Jenny Hart

A new series of beautifully illustrated books are soon to grace your shelves. Do you recall the Penguin Threads Deluxe Classics that were published in 2011? The set features special embroidered book covers by Jillian Tamaki and Rachell Sumpter.

Jillian Tamaki

Rachell Sumpter

Next month Penguin will publish their latest craft inspired collection: Penguin by Hand which celebrates the work of six prominent, female authors of contemporary fiction. The stunning book cover designs are truly a feast for the eyes. The production includes an array of hand craft techniques: embroidery, paper art, pyrography and string art.


The six contributing artists are: Jenny Hart, Brenda Riddle, Emma Ruth Hughes, Genevieve Dionne, Dominique Falla and Helen Musselwhite.

Art work by: Jenny Hart & Helen Musselwhite

Art work by: Brenda Riddle & Dominique Falla

Art work by: Emma Ruth Hughes, Genevieve Dionne

To emphasise the tactile art work, the sumptuous covers have once again been sculpt embossed. The incredible detail in the embossing plate below illustrates how the intricate elements and fine textures of embroidery have been translated well to paper.


Such appealing covers call out to be handled, re-connecting readers to the tangible experience of thumbing a paper page, where the only concern is spilling coffee onto such a spectacular book cover. Whilst discovering the latest Penguin by Hand range, let’s remind ourselves of the three fantastic book covers that won a prize in the Feeling Stitchy ‘Covered in Stitches’ contest.

The Invisible Mountain by SpidersPaw

Contes des Mille et Une Nuits by Coeurdefreesia

Wynken, Blynken and Nod by Lisa Leggett

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/stitchy-snippets-penguin-by-hand.html

Hello all! Once again we have a lovely guest post and giveaway from Karen Thiesen, of Woman With a Needle. Read on for her review of Jessie Chorley's latest book, and stay tuned at the end of the post for a giveaway!

I am a huge fan of Jessie Chorley, so I was very excited to find out that she was writing a book! Jessie Chorley: The Story of a Maker describes how Jessie became the artist that she is, as well as giving you a glimpse into her incredibly creative mind. I’ll just tell you some of my favorite things that I learned about Jessie from the book.


Jessie is a collector with a capital C! She loves rummaging through Paris flea markets and Welsh charity shops (usually with her mum, textile artist Primmy Chorley), and can often be found at Spitalfields market in London (sounds like fun to me!)


She displays her ever-changing collection at home, or incorporates it into her work and passes it on through her shop. She considers it her visual sketchbook. She is such a well-known collector that people leave her gifts of vintage items on the doorstep of her store!


I am a textile lover through and through, but when I took one of Jessie’s altered book workshops, I found a new passion. I love the story about how she started making them! When she was a student (in Fine Art Textiles at Goldsmiths College in London), she was required to create research books for her course work. She didn’t like using the usual white paged sketch books everybody else was using, so one day she passed a pile of books on the side of the road that someone had thrown out…..and that was the beginning of her altered journals!


This is a lovely description of Jessie by Louise Presley of Hope and Elvis workshops, where Jessie often teaches: “As a petite Edwardian-esque woman with a shy charm, she was utterly entrancing… Her clothes are so interesting and full of verve, with brooch-embellished jackets and hand-embroidered aprons covering her beautiful vintage frocks.”


If you are feeling inspired by all the beautiful pictures of her work, (and there are many more pictures in the book!) Jessie has included instructions for two of her signature pieces: a stitched bow and a covered button. She also talks about how her shop (on London’s famed Columbia Road) came to be, her process in making her stitched pieces and brooches, and how she tells a story with mended and embellished vintage clothing.



If you would like to read more about Jessie Chorley, there are two recent articles about her: the May/June 2015 issue of Somerset Studio Magazine and one in the upcoming Sept/Oct 2015 Embroidery Magazine. Jessie’s book can be purchased through her website www.jessiechorley.com. You can also follow Jessie on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Jessie will be teaching for the first time in the US, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, September 15-19, 2015. For details go to www.womanwithaneedle.com.

Thank you, Karen, for this review of Jessie's book - and thank you for giving us the chance to give one copy of Jessie Chorley: The Story of a Maker to our readers! This giveaway is open to all of our readers.

