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Jack Roberts: Freehand Machine Embroidery Fine Artist27 Jun 202400:58:37

Dr. Jack Roberts, also known as JPR Stitch, is a fine artist specializing in freehand machine embroidery, creating stunning abstract shapes from dense, intricate webs of stitches.

His art reflects the calmness and tranquility he experiences while stitching, making sewing his form of meditation. Jack shares insights into his artistic journey, current projects, and unique approaches to displaying his work.

A key topic is Jack's 'quest'... seeking balance between simplicity and complexity, in his art, his practice, and in his life. Plenty of illuminating yet refreshing ideas, particularly around removing our own self-inflicted barriers to creativity, and indeed, everything else we do when apparently we are chasing our dreams!

In this episode of Stitchery Stories embroidery and textile art podcast, host Susan Weeks chats with Jack about:

Daily Stitch Drawings: Jack's innovative practice of creating small stitch artworks daily since November last year as a counterbalance to his larger, time-consuming pieces.

Project Evolution: How his daily stitch drawings evolved to include more space and organic shapes as he became more comfortable with the process.

Display Challenges: The creative solutions Jack developed for displaying his daily stitch drawings, including a calendar mechanism and "towers of stitch" to represent the passage of time.

Artistic Inspiration: Flipping the influence of Jack's extensive immersion in the art world on his embroidery practice.

Creative Journey: The challenges and rewards of maintaining a daily art practice and how it contributes to Jack's overall artistic growth.

Personal Reflection: How Jack’s artworks serve as a reflection of his emotional state on any given day, showcasing the importance of balance in his life and art.

Travel Adaptations: Jack's strategies for continuing his daily stitch practice while traveling

Sewing as Meditation: The meditative and calming effects of sewing on Jack, and how this mindfulness is expressed through his intricate and organic stitching patterns.

Removing barriers and saying No: How to make it as easy as possible to get started...

 

For this episode... 

View Links, information & Examples of Jack's work at https://stitcherystories.com/jackroberts

Visit: https://www.jprstitch.com/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/jpr_stitch/

Stitchery Courses

Discover and book courses with textile and embroidery experts at stitcherycourses.com 

GET LISTED as an expert teacher on Stitchery Courses and attract more customers into your business!

Support Stitchery Stories:

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Other Episodes You Might Like:

 Susan Hensel : Communicating Ideas Through Digital Machine Embroidery

 https://stitcherystories.com/susanhensel/

David Morrish : Disruptive Digital Embroidery

https://stitcherystories.com/davidmorrish/

Hayley Mills-Styles: Thread Artist Who Loves Digital Embroidery

 https://stitcherystories.com/hayleymillsstyles/

 

Alison Holt: Freehand Machine Embroidery Landscapes25 May 202400:49:33

Alison Holt is a contemporary textile artist, teacher and author who combines silk painting and freehand machine embroidery to create beautiful landscapes and glimpses of the natural world.

 Alison shares how her career and art continues to evolve, as she looks for new challenges. Following new opportunities as well as ongoing marketing and visibiity of one's art are also very important, and Alison shares her experience and wisdom with us.

 Susan Weeks chats with Alison Holt about:

A current focus on the sea, a rich source of inspiration Her current success in finding new exhibiting venues and opportunities Developing her artistic style Capturing the atmosphere and sense of a place Scaling back her activities to develop her art practice Organising the "Stitch By Stitch" textile art exhibition Promoting your art and yourself Perspective of a long-standing professional artist

For this episode... View Links, information & Examples of Alison's work at

 https://stitcherystories.com/alisonholt

Visit: https://www.alisonholt.com/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/alisonlholt/

STITCHERY COURSES is an exciting new place to discover and connect with experts who teach their art, craft & skills with thread, fabric & yarn.

Pop over to search through the experts and see what courses & classes they have available.

Or pop over and GET LISTED as an expert on Stitchery Courses and tap into this unique place to regularly market your classes and courses and get a steady stream of eager new 'eyes' onto your business!

https://www.stitcherycourses.com/

 

Vanessa Marr: Domestic Dusters: Embroidery On Women And Domesticity24 Feb 202301:00:02

Back in 2014, textile artist, academic & designer Vanessa Marr posed the question:

Women & Domesticity - What's Your Perspective?

And invited those thoughts to be embroidered upon a yellow duster, in red thread. Little did she realise what she had unleashed...

Nine years later, Vanessa has an amazing collection of embroidered dusters and an even more amazing collection of stories from the people (mostly women) who have sent her a duster. There are so many fascinating elements to this project, we barely scratch the surface!

We do have a laugh as we start our conversation highlighting the now closed one off collaboration with The Profanity Embroidery Group as part of their Domesticity themed exhibition in Whitstable, Kent in February 2023.

PEG were early guests on the podcast so this was a fun start to this episode BUT we must make it super clear that the general Domestic Dusters project is NOT about swearing about housework.

Susan Weeks chats with Vanessa Marr.

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Vanessa's work at

https://stitcherystories.com/domesticdusters

Visit: https://domesticdusters.wordpress.com

Visit: https://marrvanessa.wordpress.com

Look: https://www.instagram.com/domesticdusters

Look: https://www.instagram.com/vanemarr

Research profile: https://research.brighton.ac.uk/en/persons/vanessa-marr

 

Other places & people we mentioned: 

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Dinner Party by Judy Chicago

The Subversive Stitch by Rosita Parker

Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years by Elizabeth Wayland Barber

 

Profanity Embroidery Group (Whitstable)

 https://pegwhitstable.co.uk/

 

Other Episodes You Might Enjoy: 

https://stitcherystories.com/profanityembroiderygroup/

https://stitcherystories.com/thereddress/

https://stitcherystories.com/karenruane/

 

Georgina Bellamy: 3D Goldwork & Beaded Animals04 Apr 201800:38:33

Georgina Bellamy: 3D Goldwork & Beaded Animals

Today on the Stitchery Stories embroidery podcast, Georgina Bellamy shares her life as a hand embroidery artist who specialises in creating truly gorgeous 3D goldwork and beaded animals.

Listen as Georgina shares her embroidery journey from working at a Dry Cleaners, through City & Guilds, a degree and then stepping out on her own and developing her embroidery brand and business.

Georgina shares stories that highlight the battle between creativity and commercial necessity and the challenges of teaching workshops around Europe. We also chat about being brave and being engaging on social media, particularly using live streaming and videos.

Susan Weeks chats with Georgina about:

  • Teaching in various locations across Europe and getting very good at miming!
  • The benefits of working in themes
  • Doing live stream video to demonstrate techniques and build important engagement with followers
  • Following City & Guilds before University degree and learning from so many talented older ladies
  • Winning the Embroiderer's Guild annual scholarship as a springboard for further opportunities to exhibit and grow her business
  • Struggling to settle with the lack of acknowledgement for her art and skill working within fashion studios
  • Taking brave steps to do her own thing and see what happened
  • The realisation that art needs a commercial aspect to it
  • The ideas and evolution behind the 3D goldwork beaded animals
  • Her love of working with the metal wires (purls) and pushing the limits of stumpwork
  • Creating work that makes you happy but in the context of a viable business
  • Proudly promoting traditional techniques and making them attractive to today's market
  • International travel is not always a glamorous experience
  • The challenge of the human form .... and zombies!

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at https://www.stitcherystories.com/georginabellamy

Follow the Stitchery Stories Instagram channel at: https://www.instagram.com/stitcherystories_podcast/

Visit: https://thatembroiderygirl.com/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/thatembroiderygirl/

Buy: https://thatembroiderygirl.com/shops/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/thatembroiderygirl/

For more about the annual Embroiderer's Guild Scholarship scheme: Embroiderers Guild Scholarship Scheme

 

Hattie McGill: Hand Embroidery Artist28 Mar 201800:38:16

Hattie McGill: Hand Embroidery Artist

Today on the Stitchery Stories embroidery podcast, Hattie McGill shares her life as a hand embroidery artist and freelance embroiderer working in fashion, costume and film.

Listen as Hattie shares her embroidery journey and how she balances her own art for sale and commission, with the typically unpredictable world of being a freelance embroiderer. Hattie also shares some very interesting insights into doing embroidery for films and fashion designers. And by total contrast, her own work is heavily influenced by the natural world and objects around us.

Susan Weeks chats with Hattie about:

  • The fairs she is busy making for at the moment including the London Artisans fair 31 March and 1st April (links below)
  • Embroidering clothes and items for the recent Kenneth Branagh film 'Murder On The Orient Express'
  • Creating crustaceans with amusing names
  • Making an embroidery for Mother's Day aged 3
  • A creative path that led to the Royal School Of Needlework
  • Collecting things and being inspired by the natural world
  • Hoarding furniture...
  • Working with fashion house Alexander McQueen
  • The demand for haute couture embroidery
  • Valueing the skills and traditions we have in the UK around embroidery
  • Can Hattie pick a favourite technique?
  • Working on elements in a Dolls House for the V&A Museum Of Childhood
  • Why sewing by candlelight is no longer advised!
  • The annoyance of sewing your embroidery to your clothes by mistake... grrr
  • The doomed skeleton that only consists of ONE ARM so far
  • Feeling guilty at doing embroidery 'just' for herself
  • The challenges of combining freelance work and making your own work for sale and commission

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at https://www.stitcherystories.com/hattiemcgill

Visit: https://www.hattiemcgillembroidery.com/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/hattiemcgillembroidery/

Buy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/HattieMcGill

The London Artisan http://www.thelondonartisan.com/

 

Yvonne Fuchs: Relax With Slow Stitching21 Mar 201800:40:02

Yvonne Fuchs: Relax With Slow Stitching

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Yvonne Fuchs shares her relaxing approach to slow stitch and creating mindful and contemplative textile art. Listen as Yvonne shares her textile journey and her world journeys and their influence on her work.

We are focusing on Slow Stitch today. Yvonne has combined her 2 worlds of Zen and mindfulness with her love of teaching textile art to create unique classes in Slow Stitch. Yvonne explains the backstory that led to the creation of this approach and the many benefits that combat our stressful and busy lives, including creating beautiful and very personal pieces of work.

