Stitchery Stories – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, host Susan Weeks sits down with Owen Kelly, a fifth-generation stitcher with over 50 years of experience. Working from his remote home on the SW coast of Ireland, and inspired by the natural beauty of the wild Atlantic coast, Owen shares his colourful creative journey—from traditional family techniques to his innovative "flow stitching" and narrative-inspired projects. Known for his playful globe-trotting character Seamus O'Comanssy, and his ever-evolving quilt project, Owen reveals how he blends art, storytelling, and textile heritage to create pieces that are as personal as they are visually striking.

Key Talking Points:

Family Heritage: Owen's lifelong connection to stitching, passed down through generations.

Remote Creativity: How life on SW Ireland's wild Atlantic coast and the surrounding natural world shape his work.

Flow Stitching: His distinctive, freeform stitching style that tells a narrative as it evolves.

Seamus O'Comanssy – The Creative Proxy: The story behind his character Seamus and how it bridges his passion for travel and art, sharing creativity and interesting insights into other people's creative lives.

Quilt Project: Insights into his ongoing quilt project assembled from recycled, stitched squares.

Commissioned Works: How Owen tailors designs—using personal motifs, astrological signs, and indigenous symbols—for bespoke commissions.

Digital Storytelling: His use of social media (Facebook and Instagram) to share his creative process and connect with fellow textile enthusiasts.

Narrative & Folklore: Drawing on Irish oral traditions and global folk tales to imbue his work with hidden meanings.

Ambassadorship: His role as an ambassador for "World Peace One World, One People, One Stitch at a Time."

Challenges & Inspiration: Balancing multiple projects while embracing the spontaneity of creative expression.

Relevant Links:

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

https://stitcherystories.com/owenkelly

Follow Owen on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/owen.kelly.75

Follow Owen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Slavetothestitch

Follow Seamus O'Comanssy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555416757284

World Peace, One World, One People, One Stitch at a time (Facebook Group) https://www.facebook.com/groups/968783837184739/

==============================================================About Stitchery Courses!

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

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Support Stitchery Stories:

Please share the podcast with friends and leave a review to help others discover the show.

Buy Me A Coffee If you love Stitchery Stories, how about you 'buy me a coffee' and make a donation to help the show keep going?

https://buymeacoffee.com/sueweekspodcast

Are We Connected On Socials?

Why not pop over to your fave social media places, connect and say Hello! I always LOVE to see what you are stitching and sharing!

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

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SusanWeeksYoutube

In this Stitchery Stories episode, host Susan Weeks chats with Sally McCollin, a textile artist, designer, and educator with a fascinating career spanning publishing, design, and teaching.

From early beginnings knitting mohair jumpers for pocket money to working with major craft companies like Patons & Baldwins (now Coats Crafts), Sally has had an incredible journey in the textile industry. She shares insights into her commercial design work, editorial roles, teaching, and her passion for inspiring others through online embroidery courses, and textile art courses.

Key Talking Points:

From hobby to profession: How Sally's love for textiles grew from childhood sewing to a career in knitting, embroidery, and design.

Working in the commercial craft industry: Her experience designing knitting patterns and working in PR for Coats Crafts.

Teaching and inspiring others: How she transitioned into teaching and developed unique textile art courses.

Embroidery Skills Courses: The thought process behind creating courses that blend design and embroidery techniques.

The importance of play in design: Encouraging creativity through experimentation rather than rigid instruction. 

Balancing creativity and deadlines: Funny behind-the-scenes stories of stitching projects for magazine features.

Love for Shibori and fabric dyeing: Why fabric manipulation and color experimentation remain her favorite techniques.

Relevant Links:

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

Visit: https://courses.embroiderersguild.com/

Read: https://courses.embroiderersguild.com/p/blog?p=your-online-embroidery-tutor

About Stitchery Courses!

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

Support Stitchery Stories:

Please share the podcast with friends and leave a review to help others discover the show.

Buy Me A Coffee

If you love Stitchery Stories, how about you 'buy me a coffee' and make a donation to help the show keep going? https://buymeacoffee.com/sueweekspodcast

Are We Connected On Socials?

Why not pop over to your fave social media places, connect and say Hello!

I always LOVE to see what you are stitching and sharing!

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

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

 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SusanWeeksYoutube

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Textile artist Jayne Emerson revisits the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast today!

She takes us on a journey on how she has pivoted her creative business to focus on teaching people around the world through her online courses and her unique membership The No-Rules Textiles Society.

