadmap. In fact, to my mother’s surprise, I even corrected her on a few stitch placements!
For Transbee, I used a combination of satin stitch, French knots, battlement couching, backstitch, running stitch, and buttonhole stitch. I later realized I had used satin and laid work interchangeably—something I picked up along the way. A special mention goes to the RSN Stitch Bank, which was incredibly helpful throughout the process.
Working on Transbee turned out to be an enjoyable and fulfilling experience—and the cherry on top was winning the National Embroidery Competition 2025!
For Transbee, I used a combination of satin stitch, French knots, battlement couching, backstitch, running stitch, and buttonhole stitch. I later realized I had used satin and laid work interchangeably—something I picked up along the way. A special mention goes to the RSN Stitch Bank, which was incredibly helpful throughout the process.
Working on Transbee turned out to be an enjoyable and fulfilling experience—and the cherry on top was winning the National Embroidery Competition 2025!
– Tharan
