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/

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 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 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/

Cornwall Cross Stitch Kit designer Emma Horan shares behind the scenes of her 'accidental' creative business based around counted cross stitch hand embroidery kits of the beautiful Cornish coast.

For the last 10 years, Emma has grown her cross stitch kit business from a therapeutic hobby as she recovered from illness, to a thriving creative business, shop & studio based in St Austell Town, Cornwall.

With the beautiful Cornish coast as her never-ending inspiration, with the desire to make bright colourful kits, Emma shares her journey from her first design made with 20p cross stitch software.

We peek into the 'nuts and bolts' of kit design and production and Emma kindly shares some hard-won lessons along the way!

Her mantra?

To provide kits so that people can stitch things that make them feel good.

Susan Weeks chats with Emma Horan about:

• painting & stitching as therapy whilst on sick leave from her corporate job
• her creative inspirations
• enjoying her studio and shop
• the steps from inspiration to kit for sale
• getting help and batch production
• dealing with counterfeiters
• colouring books?
• the beautiful and inspiring Cornish coast

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Emma's cross stitch kits at https://stitcherystories.com/emmahoran

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

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

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

Tweet https://twitter.com/emmalouiseart

Other episodes you will enjoy:

https://stitcherystories.com/kriscampbell/

https://stitcherystories.com/lottiecockell/

https://stitcherystories.com/liannevanleyen/

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 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 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 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 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/

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 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

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 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 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/

Lottie Cockell started her creative business Purple Rose Embroidery fresh out of school, and has been busy growing shaping her business over the last 5 years. With a love of 'grid-based' hand embroidery, Lottie focuses on cross-stitch, blackwork and surface embroidery kits.

She is keen to try new things in her business and will often dive into the deep-end of something, figure it out as she goes, then decide if it is a direction that is suitable for her business and her self. 

That's the magic about running our own business.... WE GET TO CHOOSE what we do and how it works for US.

This is a fabulous and very inspiring story, and I'm so pleased I spotted Lottie's colourful blackwork embroidery on Instagram, and never imagined the story that would be revealed! 

Susan Weeks chats with Lottie about:

• Starting with hand embroidery commissions
• Quickly evolving into designs & kits
• Running her first stall ever at a high profile handmade event
• Designing her kits
• Encouraging and inspiring stitchers to have a go
• Shaping her business to suit her personality and lifestyle
• and so much more!

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Lottie's art at https://stitcherystories.com/lottiecockell

Visit: https://purpleroseembroidery.com/

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

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

Also PurpleRoseEmbroidery on:
TikTok, Youtube, Pinterest

Directory of all the things: 
https://bio.site/purpleroseembroidery

Other places & people we mentioned:

Kirstie Allsopp Handmade Fair

Hochanda / Create & Craft

Other episodes you will enjoy:

https://stitcherystories.com/jengoodwin/
https://stitcherystories.com/ilkecochrane/
https://stitcherystories.com/kriscampbell/

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: 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 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 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/

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 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-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 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

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 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

Prism Textile Group members Hayley Mills-Styles and Maria Walker share behind-the-scenes challenges of helping to organise an annual textile art exhibition which features work from the groups' international members.

Hayley & Maria explain the background and history of this well-known exhibiting group, and then we dive into the details of organising and marketing the annual exhibition.

This is a fascinating insight into the details of how such exhibitions spring into life, and the work that goes on behind-the-scenes by so many members.

The 2023 exhibition with a theme of 'Warped' is at The Art Pavillion, Mile End Park, East London from April 20th to May 1st

Susan Weeks chats with Hayley & Maria about:

• Connections & collaborations within the group
• The history of Prism textiles
• How the group organises itself
• Setting submission dates to support consistent event marketing
• Planning the exhibition
• Using social media to spotlight members textile art 
• and so much more! 

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Prism group members art at https://stitcherystories.com/prismtextiles

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

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

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

Other places & people we mentioned: 

Art Pavilion, Mile End Park, Clinton Road, London, E3 4QY

North Yorkshire Open Studios

https://www.nyos.org.uk/

The House Of Smalls

https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/

Other episodes you will enjoy:

https://stitcherystories.com/hayleymillsstyles/

https://stitcherystories.com/yorktextileartists/

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

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/

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_/

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

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 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/

Today I explore hand embroidered and beaded pop art with contemporary pop art textile artist Sarah Gwyer.

We talk about her magpie-like 'obsession' with colourful beads and charms and the artistic path to creating beaded portraits.

But beneath the colourful sparkling beads lies strong social commentary on celebrity, wealth and consumerism, all expressed in a distinctive pop art style.

And we dive into the copyright complexities that Sarah has found herself entwined in over her desire to portray celebrities as parody.

This is such an interesting chat, and thank you to Sarah for sharing her story. And of course... we have a good old laugh in amongst the serious topics!

Susan Weeks chats with Sarah Gwyer.

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

Visit: https://www.sarahgwyer.com/

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

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

Other places & people we mentioned: 

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

https://summer.royalacademy.org.uk/

Other Episodes You Might Enjoy:

https://stitcherystories.com/eleanorpigman/

https://stitcherystories.com/alexhall/

https://stitcherystories.com/claireedwards/

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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

Elizabeth Ashdown is one of only 4 hand Passementerie artists working in the UK today. She combines traditional and endangered craft skills with a contemporary aesthetic to create innovative passementerie.

 In this episode of Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Susan Weeks chats with Elizabeth Ashdown, for a glimpse into the world of hand woven passementerie. She makes and weaves bespoke trimmings, braids, tassels, fringes, and more. Her work spans interior design, fashion, and fine art, and she is passionate about reviving and sustaining this traditional craft. Elizabeth shares her journey, current projects, and insights into her creative process, making Passementerie both accessible and exciting for modern life!

 Elizabeth & Susan chat about:

What is Passementerie? Elizabeth explains this fascinating craft of creating small-scale textiles like tassels, braids, and fringes.

Her unique journey: How she transitioned from traditional weaving into self-taught Passementerie and worked with master craftspeople to hone her skills.

Reviving an endangered craft: Elizabeth highlights the challenges and joys of being one of only four remaining hand Passementerie artists in the UK.

Custom creations: Her collaborations with interior and fashion designers to create bespoke trims, from bold artworks to intricate pieces for coats and furnishings.

Modernising Passementerie: Her use of vibrant colors and contemporary designs to dispel the notion of Passementerie as "old-fashioned."

Historical inspiration: Insights into the craft's heritage, from its origins in global simple pratical items, thru its opulent French period and into modern use. 

Key milestones:Winning the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust scholarship and training with master craftsperson Brian Turner.

Future plans: Launching a collaboration with Samuel & Sons in January and her ongoing mission to teach and inspire others to explore Passementerie.

Listen to learn more about this fascinating craft and how Elizabeth is determined to keep it alive, relevant and in-demand for 21st Century fashion and interiors.

Some Links & Further Info

Links For Elizabeth Ashdown

Listen to Elizabeth's episode & View her artwork here: https://stitcherystories.com/elizabethashdown

Visit: https://elizabethashdown.co.uk/

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

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

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/