Jayne was a guest here back in 2018 and gives a quick update as to where she was and what challenges she was facing back then.

And then we dive into the details of how she created her courses, and the practicalities of running her creative membership. The financial benefits and the fabulous network of new friendships she has developed online. 

For this episode...

View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Jaynes's creative samples at https://stitcherystories.com/jayneemerson2

Visit: https://jayneemerson.co.uk/

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

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

Other places & people we mentioned:

 Elizabeth Ashdown (Passementerie)

 https://elizabethashdown.co.uk/

Other episodes you will enjoy: 

https://stitcherystories.com/jayenemerson/

 https://stitcherystories.com/florianeschmitt/

 https://stitcherystories.com/nikkiparmenter/

Fenella Dawnay: Processions 2018 & Banner Making

Fenella Dawnay is our guest today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast. Our episode is rather different than usual in that Fenella is NOT a textile artist!

This episode is all about Processions 2018 a mass participation artwork celebrating the centenary of (some) British women gaining the right to vote. It takes places across 4 locations in the UK on 10th June, 2018. 

We talk about that and in particular the 100 Years 100 Banners project. These 100 banners are being created for the procession with 100 arts organisations and women's groups. Textile artists have been involved with the banner making groups.

Fenella is a freelance arts and theatre producer, working as Associate Producer for Artichoke on PROCESSIONS and is managing engagement across the UK. She has recruited 100 arts organisations from Shetland to Cornwall, Derry to North Wales to make 100 centenary banners for the celebrations and is managing relationships with national partners and project ambassadors.

Everyone is invited to join Processions on 10th June! You don't need to make a banner to be at PROCESSIONS – just register to be there at www.processions.co.uk.

Susan Weeks chats with Fenella about:

• The history of the project and how it has been organised
• Giving women a voice with textiles
• The 100 banners and the textile artists and groups involved
• Banners and their role in protest movements
• How you can join in and make your own banners
• Some practicalities in banner making
• How to sign up and join one of the four processions on June 10th
• Some of the logistical challenges involved in organising such a massive arts project

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at https://www.stitcherystories.com/processions2018

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

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

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

Like: https://www.facebook.com/PROCESSIONS2018/

Tweet: https://twitter.com/processions2018

Sara Dennis: RSN Qualified Hand Embroidery Tutor

Sara Dennis is our guest today on the Stitchery Stories embroidery podcast. Sara shares her interesting story of training to be a nurse, joining the Army and travelling the world with her husband.

Discover how she took the opportunity to study at The Royal School of Needlework and launch her second career as a hand embroidery tutor. Her current exhibition 'An Apprentice's Journey' features her work whilst studying with the RSN.

Listen as Sara shares different ways in which her love of embroidery and museum curation, combined with her military background, has manifest itself in her new career.

Susan Weeks chats with Sara about:

Her early art ambitions were thwarted by the Art teacher's wig... Her delight at teaching in Williamsberg, USA with the RSN Going to University later in life - and loving learning again Her path to the RSN's Future Tutor course Insight into training at the Royal School of Needlework The challenges of growing a teaching business Using locally produced Herdwick wool in her Goldwork pieces The highlight curating her own solo exhibition at Farfield Mill, Sedburgh 'An Apprentice's Journey' Supporting Combat Stress & SSAFA Hand embroidery helping service men and women suffering PTSD Silk Shading - a simple stitch, a very tricky technique And as for 'Both Sides Alike'.... Is it cheating to include your Grandma's UFO? The amazing textiles in Military museums

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

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

Visit: https://saradennisembroidery.co.uk/

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

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

Email: hello@saradennisembroidery.co.uk

Other organisations mentioned:

Farfield Mill, Sedburgh, Cumbria

http://www.farfieldmill.org/

Cable & Blake

https://www.cableandblake.co.uk/

Combat Stress

https://www.combatstress.org.uk/

SSAFA

https://www.ssafa.org.uk/

Other episodes with some related themes:

Dionne Swift - Military Wives project

Iona Barker - Free Hand Sewing classes to promote mental wellbeing

Yvonne Fuchs - slow stitch to promote mental wellbeing

Ami James - textile art changed her life

Alison Larkin - 'both sides alike' embroidery

Iona Barker: Fun Free Hand Sewing Classes For Mental Wellbeing

Iona Barker is our guest today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast. Laura shares her story of creativity and then burnout as she pursued her fashion and costume career. Fighting depression she turned to creativity to help her healing, and Say It Ain't Sew was born. It is a non-profit organisation which encourages creativity through running free hand sewing classes across several locations in Scotland. Listen as Iona shares her fascinating story and vision of using craft as a tool to reduce social isolation, improve cognitive skills and increase mental wellbeing.