Susan Weeks chats with Yvonne about:

  • The inspirations from our travels
  • Embroidery in different places and cultures
  • Stitching as a core aspects of life
  • Relaxing with stitch and mindfulness
  • Why our lives resemble the back of an embroidery - knots and all!
  • Meditation and slow stitching as a way of being calm
  • So what is Slow Stitching
  • The influence from Japanese boro
  • Stitching in silence... is this really possible?
  • Reflections on life and passions bound together by stitch
  • Appreciating our skills and uniqueness as we journey through life
  • Brewing up natural dyes
  • The delights of 'mono-tasking'

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at https://www.stitcherystories.com/yvonnefuchs

Like: https://www.facebook.com/slowstitchcommunity/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/brandinworkshop/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/zenofbusiness/

Book: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/slow-stitch-course-april-2018-tickets-39699552430

Whitstable Textile Society

https://www.facebook.com/Whitstable-Textile-Society-892031767584622/

Other places & people mentioned:

Slow Stitch: Mindful and Contemplative Textile Art

by Claire Wellesley Smith

http://www.clairewellesleysmith.co.uk/

THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE®

by Stephen R Covey

https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits.php

 

Saima Kaur: Inspired By Indian Folk Art 14 Mar 201800:38:06

Saima Kaur: Inspired By Indian Folk Art And Colourful Textiles

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Saima Kaur shares her colourful hand embroidery inspired by her Indian heritage and Indian Folk art.

Listen as Saima shares her embroidery journey and begins her adventure into creating a sustainable business through her textile art. Saima has an interesting story and brings Indian textiles alive through her own textile collection and research.

Susan Weeks chats with Saima about:

  • Starting the journey towards developing a sustainable textile arts based business
  • Using mini-embroideries to develop ideas in colour, technique and design
  • NOT being taught sewing and embroidery by her talented mother and explaining the Indian cultural reasons why
  • Developing a project to express her journey as the mother of her autistic daughter
  • Being always inspired by Indian Folk art embroidery and textiles
  • Celebrating the women who have come before us with their embroidery made in difficult life circumstances
  • Her love of, and research into, Punjabi Phulkaris
  • Building up a variety of stitches with traditional threads and and hand woven cotton fabric
  • Basing work on traditional stylised icons and designs
  • Everyone started with their first talk and feeling brave
  • Knowing when to stop!
  • Her personal collection of Indian textiles and embroidery
  • Using art and language together to create inclusion and community

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at https://www.stitcherystories.com/saimakaur

Look: https://www.instagram.com/sewsaima/

Other places & people mentioned:

Jessica Grady https://www.stitcherystories.com/jessicagrady/

Lindy Richardson https://www.stitcherystories.com/lindyrichardson/

Deborah Mullins https://www.stitcherystories.com/deborahmullins/

Adam Pritchett: Intricate Insects & Antique Frames28 Feb 201800:40:28

Adam Pritchett: Intricate Insects & Antique Frames

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, embroidery artist Adam Pritchett shares his intricate embroidered spiders and pieces inspired by antique frames, antiquarian themes... and a sprinkling of magic and creepiness!

Listen as Adam shares his relatively recent embroidery journey through his inspirations and techniques. And of course, he gets a Gold Star for being our first male embroidery artist on Stitchery Stories.

Susan Weeks chats with Adam about:

  • Loving Instagram for getting discovered and connecting with other artists
  • Using antique frames to inspire textile art
  • After an unplanned Fine Art degree, developing an interest in embroidery
  • Teaching himself embroidery via YouTube and old books
  • Being inspired by nature and books
  • Using versatile woollen fabric and recycled velvet as a contrast to the insects and spooky subjects
  • Building up textures with knots and beads
  • Opportunities to exhibit with the Light Grey Art Lab in Minneapolis, USA
  • Appearing on Kirsty Allsop's Handmade Christmas TV programme
  • Being featured on Martha Stewart's Blog
  • What do Adam's mates think to all these embroidery antics?
  • Virtual communities making it easier to share our work and inspirations
  • Spiders in the coffee shop?
  • Collaboration with fashion designer Hogan McLaughlin

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at https://www.stitcherystories.com/adampritchett

Visit: www.apritchett.co.uk

Like: https://www.facebook.com/adampritchettneedleworks

Look: https://www.instagram.com/ajpritchett

Tweet: https://www.twitter.com/aj_pritchett

Read: https://www.marthastewart.com/1522303/adam-pritchett-stitchtober-needlework-series

Other places & people mentioned:

Light Grey Arts Lab, Minneapolis, USA

http://lightgreyartlab.com/

Hogan McLaughlin

http://hogan-mclaughlin.com/

Jane Sanders: Textile Portraits Of Iconic Pop Stars21 Feb 201800:39:11

Jane Sanders: Textile Portraits Of Iconic Pop Stars

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Jane Sanders shares her vibrant and exciting textile portraits of very iconic pop stars. The stars Jane chooses for her portraits are famous across a range of genres, eras and styles, so there is always something fresh about her work. And even if you don't like all of their music - you will love the artistry and stitching that Jane creates... in her kitchen!

Listen as Jane shares her inspirations, techniques, and how everything always comes in useful eventually.

Susan Weeks chats with Jane about:

  • Instagram is brilliant for textile artists and growing our audience
  • Textile art as a legitimate art form
  • Rock n roll applique!
  • Adding features to make portraits realistic
  • Keeping a tin of glass eyes in the kitchen
  • Learning handicrafts as a child and developing those skills into 'something else' that can be viewed on a gallery wall
  • What to do with wadding and black enamel spray paint
  • Using stuff lying about the house and collecting more
  • Working towards her latest exhibition
  • Seeing 41 pieces of her work all together at her exhibition at Arts Centre Washington in late 2017
  • Making the most of our time
  • What happened to Iggy Pop?
  • Would you like a scorpion as a free gift?

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at https://www.stitcherystories.com/janesanders

Like: https://www.facebook.com/stitchininthekitchen73/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/stitchin_in_the_kitchen

Read: https://www.mrxstitch.com/jane-sanders/

Email: stitchininthekitchen73@gmail.com

Other places mentioned: Arts Centre Washington http://www.artscentrewashington.co.uk/

The People's Theatre, Heaton, Newcastle Upon Tyne https://www.peoplestheatre.co.uk/

Ann Small: Layered Cloth and Quirky Characters08 Feb 201800:33:07

Ann Small: Layered Cloth and Quirky Characters

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Ann Small shares her techniques, inspiration and current excitement. Describing herself as a typical Pisces swimming in opposite directions...

Ann does indeed have 2 very different aspects to her work and creativity. There are her colourful reverse applique based, large hangings which she describes as her serious textile art work. Then there are her very individual character dolls which she makes to look very old. These are her 'fun' outlets for her creativity.

Listen as Ann explains how the serious and the fun aspects of her work have evolved.

Susan Weeks chats with Ann about:

  • Being taken over by making character dolls
  • Using bones to make other characters
  • Always making something in a creative household
  • From sparkly tap dance costumes for daughters into a fancy dress costume business
  • From book idea to book publication
  • Fancy dress to historical costume and workshops
  • Does anyone love the M25?
  • Inspirations all around including the patterns on your cat!
  • Reverse applique as a strong foundation to 'serious work'
  • Fun vs serious work
  • The story of Mowgli's toys
  • Being visible so prospective buyers find your art
  • When art goes up in flames
  • Planning for exhibitions
  • Planning how to hang your exhibition space at large shows
  • Winged cats... wings off, wings on.. what's next?

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at http://www.stitcherystories.com/annsmall

Visit: http://www.asmalldesign.co.uk

Look: https://www.instagram.com/asmalldesign

Read: Layered Cloth published by Search Press

Anne Brooke: From Sketchbooks To Mixed Media Stitched Collage31 Jan 201800:37:53

Anne Brooke: From Sketchbooks To Mixed Media Stitched Collage

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Anne Brooke shares her techniques and inspiration behind her stitched multimedia collages.

A key feature of her work is to stitch onto paper, although she is now venturing into using fabrics, particularly vintage embroidered pieces. Her work is inspired by journeys - her walks and travels, as well as the life journeys undertaken by the vintage fabrics she uses and the work when it leaves her hands.

She is also a master 'juggler' - she still works 4 days a week as an art teacher at her local secondary school, as well as developing her practice, making pieces for sale and leading workshops too. Phew!

Susan Weeks chats ( and laughs) with Anne about:

  • New excitement around using vintage fabrics & making woodcut blocks
  • Developing a serious workshop habit whilst trying to find her 'thing'
  • Her fortuitous start to creating her textile art career
  • The importance of 'just playing' to develop skills and ideas
  • Pinterest... and losing hours of your life!
  • Going on walks, taking photos, reflecting on journeys
  • Anne's sketchbook habit, and how she uses them
  • Hint: take your sketchbooks to workshops with you!
  • Hand dyeing threads
  • Where is Harold going next we wonder?
  • UFO's, PHD's and PIGS
  • The joy of spending 'crafty' time with her teenage daughters

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at http://www.stitcherystories.com/annebrooke

Visit: http://www.annebrooke.co.uk/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/hannemade

Look: https://www.instagram.com/hannemadebyanne

Tweet: https://twitter.com/hannemade

 

Annie Taylor: Telling Stories With Large Soft Sculptures24 Jan 201800:36:45

Annie Taylor: Telling Stories With Large Soft Sculptures

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Annie Taylor shares her wonderful stories around the stories she creates and tells with her textile art.

A key outlet for her creativity and artwork are her rather large soft sculptures. The word 'doll' just doesn't seem right when you see how large they are... Big Alice, for example is 16 foot tall! These evolve from recycled bedding, their personality takes shape as their faces and limbs take shape. They are then embroidered with text telling their story. They are however, taking over Annie's house...