To win, leave a comment on this post by Monday, Aug 24, 9 PM US CST - please answer this question for us - Are you a collector of fabrics, notions, haberdashery, or stitching tools? If so, what do you collect? (Photos would also be wonderful!) We will choose 1 random winner after the comments are closed, and notify everyone soon after!

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/jessie-chorley-book-giveaway.html

Welcome to your weekly edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Today I'd like to introduce you to @erinmcmom! Erin's embroidery is beautiful, and she has gorgeous and unique designs.

@erinmcmom

I'm a sucker for typography of any kind, but most especially when it's embroidered. The sentiment of this quote is darling, and I love the French knots made to look like confetti. Staging the photo on a bed of tissue paper confetti is brilliant!

http://instagram.com/p/6f0avzPagi/?taken-by=erinmcmom

This Home Sweet Home hoops is my favorite of all of Erin's hoops. I love the design, and the colors on the grey fabric stand out so beautifully. Erin's stitches are so well done! They're tiny and tidy.

http://instagram.com/p/6dZbtIPaga/?taken-by=erinmcmom

Isn't Erin's skyline of Vancouver, Canada beautiful?! It's cross stitch, but without any Xs on the Aida cloth. And there's the confetti again!

http://instagram.com/p/6cUvSAvav0/?taken-by=erinmcmom

When I saw this, and then read that it's a cross stitch globe that Erin created, I was blown away! I mean, WOW! I've never even seen a cross stitch globe before this one. Erin also sewed it together evenly and beautifully. She's got a lot of talent!

http://instagram.com/p/6WvLOUvakp/?taken-by=erinmcmom

That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Erin's work at @erinmcmom, make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/friday-instagram-finds-no-17.html

Welcome to your weekly edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Today I'd like to introduce you to @erinmcmom! Erin's embroidery is beautiful, and she has gorgeous and unique designs.

@erinmcmom

I'm a sucker for typography of any kind, but most especially when it's embroidered. The sentiment of this quote is darling, and I love the French knots made to look like confetti. Staging the photo on a bed of tissue paper confetti is brilliant!

http://instagram.com/p/6f0avzPagi/?taken-by=erinmcmom

This Home Sweet Home hoops is my favorite of all of Erin's hoops. I love the design, and the colors on the grey fabric stand out so beautifully. Erin's stitches are so well done! They're tiny and tidy.

http://instagram.com/p/6dZbtIPaga/?taken-by=erinmcmom

Isn't Erin's skyline of Vancouver, Canada beautiful?! It's cross stitch, but without any Xs on the Aida cloth. And there's the confetti again!

http://instagram.com/p/6cUvSAvav0/?taken-by=erinmcmom

When I saw this, and then read that it's a cross stitch globe that Erin created, I was blown away! I mean, WOW! I've never even seen a cross stitch globe before this one. Erin also sewed it together evenly and beautifully. She's got a lot of talent!

http://instagram.com/p/6WvLOUvakp/?taken-by=erinmcmom

That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Erin's work at @erinmcmom, make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/friday-instagram-finds-no-17.html

I hope you have all enjoyed your week, and are looking forward to a fun weekend! Today I'd like to introduce you to Nicole of the account @nicole_hendleyhoops. I "discovered" Nicole's work because she tagged some of her pictures with #feelingstitchyig. Nicole uses beautiful fabrics to embroider words and phrases with embroidered floral motifs. I greatly enjoy the way Nicole stages her photos. They are eye catching, and certainly made me stop to take a look.

@nicole_hendleyhoops

This is a great picture of this hoop! The staging is so pretty and feminine, with a dreamy quality. The embroidered flowers are so cute with the colors in the sunflowers and bright colors of all of the others. I like how the text, "embrace change" is positioned into the flowers at the top and bottom.



Another super cool staged picture! The fabric and colors are so pretty against the dark floss, "be still." Nicole's stitches look so pretty, and the thicker lines on some of the letters finish the phrase off to really look great. I think the typography in the font is great, too.


These hoops make me so happy! I just love it when artists embroider words and phrases around pictures in fabric. Putting the immortal Ms. Beyonc'e's lyrics in embroidery with kitties is just plain clever.