Susan Weeks chats with Iona about:

• The recent debut of Say It AIn't Sew in England (York)
• Cutting things up when a child and being taught to sew them back together
• Being repeatedly told 'You can't do that you are a girl'
• Becoming burnt out in London's fashion industry and fighting depression afterwards
• Always turning to hand sewing when feeling low or unhappy
• Surprise at learning that sewing and creativity are being forced out of schools
• The importance of hand sewing in civilisation over millenia
• The delights of home sewing and knitting
• Realising that running sewing classes would help others to feel better who were also struggling
• Providing motivation to get out of the house, meet people, and be creative again
• Attracting other young professionals with a similar story
• The lovely aspects of sewing in a group
• Is the pub the perfect place to sit, chat or sew?
• Dragging along husbands and boyfriends & getting them sewing
• The delight of helping people discover they are creative and the enjoyment of sewing
• Creativity, problem solving and their role in helping to combat dementia
• Hoarding fabric... are we all guilty of this?
• Spreading the word on creativity and sewing

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

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

Visit: https://www.sayitaintsew.org/

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

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

Tweet: @SayitaintsewUK

Email: info@sayitaintsew.co.uk

Laura Edgar: Atmospheric Coastal Scenes in Textile Art

Laura Edgar is our guest today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast. Laura shares her life as a textile artist and tutor who is inspired by her native beautiful & dramatic Northumberland coastline. Laura loves to create her seascapes using recycled clothing and vintage textiles and trimmings, as well as applying paint, heat and stitch.

Listen as Laura shares her lifelong delight with textile art.

Susan Weeks chats with Laura about:

• The fascination of the back of embroidery
• Looking forward to some creative playtime
• Oh, the delights of Jumble Sales & astrakhan coats!
• Being inspired by the sea
• How to create beautiful folds and creases in fabric
• Spontaneity with reverse stitching... hopefully
• Not a fan of Hardanger preferring less structure & formality
• The excitement of being included in her first book
• The delight of meeting others who get so excited about fabric & threads
• Working on commissions
• Getting the balance and not over-working or over-embellishing
• Being the eager recipient of 'button tins' donated by work colleagues
• Enjoying taking part in Embroiderers' Guild events, activities, competitions & exhibitions, branch, regional & nationally

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Photographs at

https://www.stitcherystories.com/lauraedgar

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

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

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

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

Shop https://www.etsy.com/uk/people/lauraedgar1

Read: http://www.d4daisy.com/

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

Alnmouth Art Festival http://www.alnmouthartsfestival.co.uk/

Karen Ruane: Contemporary Hand Embroidery & Connections With Cloth

Karen Ruane is our guest today on the Stitchery Stories embroidery podcast. Karen shares her life as a contemporary hand embroidery artist who specialises in teaching and building supportive communities via online embroidery courses.

Listen as Karen shares her embroidery journey from Cross Stitch, through leisure classes and onto a degree when her children had flown the nest. Karen's main focus is teaching through her online embroidery courses, as well as some limited workshops in London. A key element of her online embroidery classes is the duration and levels of personal interaction, which helps build a very engaged and supportive online community with her students.

Susan Weeks chats with Karen about:

• Artists Books created to store, display and protect small embroidery samples
• The challenge of keeping up with your students when running longer term workshops
• The logistics of running online embroidery workshops
• Building strong community support in an online group
• Making friends for life online AND meeting up In Real Life
• From one Cross Stitch kit... Look at what's happened!
• In-depth research into the role of the family and motherhood and the relationship with cloth
• Using her embroidery as a way of staying connected with her grandmas and kids
• Being inspired by her students and feeling connected to them through embroidery
• Loving hand embroidery and embellishments
• How many wraps of the needle to make a bullion knot???
• The temptation to hide mistakes and the pressure to be perfect on social media
• The value of showing mistakes as part of the online embroidery courses so students gain valuable learning
• Allowing your personality to shine through video and students having the feeling of being in the room too, in that moment.
• The massive elephant in the room....
• The self imposed pressure of feeding your blog on a daily basis

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

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

Visit: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/

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

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

Learn: http:http://karenruane.bigcartel.com/product/create-and-embellish

Learn: http://karenruane.bigcartel.com/product/artist-books-2-month-subscription

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 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/