Susan Weeks chats ( and laughs) with Annie about:

  • Continuing a family habit of recycling and creativity
  • How her fairytale drawings and art sparked the creation of the dolls
  • Creating large soft sculptures out of recycled duvets, pillows and bedding
  • The 'wake up call' of having RSI in her hands
  • Telling the stories of the dolls on their bodies and letting ideas evolve
  • Nostalgia and 'crinoline ladies'
  • Developing techniques for the lettering that is such a key element of her work
  • Lessons learned at the Post Office
  • Whatever is going to happen to 'Martha'?
  • Where to store all those arms and legs
  • What to do with 'that anchor'
  • Gardening, bindweed and sycamore seedlings

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at http://www.stitcherystories.com/annietaylor

Visit: https://whitstabletail.wordpress.com/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/whitstable.tail/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/whitstabletail/?hl=en

Tweet: https://twitter.com/whitstabletail

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WhitstableTails?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Other places and people mentioned today:

"Sheela Na Gig" by PJ Harvey https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/pjharvey/sheelanagig.html

Bloody Mother F***ing A**hole by Martha Wainwright

from Lyrics.com Martha Wainwright Bloody Mother F***ing A**hole

Profanity Embroidery Group: Huge Fun Creating Beautiful Art From Ugly Words17 Jan 201800:37:40

Profanity Embroidery Group: Huge Fun Creating Beautiful Art From Ugly Words

Before I introduce this very entertaining episode please note there is no swearing in this episode despite the title of the group and episode. Please listen - this is a lovely story.

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Annie Taylor & Bridget Carpenter share their hilarious stories around their 'rather different' embroidery group - yes, it's the Profanity Embroidery Group. Formed by accident in 2014, and meeting in the local pub, this group has huge fun. They create and exhibit beautiful textile art and embroidery based around profanity, as well as some feminist issues. Their current project however, features anonymous Stitched Secrets that have been sent in from around the world. Some funny, some shocking, some very moving.

Susan Weeks chats with Annie & Bridget about:

  • How a funny cartoon inspired the creation of an interesting embroidery group
  • The evolution of The Profane Quilt and the sense of humour in the group
  • How the group decide what projects to work on next
  • Interpreting those traditional 'saucy' seaside postcards
  • "Older Women Rock" - interpreting poems by Leah Thorne on vintage clothing and developing body confidence
  • The Stitched Secrets project extended participation outside Whitstable across the world via Facebook & Instagram
  • Anonymous stitchers from around the world have stitched secrets and sent them in
  • The group hopes that the secret stitchers have had therapeutic value from taking part
  • Humour is a powerful medium to deal with serious and emotional issues
  • Men have sent in stitched secrets too
  • Why should men miss out on opportunities to enjoy fun,therapeutic and creative activities such as these women are enjoying
  • It is all HUGE FUN!

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at http://www.stitcherystories.com/profanityembroiderygroup

Visit: https://lovesecretsand.wordpress.com/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/profanityembroiderygroup/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/lovesecretsand

Other places and people mentioned today:

The Fabric Shop, Whitstable http://www.thefabricshopwhitstable.co.uk/

The FishSlab Gallery, Whitstable https://fishslabgallery.co.uk/

Older Women Rock - Leah Thorn https://loveolderwomenrock.wordpress.com/about/ http://www.leahthorn.com/

Kirstie Macleod : The Red Dress Global Embroidery Project09 Feb 202300:50:52
Textile artist Kirstie Macleod shares her life in fabric & thread on Stitchery Stories embroidery podcast today! She shares her fascinating story of The Red Dress.

It's an amazing project which has enabled unheard women, many in poverty, vulnerable through trauma and abuse, to share their personal stories, using the universal language of embroidery and hand stitching.

Kirstie had the idea for this dress back in 2009, and we chat about how the project and the dress has evolved over those years.

Connections and contrasts, empowerment & celebration, this is a story packed full of emotions.

 For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of The Red Dress at https://stitcherystories.com/thereddress

Visit: https://reddressembroidery.com/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/thereddress_embroidery/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/thereddressembroidery

Other places & people we mentioned:

Tamay in Vietnam

 https://reddressembroidery.com/Ly-Ta-May-Tamay

 The FanSina artisans in St Catherines, Sinai, Egypt

 Traces of Sisterhood, Salon Akademii Gallery, Warsaw, Poland

 https://salonakademii.asp.waw.pl

 ‘SPEAKING OUT’, an exhibition dedicated to and co-produced by women survivors of conflict-based sexual violence, with the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

 https://warchildhood.org/speaking-out-exhibition-experiences-of-crsv-survivors-and-children-born-of-war/

Preston Park Museum, Yarm, Stockton-on-Tees

 https://prestonparkmuseum.co.uk/

 

Jan Dowson: Award-Winning Textile Art Tutor & Textile Artist10 Jan 201800:36:33

Jan Dowson: Award-Winning Textile Art Tutor & Textile Artist

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Jan Dowson shares her joy of teaching textile art over 20 years and in the process facilitating 8 students who achieved City & Guilds Gold Medals. Jan has also received a City & Guilds Gold Medal for teaching as well as 2 other prestigious awards. Following retirement, it's now 'her time' to focus on her own textile art and enjoy her own creativity.

Susan Weeks chats with Jan about:

  • A busy exhibition schedule at the start of 2018
  • Creating a very successful career in textile art tuition
  • Expressing challenging subjects in textile art
  • Her ongoing inspiration from a wide variety of sources, including family members and memories, dog walks, and the nearby sea.
  • Loving simplistic applique and slow hand stitch, darned, covered surfaces
  • Using felt, wire and lots of paint to transform fabric into 'something else'
  • Facilitating 8 City & Guilds Gold Medals awarded to her students over the years.
  • Winning her own City & Guilds Gold Medal for teaching
  • An additional award from the Worshipful Company Of Broderers
  • Why Jan loves to polish her work room sink....
  • Winning the Embroiderers Guild Beryl Dean Award for Teaching Excellence in Embroidery & Design in 2015
  • If you don't like your piece... cut it up or throw paint on it!
  • Taxidermy - is this the latest challenge for Jan?

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at http://www.stitcherystories.com/jandowson

Like: https://www.facebook.com/Jan-Dowson-Textile-ArtistTeacher-2036710249894135/

Pin: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/ddowson1/

 

Deborah Mullins: Embroidery Artist Inspired By Palestine20 Dec 201700:42:16

Deborah Mullins: Embroidery Artist Inspired By Palestine

Today on the Stitchery Stories embroidery podcast, Deborah Mullins shares her passion for Palestine. The beautiful traditional embroidery and the places and people - as well as a deep sadness at the cleansing, displacement & social injustice experienced within that land.

Susan chats with Deborah about:

  • Kickstarting a passion for embroidery after many years of other creative pursuits
  • Being inspired by 3 months in Palestine - the traditional embroidery but also the places and the tragic tales of displacement and injustice
  • Playing with colour and hand stitched textures
  • Bethlehem Couching & traditional Palestinian embroidery
  • The 'Key Of Return' - a symbol of memory and longing to return
  • Winning the Gold Medal for Creative Textiles from City & Guilds
  • Meeting Princes Anne at St. James's Palace to receive an award from The Worshipful Company Of Haberdashers
  • A special visit to the British Museum stores to handle and study items of Palestinian costume
  • Why election results programs are so helpful...
  • Deborah's exhibition 6-10 June 2018 at The Old School Room, Haworth

For this episode...

View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at http://www.stitcherystories.com/deborahmullins

Visit: http://www.deborahmullins.uk/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010993620362

 

Jamie Malden: Block Printing Specialist & Founder of Colouricious.com13 Dec 201700:41:08

Jamie Malden: Block Printing Specialist & Founder of Colouricious.com 

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Jamie Malden from Colouricious.com shares her enthusiasm, knowledge and great joy of block printing.

Susan chats with Jamie about:

  • Developing an interest in block printing in Jaipur
  • The design & making process for Colouricious wooden printing blocks
  • Supporting the traditional wooden block hand carving skills by employing carpenters around Jaipur, India to hand carve the wooden blocks
  • The pleasure in supporting families and traditional skills through wooden block carving
  • Preparing new 'Printology' workshops
  • The power of video and YouTube for sharing creativity, and skills development
  • The power of video, audio and the internet to reach your target audience
  • The pleasure created by seeing other people's creative creations using Colouricious blocks, tuition and inspiration
  • The diversity of what can be done with block printing
  • The endless possibilities of other cultures and creative techniques
  • The unique experience of a Colouricious textile holiday.
  • The excitement of seeing painted elephants & cows in real life!

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at http://www.stitcherystories.com/jamiemalden

Visit: http://colouricious.com

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/user/Colouricious

Travel: https://www.instagram.com/colouriciousholidays/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/Colouricious

Lindy Richardson: Historic Embroidery Conservation & Community Inspiration05 Dec 201700:37:18

Lindy Richardson: Historic Embroidery Conservation & Community Inspiration ss019

Today on the Stitchery Stories embroidery podcast, Lindy Richardson shares her current research project. She chats with Susan Weeks about the collection of historic embroidery held by Edinburgh College of Art which was originally part of the Needlework Development Scheme.

The NDS was founded in Scotland in 1934, sponsored by J and P Coats, the thread manufacturers. Its aim was to encourage embroidery and up until it was disbanded in 1961, well over 3000 items of historic embroidery from across the world had been amassed.

70 items held by Edinburgh College Of Art form the focus of a project which has seen study and conservation of the items. The project has involved diverse community groups, assisting with conservation as well as inspiring them to create their own Embroidered Stories. This is an uplifting project.

Susan chats with Lindy about:

  • The history of the collection of the Needlework Development Scheme (NDS)
  • Discovering 70 pieces from the collection tucked away in cupboards
  • The current project focused on the collection
  • Taking the project to the Scottish Prison Service
  • Involving immigrants & refugees
  • Expert amateurs from local 'Guilds'
  • Studying and conserving the collection
  • The therapeutic benefits of doing embroidery within the daily routine of prison life
  • Creating the 'Embroidered Stories' pieces and creating an exhibition around them
  • Integrating the different groups through the project
  • Inspiring newcomers to design and create their own embroidery
  • The challenges of handling & restoring historic embroidery
  • The challenges of getting project 'stuff' into prison!
  • Keeping the collection true to it's origins as a handling collection

If you have been involved with the Needlework Development Scheme over the years in any capacity, or know someone who has, then Lindy would love to talk to you. Please contact her!