This is the kind of picture on Instagram (or anywhere) that makes me stop and take a closer look. The hoop against the sky is so pretty, and the sun is shining so prettily through the fabric. I like the contrast of the dark text against the dainty and muted pastels of the fabric. And the way Nicole placed the text gives it a different and great flow.


Here's a bonus picture of Nicole's adorable Labradoodle Plato <3 font="">



That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Nicole's work at @nicole_hendleyhoops, make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/friday-instagram-finds-no-16.html

I hope you have all enjoyed your week, and are looking forward to a fun weekend! Today I'd like to introduce you to Nicole of the account @nicole_hendleyhoops. I "discovered" Nicole's work because she tagged some of her pictures with #feelingstitchyig. Nicole uses beautiful fabrics to embroider words and phrases with embroidered floral motifs. I greatly enjoy the way Nicole stages her photos. They are eye catching, and certainly made me stop to take a look.

@nicole_hendleyhoops

This is a great picture of this hoop! The staging is so pretty and feminine, with a dreamy quality. The embroidered flowers are so cute with the colors in the sunflowers and bright colors of all of the others. I like how the text, "embrace change" is positioned into the flowers at the top and bottom.



Another super cool staged picture! The fabric and colors are so pretty against the dark floss, "be still." Nicole's stitches look so pretty, and the thicker lines on some of the letters finish the phrase off to really look great. I think the typography in the font is great, too.


These hoops make me so happy! I just love it when artists embroider words and phrases around pictures in fabric. Putting the immortal Ms. Beyonc'e's lyrics in embroidery with kitties is just plain clever.


This is the kind of picture on Instagram (or anywhere) that makes me stop and take a closer look. The hoop against the sky is so pretty, and the sun is shining so prettily through the fabric. I like the contrast of the dark text against the dainty and muted pastels of the fabric. And the way Nicole placed the text gives it a different and great flow.


Here's a bonus picture of Nicole's adorable Labradoodle Plato <3 font="">



That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Nicole's work at @nicole_hendleyhoops, make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/friday-instagram-finds-no-16.html

I hope you have all enjoyed your week, and are looking forward to a fun weekend! Today I'd like to introduce you to Nicole of the account @nicole_hendleyhoops. I "discovered" Nicole's work because she tagged some of her pictures with #feelingstitchyig. Nicole uses beautiful fabrics to embroider words and phrases with embroidered floral motifs. I greatly enjoy the way Nicole stages her photos. They are eye catching, and certainly made me stop to take a look.

@nicole_hendleyhoops

This is a great picture of this hoop! The staging is so pretty and feminine, with a dreamy quality. The embroidered flowers are so cute with the colors in the sunflowers and bright colors of all of the others. I like how the text, "embrace change" is positioned into the flowers at the top and bottom.



Another super cool staged picture! The fabric and colors are so pretty against the dark floss, "be still." Nicole's stitches look so pretty, and the thicker lines on some of the letters finish the phrase off to really look great. I think the typography in the font is great, too.


These hoops make me so happy! I just love it when artists embroider words and phrases around pictures in fabric. Putting the immortal Ms. Beyonc'e's lyrics in embroidery with kitties is just plain clever.


This is the kind of picture on Instagram (or anywhere) that makes me stop and take a closer look. The hoop against the sky is so pretty, and the sun is shining so prettily through the fabric. I like the contrast of the dark text against the dainty and muted pastels of the fabric. And the way Nicole placed the text gives it a different and great flow.


Here's a bonus picture of Nicole's adorable Labradoodle Plato <3 font="">



That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Nicole's work at @nicole_hendleyhoops, make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/friday-instagram-finds-no-16.html

Can you believe it? We've reached the sixth and final week in our Summer/Winter Stitchalong. Today we're stitching up the letter N, and in two weeks we'll put the final autumn banner/bunting together.

