the real deal Leah & Diana
Images by Laura Engebretson
Name: Leah Simmons | Age: 28 | Hometown: Rapid City | Specialty: Embroidery Name: Diana Kohnke | Age: 45 | Hometown: Sioux Falls | Specialty: Embroidery
The world of crafting (not to be mistaken for “Worlds of Warcraft”) has made a comeback, and activities like knitting are not only for your grandma in her rocking chair anymore. Crafting has not only made said comeback, but it has turned into an event, some hosting craft parties and get-togethers. Leah Simmons and Diana Kohnke have been friends for over a decade, and only in the last year realized their love for drinking PBR and embroidering, well… almost anything. We attended one of their craft sessions to get the scoop. Leah embroidered a bow tie for her pug, Robocop.
How did you two start doing these crafting hangouts? Leah: We realized we were both big nerds who enjoyed drinking beers and doing things (laughs). I didn’t get really crafty until the last few years. Diana: I started embroidering and then I showed her. Leah: She started it. When she was becoming a grandmother she started embroidering stuff, and I was super jealous. I can’t remember if it was Thanksgiving or Christmas last year, I picked up a book and taught myself how to do it on the car ride home from Rapid City.
in looking at what other people do. Leah: (Laughs) You get defeated before you even start. How long do projects take you? Diana: It depends on how diligent you are. Leah: If I have a road trip I can hammer out a few things. Do you craft with any other crafting groups? Leah: There’s a ‘Stitch ‘n’ Bitch’ group that meets Tuesday nights at the Top Hat. Most of the people that go there do knitting so we’re kind of the odd ducks.
Why embroidery? Diana: I used to do cross-stitch, and I found a website for embroidery and I started picking it up and got a kit to start. It’s a little bit more of a transition because you’re more free with embroidery than cross-stitching. Leah: Embroidery is more forgiving for those who like to shoot from the hip, which I tend to do. The nice thing about embroidery, also, is that it’s a really cheap hobby. Hobbies like scrapbooking are expensive! Where do you get your ideas? Leah: Some of it’s from online sites for embroidery projects, like www.SublimeStitching.com. Diana: But sometimes you get too caught up
50 | January 2012
Leah also does mini paintings because they only take an hour.