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs of the project at http://www.stitcherystories.com/lindyrichardson

Visit: http://embroideredstories.eca.ed.ac.uk (after 10Dec2017)

Read: http://edin.ac/embroideredstories

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/embroiderednds https://www.instagram.com/ecatextilesdepartment

Contact Lindy:

Lindy Richardson

Programme Director Textiles

Edinburgh College of Art

University of Edinburgh, EH3 9DF

0131 651 5812

l.richardson@ed.ac.uk

 

Jessica Grady: Embroidery Artist Using Unusual Materials And Bold Colours22 Nov 201700:41:09

Jessica Grady: Embroidery Artist Using Unusual Materials And Bold Colours ss018

Today on the Stitchery Stories embroidery podcast, Jessica Grady shares her life in fabric and thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about building her business after graduating from a textiles degree. Jessica has developed a very original style and features bright bold colours, and heavily embellished pieces, using traditional embroidery stitches with modern and unusual materials.

Susan chats with Jessica about:

  • Exploring a new theme of coral reefs and 3D structures
  • How much time we need to spend working ON our business
  • The power of social media and being featured by a French textile artist
  • Which led to invitation to exhibit at French textile art festival in Nantes this year
  • Creating interesting embellishments from recycled objects
  • Freelance embroidery designs for the fashion industry
  • Instagram inspirations
  • Her love of 'washers' and the seemingly endless things she can do with them
  • Cotton buds - her new favourite beads
  • Being determined to 'Go For It' and strive for what you want as an artist
  • Selected as one of 12 winning artists for the RAW Talent national award program
  • Why people are drawn to Work In Progress shots
  • The possibilities of Trello for organising ourselves
  • If it goes through the fabric, you can use anything for embroidery!

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Jessica's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/jessicagrady

Visit: http://www.jessicagrady.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessicagradyembroideryartist

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jgradyartist

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessica_rosestitch/

 

Nicky Merrick: Event Photographer to Pole Wear - A Creative Journey15 Nov 201700:40:50

Nicky Merrick: Event Photographer to Pole Wear - A Creative Journey ss017

Today on the Stitchery Stories podcast, Nicky Merrick Shares Her Life In Fabric & Thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about her creative journey from an event photographer at pagan ceremonies, to building great success designing and making pole dancing costumes. And all the while managing her health after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This is such a wonderful story from a very inspiring lady.

Susan chats with Nicky about:

  • Creating a show stopper for upcoming pole wear events
  • Using fabulous modern materials and methods
  • Pagan ceremonies & nature inspired her beautiful cloaks
  • Keeping the same 'alternative' niche audience and serving them with a different business
  • Adapting her business opportunities to manage her health
  • A childhood passion for dance and designing her own costumes for her mum to make, has come full circle
  • Building a successful pole wear business on a chance remark
  • The influence of mum, tutors and Jane White Couture Tuition
  • Her thoughts on design piracy
  • The sneakiness of passing off a UFO onto mum!
  • Managing a full and busy life and business, with homeschooling, as well as supporting her husband's 2 businesses!
  • The perceptions and treatment by society of people with disabilities and her determination to prove them wrong

For this episode - View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Nicky's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/nickymerrick

Visit: www.pinkgiraffe.co.uk

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pinkgiraffepolewear/ https://www.facebook.com/PinkGiraffe/ https://www.facebook.com/nickymerricktextileartist/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/pink_giraffe_uk https://www.instagram.com/pinkgiraffepolewear

Jane White Couture Tuition:

http://www.janewhitetuition.co.uk/ http://www.stitcherystories.com/janewhite/

Fran Brammer: Inspired By Beautiful Yorkshire Landscapes08 Nov 201700:36:22

Fran Brammer: Inspired By Beautiful Yorkshire Landscapes SS016

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Fran Brammer Shares Her Life In Fabric & Thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about her creative journey and her desire to combine her love of hill walking, landscapes, costume and art.

Susan chats with Fran about:

  • Being inspired by the Yorkshire landscapes that she enjoys hiking through
  • Her new adventure with garments, text, and landscape - exploring common elements
  • The excitement of 'Feed Dogs'
  • Finding & generating textures
  • The creative arguments she has with her textile artwork
  • Weathering her work to provide another layer of unpredictability
  • Depth of colour in landscapes provided by contrasting and unusual colours
  • The story of the art, the wind, and the rosebush...
  • Being proactive in developing opportunities in her textile art practice
  • Establishing her 'Stitchiness' Facebook Group

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Fran's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/franbrammer

Visit: https://sites.google.com/site/franbrammer/

Blog: http://franbramm.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/frantextiles

Email: franbramm@gmail.com

Viking Loom embroidery supplies shop: http://www.vikingloom.co.uk/

And I thought I would share with you how beautiful the Yorkshire landscape is - of course I am biased since I am  Yorkshire gal! But I know we have listeners across the globe so I hope you enjoy the landscape too.

Yorkshire Wolds: http://www.visithullandeastyorkshire.com/yorkshire-wolds/

North Yorkshire Moors http://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/

Yorkshire Dales: http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/

 

Julia Triston: Celebrating Marks & Memories In Old Clothing & Cloth01 Nov 201700:44:29

Julia Triston: Textile Artist Celebrating Marks & Memories In Old Clothing & Cloth SS015

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Julia Triston shares her life in fabric and thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about her enduring fascination with fashion and clothing, and the stories and memories from them that inspire her textile art.

Susan chats with Julia about:

  • Fashion, garment construction, deconstruction and upcycling
  • Inspired by Japanese fashion designers, Gaudi, and the peeling paintwork on Frida Kahlo's house
  • The importance of continual growth, learning and self- reflection
  • The simplicity and rhythm of running stitch
  • Theraputic machine embroidery and drawing with the needle
  • Memories in cloth - using upcycled and secondhand garments, uniforms, jeans, underwear
  • The wear and tear and marks from previous uses and owners of fabric
  • Her hour on the 4th plinth of Trafalgar Square
  • Knicker Bunting and Bra-ra Dresses...
  • Selfcare, headspace, and making the most of those "10 minutes" in a busy life
  • Enjoying membership and stimulation of the Textile Study Group

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of artist's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/juliatriston

Visit : http://www.juliatriston.com

Email : textilearts@juliatriston.com

Twitter: : https://twitter.com/juliatriston

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/JuliaTristonTextiles/

Textile Study Group: https://textilestudygroup.co.uk

STITCHBUSINESS: http://www.stitchbusiness.com/site/

Anne Kelly: Textile Art From Re-used Textile Treasures25 Oct 201700:39:19

Anne Kelly: Textile Art From Re-used Textile Treasures SS014

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Anne Kelly shares her life in fabric & thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about her inspiration drawn from everyday objects and textiles, international travel and folk art.

Susan chats with Anne about:

  • International travel is not always a positive experience for everyone
  • Her Moving Memories collaborative project (come and join in)
  • Folk Art and being inspired by everyday, ordinary objects
  • Collage as the link from mixed media to textiles
  • Use those old pieces of fabric that you love - liberate your textile treasures!
  • Cover your background to remove that threat of a blank page
  • Writing books, teaching, and sharing our art
  • How the internet has transformed life for an artist
  • Thriving on 'happy accidents'
  • The unhelpfulness of self imposed pressures
  • How working on more than one project at a time can be very helpful but why multitasking is not...
  • Why not use your UFOs as a starting point for a new piece of work?

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Anne's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/annekelly

Visit: www.annekellyartist.net

Blog: https://annekellytextiles.blogspot.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annekellyartist

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Akellytextiles

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annekellytextiles

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/acegkelly

And if you want to participate in the Moving Memories 'travel tags' collaborative project - Deadline for contributions is 22nd February 2018. Check out: https://annekellytextiles.blogspot.co.uk/p/exhibitionsevents.html

email for details: mail@annekellytextiles.com

Chris Gray: Medieval Mysteries, Mushrooms, Moths and Mice18 Oct 201700:41:30

Chris Gray: Medieval Mysteries, Mushrooms, Moths and Mice

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Chris Gray Shares Her Life In Fabric and Thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about research and inspirations from earlier periods of history, and her desire to present her art on 3d forms.

Susan chats with Chris about:

  • Using mushrooms, moths and mice to showcase work on ancient themes
  • The joys of blogging to inspire others
  • Being gripped by Medieval Mysteries
  • What on earth is a 'beakhead'
  • How very useful is expanding foam
  • Get yourself down to B&Q
  • Working small pieces to create large pieces
  • Opus Anglicanum and Medieval Crewel Work
  • Her longstanding relationship as a 'Stitch' magazine contributor
  • Teaching embroidery on cruise ships
  • The story of the French Knots and the Stabiliser...
  • Embroidery and caravan adventures

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Chris's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/chrisgray

Visit: http://mabonarts.co.uk

Blog: http://chris-gray-textile-art.blogspot.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=555382986

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/people/chrisgraytextileart/

 

Merrilyn Heazlewood : Creative Counted Canvaswork Embroidery20 Jan 202300:48:15

Embroidery artist Merrilyn Heazlewood shares her life in fabric & thread on Stitchery Stories embroidery podcast today! She takes us on a journey through her interesting and busy lifelong creative business career based around counted canvas work hand embroidery. And for those of you in the USA, you will know canvaswork as needlepoint.

Anyway, over the years, Merrilyn has owned several needlework shops, has written several books on wool embroidery, counted canvaswork techniques and also on silk ribbon embroidery. And she has also taught internationally for many years, in-person and now creating projects for online learning.

We catch up with Merrilyn as she looks forward to her summer holiday break, with several projects in mind to let her creativity flow.

Susan Weeks chats with Merrilyn about:

  • why she opened a needlwork craft shop at age 23
  • how she translates an idea into canvaswork and ribbon embroidery stitches
  • playing with goldwork inspired by an ancient Aboriginal Rock art Echidna
  • how do you learn crafts when your Mum is left-handed and you are right-handed?
  • getting 'hooked' into counted cross-stitch embroidery
  • combining silk ribbon embroidery with counted canvaswork / needlepoint
  • a focus on inspiring customers
  • self publishing several books...back inthe day when it was really difficult!
  • selecting style, threads and accessories for 'longevity' of stitching
  • meeting inspiring people around the world in so many locations
  • designing the creative business you love and which protects your precious health.
  • how NOT to thread your needle....

and so much more!