Click here for the letter "N" pattern OR

Click here for ALL of the letters in AUTUMN + enlarged motifs for extra flags on your bunting/banner all in one handy file

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/thimblenest-thursdays-summerwinter.html

Waves of heat bathed me as I took my first steps onto the Spanish island of Ibiza. In the height of summer Ibiza's landscape is rich with flora and fauna; pine forests coat the hillsides, fig, olive, citrus and almond trees are heavy with fruit and whitewashed homes are beautifully edged with cacti, aloe and hibiscus. How does this relate to embroidery I hear you ask. After gradually slowing down to the easy pace of the island, where most things can wait until ma~nana, I discovered the popular fashion appreciated by foreigners and locals alike called Moda Adlib. The clothes are commonly constructed from natural, white fabrics adorned with whitework embroidery, lace, crochet and applique. It is exhilarating to see that the artisan elements are central to the fashion style and are sought after by many. Moda Adlib dates back to the Seventies when many hippies flocked to Ibiza, creating a refuge for the hippie movement. Yugoslavian princess Smilja Mihailovitch created Adlib in 1971 which was influenced by the hippie style and traditional Pityusic clothing of the Balearic islands of Ibiza. Despite changing fashions Adlib continues to attract people of all ages and a fashion show is held on the island each summer. In Haute Couture the Adlib style is periodically explored.

Valentino - Spring/Summer 2015

Moda Adlib's ethos is 'Dress however you want but elegantly'. The exquisite embroidery and lace work reflects this ideology. Although the majority of work today is predominantly made with a machine, traditionally the lace and embroidery would have been produced by hand. Fundamentally the designs incorporate many elements of whitework embroidery. On this garment, broderie anglaise is applied in the form of cutwork. To apply this technique parts of the fabric are cut away and the edges are closed with a button hole stitch to create this effect. Lace is prominent, usually machine lace is stitched or appliqu'ed onto the garment. However instead of using machine lace, needle lace or drawn thread work could be incorporated to create detail. Typically floral motifs are sewn in satin stitch and chain stitch is often used to define larger designs. These techniques can be used as an effective way to customise and embellish otherwise plain garments and accessories. They also prove a delightful decoration for children's clothing. 'Bordado Ibicenco' or Ibizan embroidery offers a great starting point for experimentation, perhaps by using bold colours, different weight fabrics and types of thread. Although mainly worn in Summer, this style could easily be adapted for an autumnal wardrobe.

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/stitchy-snippets-bordado-ibicenco.html

I am fascinated by the daily calendar stitching of fiber artist Lynn Harrigan - known on Flickr as Obliquepoet. All year, I have seen the loveliest daily stitches of her calendar as it slowly takes shape - and there is something so beautiful in following along with her daily process.

Lynn was kind enuogh to answer some brief questions on her art, skills, and inspiration for our readers - please read on to learn more about Lynn's fascinating art...



How did you learn to embroider? Are you self-taught?
I began embroidering in June 2007 and spent the rest of the summer that year learning stitches and experimenting with the effects of stitching on different kinds of cloth. Later, I took an eco-printing workshop with India Flint and learned some natural dyeing techniques to create interesting grounds for my embroidered images.

Is there a particular style of embroidery or embroiderers that appeal to you most?
I appreciate a variety of contemporary embroidery styles, from abstract textural work to figurative pieces. I also love the narrative element in the work of embroidery artists Michelle Kingdom and Iviva Olenik.






What inspires you to embroider?
The Great Lakes region inspires most of my embroidery. I was born in Clinton, Ontario and raised on a farm near Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes. Growing up on the Central Huron coastline and now living in Toronto on the shore of Lake Ontario, the ecology of the Great Lakes region continues to be my main source of inspiration.

How much time does it take to complete each square in your calendar? Do you sketch your pieces before you embroider?
It takes between 2-4 hours to complete each calendar square, although a few have taken up to 6 hours to complete. Mostly I work from a photograph I've taken that day or a sketch in my journal.






You are also a poet and a writer - do you also keep a journal?
I use my journal to record the day's weather and sunrise/sunset times as well as to capture and explore ideas for the "Calendar Project".

Do you have favorite authors, or writers you feel are significant to you and your work?
Alice Munroe's stories are set in Huron County, the area where I grew up. She captures the physical and emotional landscapes of the region with such poignancy. A more direct inspiration is the Group of Seven, especially their paintings of the Georgian Bay area.






Do you have a studio space or special room you create in? If so (or if not) what would you consider your ideal space for embroidery?
My ideal space for embroidery is sitting outside beside a lake or surrounded by trees, but I most often work at home on the couch with a daylight magnifying lamp.