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Merrilyn's work at

https://stitcherystories.com/merrilynheazlewood

Visit: https://merrilynheazlewood.com.au

Look: https://www.instagram.com/merrilynsstitches/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/MerrilynBHeazlewood

Other places & people we mentioned:

In Tasmania:

Tarraleah, Hobart, Launceston, Battery Point, Mount Wellington, Iron Pot (a small flat island in the mouth of the Derwent River, Tasmania)

The Kimberley region in north-west Australia

Aboriginal rock art Echidna

Gumnut Yarns

http://www.gumnutyarns.com/

Lowery Workstands

https://www.workstands.com/

 

Other episodes you will enjoy

Sarah Rakestraw: Glorious Goldwork Embroidery

https://stitcherystories.com/sarahrakestraw/

Tina Francis: Tapestry, Needlepoint, Canvaswork

https://stitcherystories.com/tinafrancis/

Ilke Cochrane: Delightful Hardanger Embroidery

https://stitcherystories.com/ilkecochrane/

 

Shirley Smith: Hand Embroidery & Mixed Media Artist11 Oct 201700:33:30

Shirley Smith: Hand Embroidery & Mixed Media Artist

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Shirley Smith Shares Her Life In Fabric & Thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about developing her artistic skills from lace to embroidery, and the friends and community spirit she enjoys within the embroidery 'world'.

Susan chats with Shirley about:

  • Her traditional start being surrounded by creative family members
  • Where changing an L to an E led her...
  • Inspiring tutors and mentors
  • Including stained glass into textile art
  • Taking part: Magna Carta & Jurist Edward Coke
  • Taking part: The White Walker's Blue Blingy Pendant
  • What happened to a major commission when Shirley fell down the stairs...
  • The fate of the Golden Plover
  • Juggling those metaphorical plates
  • Taking part and joining in

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Shirley's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/shirleysmith

You may contact Shirley via email shirley dot smith2 @ btinternet.com

Shirley is an exhibiting member of The Ebor Group based in York. She is also co-Chair of York branch of The Embroiderer's Guild http://yorkembroidery.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Ami James: How Textile Art Changed Her Life04 Oct 201700:36:06

Ami James: How Textile Art Changed Her Life

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Ami James Shares Her Life In Fabric & Thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about how textile art has changed her life, helped her recover from illness, and developing the courage to 'go for it' in 2017.

Susan chats with Ami about:

  • What happened when the Floristry class was full...
  • Coping with Bipolar Disorder with textile art
  • Developing new skills and continuous learning and development
  • Dyeing and printing fabric ends the search for the 'right' pieces of fabric
  • Drawing with sewing machine rather than paper and pencil
  • 2017: gaining confidence and 'getting out there'
  • Developing exhibition experience and learning from group members
  • Overcoming our fear of rejection - not everyone will like everything we create 
  • 2 VERY funny stories when things didn't go as planned
  • Using 'Mindmaps' to capture inspiration and keep organised

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Ami's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/amijames

Visit: http://www.amijamestextileart.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Amijamestextiles

Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/@amijames_textiles

Article on TextileArtist.org http://www.textileartist.org/ami-james-how-textiles-can-change-lives/

Midlands Textile Forum: http://midlandstextileforum.com/

Quilter's Guild Derbyshire: http://region-10.quiltersguild.org.uk/about-region-10 

Cas Holmes: Textile Artist & Tutor: Found-Stitch-Paint27 Sep 201700:39:59

Cas Holmes: Textile Artist & Tutor: Found-Stitch-Paint

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Cas Holmes shares her life in fabric & thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about her textile art work which is summed up in her own words as being Found-Stitch-Paint. Using those key elements of found materials, stitch and paint, Cas explores the connections between land, place and environment through pieces for exhibition, her tutoring and her books.

Susan chats with Cas about:

  • A lifelong interest in taking things apart and re-creating them
  • That dreaded school cross-stitch project
  • Paper and fabric as similar and interchangeable materials
  • Open your eyes to your surroundings
  • Deconstruction and layering
  • Wonder how we got onto Star Trek, fairground organs, and creativity vs linear thinking
  • Mastering your craft so it looks effortless and simple for the observer
  • The experience of writing books and encouraging people to create their own 'Stitch Stories'
  • The Pride Of India Award
  • Yes - you ARE good enough!
  • Using limited equipment and our hands, eyes and minds

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Cas's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/casholmes

Visit: http://www.casholmes.co.uk

Blog: http://www.casholmes.blogspot.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casholmes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casholmestextiles

During our chat Cas also mentioned:

Magdelena Abakanowicz https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/apr/24/magdalena-abakanowicz-obituary

Fibre Arts Australia: http://www.fibrearts.jigsy.com/

West Dean College: https://www.westdean.org.uk/

https://embroiderersguild.com/index.php?page_no=894#

 

Sue Stone: Textile Artist, Woman With A Fish & Current 62 Group Chair20 Sep 201700:38:24

Sue Stone: Textile Artist, Woman With A Fish & Current 62 Group Chair

Today on the Stitchery Stories podcast, Sue Stone aka 'The Woman With The Fish', Shares Her Life In Fabric & Thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about her journey through fashion, to embroidery, back to fashion to earn a living, and finally back to embroidery and her current achievements.

Susan chats with Sue about:

  • Her major exhibitions this year
  • Studying fashion but discovering embroidery from Constance Howard at Goldsmith's College
  • The theme of identity, portraits, people & life observations
  • Working with a small variety of stitches
  • Building layers and creating texture with hand embroidery & applique
  • Being current Chair of The 62 Group, as well as being an exhibiting member for the second time
  • Her first solo exhibition in USA in New York
  • Being featured on the front cover of 'Embroidery' Magazine
  • Re-use, Recycle, & Record our failures for future reference, as well as our successes
  • A busy schedule of exhibitions coming up over the next two years

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Sue's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/suestone

Visit: womanwithafish.com

Blog: womanwithafish.wordpress.com

Facebook: facebook.com/suestone.womanwithafish

Twitter: @womanwithafish

Instagram: @womanwithafish

Online Course: Sign up at http://www.textileartist.org/ to keep informed when the next one is running

Dionne Swift: Artist Creating Contemporary Embroidered Art13 Sep 201700:40:06

Today on the Stitchery Stories podcast, contemporary textile artist & tutor, Dionne Swift Shares Her Life In Fabric & Thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about developing rhythm and process as she recreates marks representing landscape not only in textiles but with paper and paint too.

Susan chats with Dionne about:

  • Her long-term project with North Yorkshire Military Wives
  • Stitching vs Painting in a competition at Windsor Castle!
  • Working through process rather than patterns and instructions
  • Being connected with her work and being in flow
  • Developing a sense of independence & ability to self-critique
  • Taking textile art to 'normal' Art shows & exhibitions
  • Changing techniques over the years... from Devoré to surface printing embellished with stitch to current landscape inspired contemporary embroidered art
  • Planning ahead into 2019
  • International travel & exhibition opportunities for textile art

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Dionne's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/dionneswift

Visit: http://www.dionneswift.co.uk/

Face book: https://www.facebook.com/DionneSwiftTextileArtist/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/dionneswift/

Twitter : https://twitter.com/DionneSwift

Heather Cawte: Battle Of Stamford Bridge tapestry Project06 Sep 201700:30:41

Heather Cawte: Battle Of Stamford Bridge Tapestry Project.

Today on the Stitchery Stories podcast, Heather Cawte shares the story of the Battle Of Stamford Bridge Tapestry Project. It is a community embroidery celebrating the Battle Of Stamford Bridge in 1066. The project started in 2015 and great progress has been made, not just in the stitching, but in generating media atention and in fundraising. 

Susan Weeks chats with Heather about:

  • How the tapestry project got started
  • How the team have developed their skills in many areas NOT just stitching
  • How the design, colours, materials & stitches were chosen
  • The excitement of Royal admirers
  • How the stitchers organise their work
  • How big is the tapestry
  • When will it be finished
  • Where will it be displayed
  • Speaking, exhibitions, & displays
  • Media attention & spreading the word

The Story of the Battle as told by Heather is in a separate audio file here: The Story Of The Battle Of Stamford Bridge 1066

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of the Stamford Bridge tapestry progress & stitchers at

http://www.stitcherystories.com/stamfordbridgetapestryproject

Visit: http://www.stamfordbridgetapestry.org.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1637699893135508/

Email: publicity@stamfordbridgetapestry.org.uk

Dr Jennie Batchelor: The Great Lady's Magazine Stitch-Off30 Aug 201700:39:10

Dr Jennie Batchelor: The Great Lady's Magazine Stitch-Off

Today on the Stitchery Stories podcast, Dr Jennie Batchelor, shares her research on the embroidery patterns created for The Lady's Magazine published in the 18th & 19th centuries. She chats with Susan Weeks about how her 18th century magazine research project at the University Of Kent sparked enthusiasm & creativity in 21st century embroiderers & textile artists as they joined in The Great Lady's Magazine Stitch Off.

Susan chats with Jennie about:

  • Embroidery patterns in the 18th century The Lady's Magazine
  • Waiting & waiting to actually see an embroidery pattern
  • How the patterns took off via social media
  • Generating global interest
  • What! NO instructions!
  • The Great Lady's Magazine Stitch-off
  • Embroidery exhibition at Chawton House
  • Did Jane Austin ever sew one of the Lady's Magazine embroidery patterns?
  • What was learnt about the embroidery patterns & the skills of the 18th century embroiderers
  • Creating a virtual community of stitchers

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of the patterns at http://www.stitcherystories.com/drjenniebatchelor

Visit: https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/ladys-magazine/

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NjJnojRTuE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladysmagproject/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ladysmagproject

The Patterns: https://www.kent.ac.uk/english/ladys-magazine/patterns/index.html

 

Bridget Bernadette Karn: Artist Using Wool To Make Felt Pictures16 Aug 201700:37:54

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Bridget Bernadette Karn Shares Her Life In Wool & Felt. She chats with Susan Weeks about discovering wet felting and creating a business based around that newly discovered love, leading to being selected for the Royal Academy Of Arts Summer Exhibition.

Susan chats with Bernadette about:

  • Discovering wet felting at her craft club
  • Seeing the potential to create a business
  • The power of video for generating interest, leads & customers
  • Building a lifestyle business
  • Valuing quality of life
  • The pressure to have a 'proper' job
  • Developing our creative skills
  • Pre-felt, dry felt, needle felt and adding the details
  • Gaining acceptance & understanding
  • Creating an online course

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Bridget's work at https://www.stitcherystories.com/bridgetbernadettekarn

Visit: https://www.bridgetbernadettekarn.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyGallerySPACE

Artist In Residence Boston Spa Arts Festival: http://www.bostonspaartsfestival.co.uk/

Tracy A Franklin: Specialist Freelance Embroiderer & Durham Cathedral Head Broderer02 Aug 201700:36:46

Today on the Stitchery Stories podcast, Tracy A Franklin Shares Her Life In Fabric & Thread. She chats with Susan Weeks about the different facets of her professional hand embroidery career in particular her role as Head Broderer at Durham Cathedral and her busy tuition and teaching business.

Susan chats with Tracy about:

  • How she started her embroidery career
  • Her career at the Royal School of Needlework
  • Building her own embroidery tuition business
  • Having a studio in the centre of Historic Durham
  • Groups, friendships & long term courses
  • The importance of learning new ideas
  • Changes within the City & Guilds certifications

 

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Tracy's work at https://www.stitcherystories.com/traceyafranklin

Visit: http://www.tracyafranklin.com

Visit: http://www.stitchbusiness.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tracy.A.Franklin.Embroiderer.page/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tracy_franklin

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracyafranklin/

Durham Cathedral Cope project: http://www.durhamadvertiser.co.uk/news/14295922.Can_Cathedral_broderers_Cope_with_robe_challenge_/

Susie Martin: Mixed Media Artist Creating Textile Art21 Jul 201700:41:48

Mixed Media Artist Susie Martin Shares Her Life In Fabric & Thread in this episode of the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast.

Susan Weeks chats with Susie about:

  • Dissolving Margins & Crumbling Cliffs
  • Learning skills by making clothes for Barbie dolls
  • Enjoying being an active member of The Embroiderer's Guild
  • Exploring variations in colour, stitch and threads
  • Burning and melting for surprising results
  • Helping curate a major exhibition
  • Being a member of Textilia3

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Susie's work at https://www.stitcherystories.com/susiemartin

Visit www.facebook.com/SusieStitchings

Email: susiestitchings@gmail.com

and to follow the antics of the Textilia3 group of textile artists http://www.textilia3.blogspot.co.uk

 

Stitchery Stories Listeners Creative Joy Highlights 202229 Dec 202200:43:37

A cheerful & inspiring episode as global listeners of Stitchery Stories textile art podcast share their stories of creative joy from 2022, and shoutout those 'joy bringers' who helped them in some way to achieve that joy.

Hello & Welcome to my final episode of 2022.

A recurring theme is how much comfort & joy creative activities bring us.

So I thought it would be lovely to hear your stories of creative JOY from 2022. But not only that, to give us an opportunity to hear about those people that helped create that joy for you - the JOY BRINGERS as I decided to call them.

A massive thank you to all of you who took the time to send in your JOY.

As usual I have created a blog post for this episode on the StitcheryStories.com site

Each contributor will be listed, with their links and also the details and links for their joy bringers.

I also sent out a quick question asking what your fevourite techniques, and again got some lovely replies, so I have featured a selection of those too, which are along the same theme of joy and yet more shoutouts to others.

Please tell your friends about this episode, share on socials thru stories, or write your own post, maybe with an image of you busy making and creating whilst listening? We can bring joy to others by sharing what we love. And it's always very much appreciated.

So as we wrap up 2022, I wish you all a creative and joyful 2023 Sue xxx

For this episode...

View Contributors, Links, & Information at https://stitcherystories.com/2022CreativeJoy

 

To support this embroidery & textile art podcast:

You can 'Buy Sue A Coffee' here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sueweekspodcast

Follow Susan Weeks for course creation and online marketing stuff

https://virtualityworks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheMissingTraining

https://www.instagram.com/susan.l.weeks

Sign up for information on Sue's 'How To Create An Online Course' which is specifically created for textile artists and other crafty business owners.

Course Creation Quick Start Guide. https://virtualityworks.com/how-do-you-create-a-course-quick-start/

 

Jane White: Tuition In Couture Dressmaking & Pattern Cutting21 Jul 201700:39:32

Couture Dressmaking Tutor Jane White Shares Her Life In Fabric & Thread in this episode of the Stitchery Stories podcast.

Jane shares stories and insight about her lifelong love of sewing and her determination to share that love and knowledge of couture dressmaking with her students.

Susan chats with Jane about:

  • Great Auntie Margaret's treadle Singer sewing machine,
  • inspiring sewing teachers,
  • inspiring designers,
  • finding lovely dressmaking fabrics,
  • the importance of toiles and fitting,
  • running workshops at The Great British Sewing Bee Live,
  • and having fun and making friends in the sewing classroom...

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Jane's & her students' work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/janewhite

Visit http://www.janewhitetuition.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaneWhiteTuition/

Alison Larkin: Historical Hand Embroidery & Costume Historian 19 Jul 201700:34:45

Alison Larkin Shares Her Life In Fabric & Thread on this episode of the Stitchery Stories embroidery podcast. Alison talks about developing her second career based around her love of traditional embroidery, historical costume, and 18th century waistcoats. 

Susan Weeks chats with Alison about:

  • Making & wearing historical costume,
  • Captain Cook's Waistcoat,
  • travelling to Australia & New Zealand for waistcoat research,
  • working on a small scale,
  • double sided embroidery,
  • Alison's favourite techniques
  • and using embroidery to keep you from going crazy at work!
  • Oh and of course, how sociable it is being a member of a group such as The Embroiderer's Guild. :-)

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Alison's work at https://www.stitcherystories.com/alisonlarkin

Visit http://alisonlarkinembroidery.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Alisonlarkinembroidery/

and to follow the antics of the Hull & East Riding branch of The Embroiderer's Guild check out our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/HERByEmbroidery/

 

Elizabeth Griffiths : Using hand embroidery for Portrait Artist Of The Year competition09 Dec 202200:39:08

Elizabeth Griffiths is a mixed media artist using hand embroidery, lino print-making, inks and watercolours to explore a range of themes.

She shares the uplifting experience (and challenge!) of using hand embroidery as a competitor in Sky TV Portrait Artist Of The Year.

We dive behind the scenes!

Who was her portrait subject? How was it organised?

What was it like trying to compete using hand embroidery against 'paper & paint' artists?

This was just one of a number of events that have made 2022 a rollercoaster of a year for Elizabeth, and we chat about how these events have affected her art and creativity.

Susan Weeks chats with Elizabeth Griffiths about:

  • Exploring mixed-media - lino prints, inks, watercolours - with hand embroidery
  • The excitement of taking part in Sky Portrait Artist Of The Year
  • How to use embroidery in a time limited, live, portrait competition
  • Keeping true to her style
  • Using mixed media to trigger embroidery
  • Why Elizabeth put away her needles & thead for a while
  • Do silk paints go off, we wondered?
  • Evolving our art as we also evolve
  • Using our art to cope with stress
  • Having her 1st solo exhibition
  • When everything happens at once...

and so much more!

For this episode... View Links, information & Examples of Elizabeth's work at

https://stitcherystories.com/elizabethgriffiths

Look: https://www.instagram.com/lizgstitches

Sky Portrait Artist Of The Year Competition 2022

https://www.sky.com/watch/title/series/3e1cfda1-28a9-42f2-be75-220b7e8863ca/portrait-artist-of-the-year/episodes/season-9/episode-4

General Office - Gallery in Stourbridge, UK

https://generaloffice.co.uk/

 

Oh and for a laugh...

Sue mentioned that her portrait drawing attempts were like those of internet star 'Pet Portraits By Hercule'

Here is a BBC article about Hercule...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-58309087

Instagram: @portraitsbyhercule

 

To support this embroidery & textile art podcast:

You can 'Buy Sue A Coffee' here:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sueweekspodcast

 

Follow Susan Weeks for course creation and online marketing stuff

https://virtualityworks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheMissingTraining

https://www.instagram.com/susan.l.weeks

 

Sign up for information on Sue's 'How To Create An Online Course' which is specifically created for textile artists and other crafty business owners.

Course Creation Quick Start Guide. https://virtualityworks.com/how-do-you-create-a-course-quick-start/

 

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Justine Warner: Textile art landscapes from a surprising source

https://stitcherystories.com/justinewarner/

Sorrell Kerrison: Creating Hand Embroidered Portraits

https://stitcherystories.com/sorrellkerrison/

Tracey Coverley: Textile Art Portraits

https://stitcherystories.com/traceycoverley/

 

Stacey Jones : Modern Abstract Hand Embroidery22 Nov 202200:42:46

Stacey Jones creates colourful, modern, abstract hand embroidery art. Her work powerfully reflects her thoughts & emotions through her life experiences.

Stacey shares her story of how her life with her husband has strongly informed her embroidery designs, particularly his illness, tragic death and her mourning process as she evolves into living alone. Embroidery has been a massive help to Stacey, and she shares stories and wisdom around the power of creativity in such situations.

This is a fascinating conversation about developing themes, ideas, inspirations, designs, colour and stitch.

Susan Weeks chats with Stacey Jones about:

  • Using sunflowers as an enduring symbol of hope, strength and inspiration.
  • The impact of mood & emotions on choosing a colour palette to work with.
  • Considering 'the spaces in-between' and developing art around that concept.
  • Inspiration from galaxies to the spaces inbetween seeds.
  • Finding comfort in repetitive processes & stitching.
  • Learning some new hand embroidery techniques, goldwork, tambour embroidery.
  • Going to cool life drawing classes with neon painted models.
  • The luxury of creating work purely for herself.
  • Finding freedom in reposting her embroidery archive.
  • Exciting plans for the future.
  • Representing calm breath work with embroidery.
  • Ways to spark creativity when you are feeling stuck.
  • and so much more!

For this episode...

View Links, information & Examples of Stacey's work at https://stitcherystories.com/staceyjones

Look: https://www.instagram.com/bystaceyjones

The Hand & Lock embroidered arts exhibition 2021

https://handembroidery.com/hand-and-lock-exhibition-2021/

Sarcoma UK The bone & soft tissue cancer charity

https://sarcoma.org.uk/

 

To support this embroidery & textile art podcast:

You can 'Buy Sue A Coffee' here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sueweekspodcast

 

Follow Susan Weeks for online course creation and online marketing stuff

https://virtualityworks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheMissingTraining

https://www.instagram.com/susan.l.weeks

Sign up for information

on Sue's 'How To Create An Online Course' which is specifically created for textile artists and other crafty business owners.