You mentioned a fascinating collaboration between you and your partner, Scott M2 that is a fusion of your embroidery and his music - do you have an example you could share with our readers?
My partner, Scott M2, and I collaborated on "Aqua Reliquia - 1913", an art installation mounted in a Toronto gallery in the fall of 2013. Based on the events of the Great Storm of 1913, "Aqua Reliquia - 1913" featured my fiber art and poetry plus Scott's video art and electronic soundscapes by his band, dreamSTATE:



Do you exhibit or sell your work?
I have exhibited and sold a number of pieces over the years. Several of the pieces from Aqua Reliquia - 1913 sold during the show as well as other unrelated pieces exhibited during group shows. More information about the installation, and my other projects, is available at www.lynnharrigan.com.



Thank you, Lynn, for sharing your time and talent with us! Follow Lynn's calendar project daily on Instagram and Flickr.

For an in-depth interview on Lynn's process, don't miss the wonderful interview by Olisa Corcoran on MrXStitch - Inspired to Stitch: Lynn Harrigan.

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/interview-with-lynn-harrigan.html

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/patterns-wonder-woman.html

To those of you just now experiencing the height of summer weather, let me just share with you how incredibly jealous I am. Here in the South it's been the height of summer for a couple of months now, and the heat and humidity are definitely starting to take their toll! About all I can do these hot, sunny days is fan myself on the couch with a large glass of lemon-aid ice cream sandwich. Which of course makes our stitch today oh so appropriate, as we'll be learning to couch!

As much as I'd love to just share with you how I relax, couching is the name of our new stitch for August, and it's a pretty important one to have in your arsenal of stitches.

Couching keeps all your primary thread above the fabric, and you use a secondary thread to anchor it down to your design. It's a great way to work with materials that are otherwise hard to work with. Think metallic threads, unusually thick threads and a variety of other fibers.

So, let's begin! Start with your fabric stretched tightly in a hoop. I'm using cotton, but another beauty of this stitch is that as long as your fabric and your anchor material works well together, you're all set to use pretty much whatever you like.

Start by laying out your top thread, in my case all six strands of a super fun silver metallic, where you want it on the fabric, and hold in place with a finger or two. Using your anchor thread, in my case two strands of a bright red for easy to see contrast, come up with your needle just below the top thread. Stitch over the top thread and reinsert your needle into the fabric. Pull tight!

Working left to right, choose a small distance away to place another anchor stitch, repeating the same steps as above.

For your first few stitches, you'll probably need to work a little harder to hold your top thread in place. This can be both a good and bad thing, as it allows you to adjust your top thread as you go, but can also mean if you aren't careful you could end up pulling it right out of your anchors. Of course, you won't need both of your hands to take pictures while you stitch, so you might be a bit better off!

When couching you can really work in any shape. You'll want to up the quantity of anchor stitches around sharp turns and curves but the result is a nice thick line. Since I'm working in a nice shiny metallic thread, I drew a quick gemstone shape to stitch up.


I was able to stitch the entire design, including corners and curves, without changing out my top thread. If you've ever worked with metallic threads before you know how amazing that is!

When I got to a section that overlapped, I simply worked on top of the previous line of thread. When you're down, simply use your needle (I changed to a bigger one) to bring your top thread through the fabric, and tie off in the back. Once you get all those anchor stitches in, I promise the design isn't going anywhere!



And that's how to use the couching stitch! Hope you enjoyed learning with me today! Be sure to upload your examples into the Feeling Stitchy flickr pool, and let me know in the comments below how you plan to use this stitch. Happy Stitching!

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/08/learn-couching-stitch.html

Can you believe it's already the last day of July??! I can hardly believe it. It seems that the older I get, the faster time passes me by. 2015 is already over halfway over, and next thing you know the holidays will be here!

Today I'm introducing you to Sarah from @iheartstitchart. Sarah creates beautiful hand embroidery art, designs, and kits. I enjoy her Instagram feed so much because her pictures are very well done and beautiful! And, of course, the subject of each of her photos is beautiful, and gives us a sneak peek into her world.