Course Creation Quick Start Guide. https://virtualityworks.com/how-do-you-create-a-course-quick-start/

 

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Claire Edwards: Pushing The Boundaries Of Traditional Hand Embroidery

https://stitcherystories.com/claireedwards/

Jessica Grady: Embroidery Artist Using Unusual Materials And Bold Colours

https://stitcherystories.com/jessicagrady/

Michelle Morgan: Hand Embroidery Artist

https://stitcherystories.com/michellemorgan/

 

Floriane Schmitt : Creative Fabric Manipulation Ideas02 Nov 202200:36:50

Floriane Schmitt loves to experiment with creative fabric manipulation ideas. Under her brand name of FloHomeDesign she creates accessories and home decor items from smocked neoprene and is writing a fabric manipulation book, due out end 2023.

Floriane shares her story of how her dream of a career in fashion evolved into specialising in fabric manipulation and creating her own collections bringing a very modern twist on some traditional Canadian Smocking techniques with very modern materials. Neoprene + Smocking = Neosmock

Floriane has packed a lot of experience into her education and career so far, topped off by her fabulous story behind the fabric manipulation book she is writing at time of recording (Oct 2022). This is an inspiring story of 'going for it, making opportunities, and of saying Yes!

Susan Weeks chats with Floriane Schmitt about:

  • A chance comment on Instagram that led to a book writing deal
  • The structure and challenges of creating her book
  • Don't be afraid to show your work
  • Using Instagram as a quicker way to showcase your skills and work
  • Making a major pivot from fashion design to fabric manipulation designer
  • Creating her accessories and home decor collections and brand
  • Giving a traditional technique an interesting twist with modern materials
  • Her inspiring internship
  • Innovation with new fabrics and creative fabric manipulation techniques
  • You can't keep the creativity flowing for endless hours
  • and so much more!

For this episode...

View Links, information & Examples of Floriane's work at

https://stitcherystories.com/florianeschmitt

 

Visit: https://linktr.ee/florianeschmitt

https://florianeschmitt.com/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/florianeschmitt

Look: https://www.instagram.com/flohomedelight

 

Inspiration from Iris Van Herpen:

https://www.irisvanherpen.com/

 

You can 'Buy Sue A Coffee' here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sueweekspodcast

Follow Susan Weeks for course creation and online marketing stuff

https://virtualityworks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheMissingTraining

https://www.instagram.com/susan.l.weeks

Sign up for information on Sue's 'How To Create An Online Course' which is specifically created for textile artists and other crafty business owners. Course Creation Quick Start Guide.

https://virtualityworks.com/how-do-you-create-a-course-quick-start/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Ann Small: Layered Cloth

https://stitcherystories.com/annsmall/

Jayne Emerson: Textile Designer, Author & Tutor

https://stitcherystories.com/jayneemerson/

Kathleen Laurel Sage: Shaping Machine Embroidery With Heat

https://stitcherystories.com/kathleenlaurelsage/

 

Cath Janes : Hand Embroidered Human Anatomy19 Oct 202201:02:52

Cath Janes is an award-winning human anatomical embroidery artist.

Under her brand name of Kraken Kreations she combines anatomically correct illustrations with colourful hand embroidery which all have a story to tell.

Cath shares her honest and hilarious story of the ups and downs of the creative life of an artist, and her unique and distinctive art. There is so much entertainment as well as valuable creative business lessons contained within this episode of the Stitchery Stories textile art and embroidery podcast.

Maybe you dream of going viral on Instagram, worry about being artistically lonely, or struggle to set boundaries and price your art?

You will certainly find some inspiration and hard-earned experience today. Oh, and have a right good laugh too!

Susan Weeks chats with Cath Janes about:

  • Joys & frustrations of commissions
  • Inspiring stories behind her anatomical embroidery commissions
  • Her commissioned hoops are often part of a healing process
  • Importance & prevalence of medical illustrations
  • What is 'false colour'
  • The surprising catalyst for becoming an anatomical embroiderer
  • Anyone else love dissecting things?
  • Dealing with artistic loneliness and finding your tribe
  • What really happens when a 'reel' video goes 'viral' on Instagram
  • Balancing commercial pressures with artistic urges

and so much more!

For this episode... View Links, information & Examples of Cath's work at https://stitcherystories.com/cathjanes

Visit: https://www.krakenkreations.co.uk/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/KrakenKreations

Look: https://www.instagram.com/krakenkreationscath

You can 'Buy Sue A Coffee' here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sueweekspodcast

Follow Susan Weeks for course creation and online marketing stuff

https://virtualityworks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheMissingTraining

https://www.instagram.com/susan.l.weeks

Sign up for information on Sue's 'How To Create An Online Course' which is specifically created for textile artists and other crafty business owners.

Course Creation Quick Start Guide.

https://virtualityworks.com/how-do-you-create-a-course-quick-start/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Ruth Norbury: Capturing Urban Decay With Textile Art https://stitcherystories.com/ruthnorbury/

Profanity Embroidery Group: Huge Fun. Beautiful Art. Ugly Words https://stitcherystories.com/profanityembroiderygroup/

Jane Sanders: Textile Portraits Of Iconic Pop Stars https://stitcherystories.com/janesanders/

 

Susan Hensel : Communicating Ideas Through Digital Machine Embroidery05 Oct 202200:56:55

Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist with a long-established career. She combines mixed media with digital machine embroidery to create beautiful sculptural forms flooded with colour. Alongside runs her gallery & curatative experience, giving us a fabulous guest sharing her art practice wisdom, on Stitchery Stories textile art podcast.

Art is all about communication. Creating art to interpret your thoughts, inspirations, perhaps trying to make sense of the world.

And the communication continues long after the art is finished.... you need to tell everyone about it, so they can enjoy it too. Susan has some great advice about this side of a successful art practice.

We also dive into the aspects of when you take your art career to the 'next level' of exhibitions and galleries.

Susan Weeks chats with Susan Hensel about:

Getting excited about digital machine embroidery

The frustrations of inconsistent materials

Current inspirations from climate change & weather maps

How Donald Duck's blue jacket sent her into a life-changing artistic pivot!

Using techniques & approach appropriate for the ideas you are trying to express

Evolving beyond the clay & brealing out of the rectangle

Opening a gallery as a way of meting new people

Getting media & press attention

Artist representation

Understanding the gallery business

There are artists everywhere - who have created everything we use Switching between 'business mode' and 'creative mode' can be so difficult

For this episode...

View Links, information & Examples of Susan's work at

https://stitcherystories.com/susanhensel

Visit: https://susanhenselprojects.com/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/SusanHenselProjects/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/susan_hensel_multimedia_artist

Tweet: @hensel_susan

Follow Susan Weeks for course creation and online marketing stuff

https://virtualityworks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheMissingTraining

https://www.instagram.com/susan.l.weeks

Sign up for information on Sue's 'How To Create An Online Course' which is specifically created for textile artists and other crafty business owners. Course Creation Quick Start Guide.

https://virtualityworks.com/how-do-you-create-a-course-quick-start/

 

Other Episodes You Might Like:

David Morrish : Disruptive Digital Embroidery

https://stitcherystories.com/davidmorrish/

Hayley Mills-Styles: Thread Artist Who Loves Digital Embroidery

https://stitcherystories.com/hayleymillsstyles/

Kathleen Laurel Sage: Shaping Machine Embroidery With Heat

https://stitcherystories.com/kathleenlaurelsage/

 

Jennie-maree Tempest : Beautiful Botanical Sculptures31 Oct 202100:39:41

Jennie-maree Tempest is a textile artist living on the Bass Coast of Australia. After many years creating art quilts and portraits, she has decided to challenge her textile art skills and creativity by creating textile art botanical sculptures.

Jennie-maree focuses her creativity inspired by the native Australian species that grow around her coastal home. The latest is a flowering yucca that is around 6ft / nearly 2m tall! It has been a massive undertaking, and has taken over four months of hard work to create. It's not only a challenge of textile art but also of construction. How did she make such a large item out of fabric & threads?

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Jennie-maree Tempest chats with Susan Weeks about her inspirations and challenges and her creative life by the coast.

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Jennie-maree's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/JenniemareeTempest

Visit: https://jemartem.com/

Like : https://www.facebook.com/JemARTem/

Look : https://www.instagram.com/jemartem.textiles/

Buy : https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/JemartemTextiles

Pin : https://www.pinterest.co.uk/jemartem/

 

Caroline Hyde-Brown : Weaving Plant Material Into Textile Art04 Oct 202400:50:10

Caroline Hyde-Brown is a textile artist with a long-established career.

Inspired by botanical research, she combines foraged plant material with a variety of textile art techniques to create fascinating weaves and vessels with fragile beauty. Combined with her purposeful art practice experience, Caroline shares plenty of wisdom on Stitchery Stories textile art podcast.

With so many inspiring aspects to Caroline's textile art career, in this episode of Stitchery Stories we chose to focus on some unique plant-based research projects that Caroline has been involved with over the last couple of years. Firstly, on a project focused on the Grass Pea plant. And secondly on a project based around extracting natural dyes from food waste. These were truly fascinating and highlight the innovative use of plant-based materials within Caroline's textile art.

Susan Weeks chats with Caroline Hyde-Brown about: 

  • Overwintering in her practice, her garden and her art.
  • Combining foraged plant materials with textile art techniques
  • Purposeful development of an art practice
  • The importance of outreach and connections
  • Her love of nature and plants and research
  • Making paper with grass pea fibres
  • Extracting natural dyes from food waste from UK & Malaysia
  • Contrasting writing styles for academic writing & art book
  • Writing her first book 'Forage & Stitch'
  • A hard lesson in understanding a design brief & clear communication
  • And plenty more besides!

For this episode... View Links, information & Examples of Caroline's work at https://stitcherystories.com/carolinehydebrown

Visit: https://www.theartofembroidery.co.uk/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/www.theartofembroidery.co.uk

Look: https://www.instagram.com/artistcaz/

VISIT Stitchery Courses a brilliant new place to find expert teachers, helpful info & fun courses to learn stitching, making & crafting with thread, fabric & yarn

https://www.stitcherycourses.com

GET LISTED on Stitchery Courses if you teach you art, craft, skills with thread, fabric & yarn

DON'T MISS OUT! https://www.stitcherycourses.com/join

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Jennie-maree Tempest : Beautiful Botanical Sculptures

https://stitcherystories.com/jenniemareetempest/

Meredith Woolnough: Machine Embroidered Natural Specimens

https://stitcherystories.com/meredithwoolnough/

Laura Edgar: Atmospheric Coastal Scenes in Textile Art

https://stitcherystories.com/lauraedgar/

Nikki Parmenter: Exuberant mixed-media textile artist29 Sep 202100:48:43

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Nikki Parmenter shares her life in fabric & thread & a wide range of interesting materials too!

She chats with Susan Weeks about the wide range of inspirations and materials that she uses to create her large scale art. And although Nikki has a Fine Art background, she is very much self-taught when it comes to incorporating textiles and embroidery into the mix! Plenty of experimenting has developed a vivid and exuberant style.

Nikki 'escaped' the world of education back in 2016 but her absolute delight in teaching people still shines through everything that she does, and teaching is still an important aspect of her art practice.

In fact, as the global pandemic took hold, and everything was cancelled, Nikki carried on experimenting, and moved online, becoming very visible, and offering online workshops and talks via Zoom rather than the traditional 'in-person' approach. She shares plenty of tips and insight into how she did that, and the results she has generated.

For this episode... all links, info & examples of Nikki's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/nikkiparmenter

Tanya Bentham : What is Opus Anglicanum embroidery?16 Jun 202100:53:11

Tanya Bentham is an expert in the style of hand embroidery known as 'Opus Anglicanum'. It is a style of embroidery that was prevalent in the 13th & 14th centuries in England. Very specific stitches are used in a specific way with specific materials and style.

Tanya shares her fascinating story of how she got started in embroidery and how the obsession with Opus Anglicanum started.

It may sound dull that Tanya takes her inspiration from Medieval manuscripts. Far from it! Those manuscripts contain hilarious situations and crazy characters and this was an area that I wanted to dig down into with Tanya.

There is a lot of humour in her work. She also loves to take old images and put a modern twist on them, but still using relevant imagery and sticking strictly to the style and methods of the era.

Tanya has brought all that knowledge and experience together and her first book is just about to be published... exciting times!

Susan Weeks chats with Tanya about:

  • What is Opus Anglicanum?
  • The main stitches used and the specific thread.
  • Her twist of 'The 3 living & the 3 dead'
  • How to create a face in Opus Anglicanum
  • Historical re-enactment
  • Writing her book
  • Knitting in the dark!
  • Finding it difficult to start things and preferring longer bigger projects
  • Where do all the crazy characters and silly scenes come from?
  • Just how nerdy is nerdy?
  • Medieval simplicity vs Jacobean crewelwork exuberance
  • Learning which rules you can break so it is still 'Medieval'
  • What to wear when you are a proper artist
  • A fab excuse for not finishing a piece of embroidery....

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Tanya's work at https://stitcherystories.com/tanyabentham

Visit: https://www.opusanglicanumembroidery.com/

Like : https://www.facebook.com/groups/2131204437191134/

Read : https://opusanglicanum.wordpress.com/

Look : https://www.instagram.com/opusanglicanum/

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWJl2IvOniL94jIym33JNYA

Tweet: https://twitter.com/Opusembroidery

SIGN UP for Crafty Online Course Creator's Workbox to get started for FREE on your online course creation journey

https://www.craftyonlinecoursecreator.info/workbox

Other episodes you might like! https://www.stitcherystories.com/phillipaturnbull/

https://www.stitcherystories.com/clarehunter/

https://www.stitcherystories.com/stamfordbridgetapestryproject/

Other links and things we talked about:

The Luttrell Psalter

https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/the-luttrell-psalter

The Syon Cope

https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-syon-cope

Bananarama

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A-w5L7pygE

Asterix & Obelix

https://www.asterix.com/en/

Tintin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Tintin

Les Dawson - wonky piano playing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nNGlaiVypU

Vendulka Battais: An inspiring textile artist moving with the times26 May 202100:50:09

Vendulka Battais is a textile artist, quilter, embroiderer and designer who started her creative journey making clothes with her mum in the Czech Republic. She learnt simple patchwork when she moved to the UK and was looking for a new hobby!

Vendulka shares her fabulous story of where that early interest in patchwork took her. It's a story of creativity and of making opportunities and of taking action. From squares and triangles, Vendulka's work has evolved into quilting and embroidery, and a love of circular patterns inspired by mandalas and dream-catchers. Her love of teaching shines through with in-person classes and her new range of online video courses too.

Susan Weeks chats with Vendulka about:

  • Coming out of covid lockdown and wondering what's next.
  • Her dream of creating on demand online video classes.
  • It's a whole new set of skills creating an online course.
  • If you don't have guidance then you need plenty of time for trial and error!
  • Investing effort into creating an on-demand online course is creating future income
  • Habits have changed and online courses are now seen as a great way of learning and networking
  • Running her fabric & haberdashery shop in Suffolk
  • Starting her creative adventure with simple patchwork and quilting
  • Starting a group which encourages designers to share their patterns and a central place to buy patterns from
  • Connecting designers / creators with makers
  • Being inspired by a 'stairway to heaven'
  • Wanting to turn her hobby into a business and support her family
  • Learning how to run a shop
  • Celebrating 10 years as a shop business owner
  • It's OK to improve over time... Just Start!
  • Learning how to create with what you have
  • The meditative effect of free motion quilting
  • Glow in the dark fabric mandalas

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Vendulka's work at https://stitcherystories.com/vendulkabattais

Visit: https://www.oliven.co.uk/

Like : https://www.facebook.com/olivenpatchwork

Look : https://www.instagram.com/vendulkaoliven/

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwNXZS-is0c

 

JOIN our Facebook Group to Buy & Sell patterns https://www.facebook.com/groups/buysellpatterns

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Other episodes you might like

https://www.stitcherystories.com/amijames/

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https://www.stitcherystories.com/lorraineturner/

 

Lorraine Turner: textile art supporting endangered animals21 Apr 202100:48:15

Lorraine Turner is a textile artist who gives support for endangered animals through her vibrant textile art.

Lorraine has been a practicing artist for many years as a graphic designer, working on wide variety of commercial projects but her adventure into textile art started a few years ago, and she adopted the 'no rules' approach to her textile art creations.

Lorraine works on large textile art portraits of endangered animals, using bright patterned fabrics, materials and techniques that she experiments with to achieve what's in her head. Fabric applique, hand and free machine embroidery, aspects of quilting, so many techniques are layered together to produce her stunning art.

A key impact on Lorraine's work is her inspiration. Endangered animals come to her via her daily meditations and tell her their stories and troubles. This is a fascinating story of working from the heart and attracting fabulous opportunities along the way.

Lorraine chats with Susan Weeks in this episode of Stitchery Stories textile art podcast.

Her current Monarch butterfly art challenge The 'no rules' method of developing her textile art Taking it all back to the core Developing the commercial aspects of her art practice to support her focus & passions Generating revenue & charging for her expertise Meditation as inspiration for textile art How to shut off your brain and unplug Working with groups and uplifting children What makes your heart sing? Attracting amazing opportunities

For this episode... View Links, information & Examples of Lorraine's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/lorraineturner

Visit: https://calicohorses.com/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/people/Lorraine-Turner-Textile-Artist/100063678787825/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/lorraineturnerartist/

Buy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LorraineTurnerArtist

Sew: Monarch Butterfly Challenge 

https://calicohorses.com/monarch-sewing-art-challenge/

 

Follow Sue for course creation and online marketing stuff

https://www.facebook.com/TheMissingTraining

https://www.instagram.com/susan.l.weeks

Sign up for information on Sue's 'How To Create An Online Course' which is specifically created for textile artists and other crafty business owners.

Get your FREE "Crafty Online Course Creator's Workbox" and fortnightly 'Crafty Course Chat'

https://bit.ly/3sgAIji

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Janine Heschl

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Catriona Baird : The Story Of The Paisley Pattern and Paisley Shawls11 Apr 202100:45:39

Catriona Baird is Textiles Curator at Paisley Museum, in Scotland, which celebrates it's 150th anniversary on 11th April 2021.

Catriona shares the story of the Paisley pattern - that swirly floral stylised teardrop motif that pops up in so many designs and objects, as well as of course on the famous Paisley Shawls.

This is a story that brings together geography, history, fashion and textiles and gives a fabulous insight into early industrial textile production too.

In this episode of Stitchery Stories, Catriona Baird chats with Susan Weeks around:

  • Her current research as part of the Paisley Museum Re-imagined Project
  • What is the Paisley Pattern
  • Where did the Paisley pattern originate
  • The history of Paisley as an important textile production centre
  • Making Paisley Shawls
  • The Jaquard Loom and making 'point paper' designs
  • Paisley Museum history & its collections
  • The types and styles of Paisley shawls
  • The first exhibition of Paisley shawls
  • The links with The Needlework Development Scheme
  • Investigating the museum collections
  • The museum re-development project

And we also make a CALLOUT for interesting objects which feature the Paisley pattern and have an interesting story.

If you have an interesting Paisley object with an interesting story then please email a picture and the story to Catriona at the museum and she will be delighted.

Email: paisleymuseum@renfrewshire.gov.uk

For this episode...

View Links, information & Examples of the paisley pattern at http://www.stitcherystories.com/paisleypattern

Visit: https://reimagined.paisleymuseum.org/

Like: https://en-gb.facebook.com/PaisleyMuseum/

Look: https://www.instagram.com/paisleymuseum/

Tweet: @PaisleyMuseum

Follow Sue for course creation and online marketing stuff

https://www.facebook.com/TheMissingTraining

https://www.instagram.com/susan.l.weeks

Sign up for information on Sue's 'How To Create An Online Course' which is specifically created for textile artists and other crafty business owners.

Get your FREE "Crafty Online Course Creator's Workbox" https://bit.ly/3sgAIji

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Lindy Richardson & The Needlework Development Scheme

https://www.stitcherystories.com/lindyrichardson/

Dr Jennie Batchelor & The Great Lady's Magazine Stitch-off

https://www.stitcherystories.com/drjenniebatchelor/

Clare Hunter: Banner Maker Writing The Threads Of Life

https://www.stitcherystories.com/clarehunter/

 

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