@iheartstitchart

I don't know about you, but this bicycle with a basket full of flowers makes me think of bicycling through a quaint little town where my husband and I have a little picnic in the town square, then pick some flowers to bring back home with us. I think that's the kind of thing that all artists look for - a reaction to their art. The all black outline of the bike against the riot of colors of flowers in the basket make this a striking piece. And Sarah's stitches - each a work of art in their own right!

Great Big Ball O'Floss

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/07/friday-instagram-finds-no-15.html

Can you believe it's already the last day of July??! I can hardly believe it. It seems that the older I get, the faster time passes me by. 2015 is already over halfway over, and next thing you know the holidays will be here!

Today I'm introducing you to Sarah from @iheartstitchart. Sarah creates beautiful hand embroidery art, designs, and kits. I enjoy her Instagram feed so much because her pictures are very well done and beautiful! And, of course, the subject of each of her photos is beautiful, and gives us a sneak peek into her world.

@iheartstitchart

I don't know about you, but this bicycle with a basket full of flowers makes me think of bicycling through a quaint little town where my husband and I have a little picnic in the town square, then pick some flowers to bring back home with us. I think that's the kind of thing that all artists look for - a reaction to their art. The all black outline of the bike against the riot of colors of flowers in the basket make this a striking piece. And Sarah's stitches - each a work of art in their own right!

Great Big Ball O'Floss

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/07/friday-instagram-finds-no-15.html

Can you believe it's already the last day of July??! I can hardly believe it. It seems that the older I get, the faster time passes me by. 2015 is already over halfway over, and next thing you know the holidays will be here!

Today I'm introducing you to Sarah from @iheartstitchart. Sarah creates beautiful hand embroidery art, designs, and kits. I enjoy her Instagram feed so much because her pictures are very well done and beautiful! And, of course, the subject of each of her photos is beautiful, and gives us a sneak peek into her world.

@iheartstitchart

I don't know about you, but this bicycle with a basket full of flowers makes me think of bicycling through a quaint little town where my husband and I have a little picnic in the town square, then pick some flowers to bring back home with us. I think that's the kind of thing that all artists look for - a reaction to their art. The all black outline of the bike against the riot of colors of flowers in the basket make this a striking piece. And Sarah's stitches - each a work of art in their own right!

Great Big Ball O'Floss

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/07/friday-instagram-finds-no-15.html

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/07/thimblenest-thursdays-summerwinter_30.html

Roanna Wells - Obama Inauguration

Recently I had the pleasure to attend the annual Art in Action event in Oxford. Yes, the quaint old city that is known for, amongst a whole manner of English things, its ancient university dating back to the start of the 11th Century. Set in the lush grounds of Waterperry House, Art in Action is a hub of crafts people from all sorts of backgrounds who gather once a year to exhibit work, demonstrate and teach visitors in an array of disciplines.


I was invited by world-class embroiderer Diana Springall, to assist with her display of part of her 40 year old embroidery collection. The first pieces were bought from fellow students whilst Diana Springall was studying at university and from there she continued to expand her collection, which has a broad range of stunning work. What I found particularly fascinating, is how the collection records an evolution of British embroidery over the last four decades; how styles and materials have altered over the years. Here are some of my favourite pieces.

Prinkie Roberts

Margaret Nicholson - May Queen

Laura McCafferty - Bingo Women

During the event I had the chance to meet lots of amazing artists and crafts people. All of whom took time out for a chat. Carol Naylor is a textile artist who creates mesmerising landscapes using her own style and approach to machine embroidery; painting with the needle.

Carol Naylor - Lavender Panorama

Roanna Wells has developed her personal style of mark making predominantly using the seed stitch. Her work is often influenced by the visual effect of crowd formations found at large social gatherings. It is amazing how one stitch can be so effective.

Roanna Wells - Obama Inauguration

Another hand embroiderer who was demonstrating at the event was Amanda Wright. Her illustrative embroideries are all delicately stitched by hand. Amanda Wright expresses her enjoyment behind the process of hand embroidery. 'Hand stitched embroidery is a slow and linear process, but it allows time to reflect as the work progresses.'

Amanda Wright

A reoccurring theme emerging in different textile pieces was maps, all with a differing approach. Here are some examples.

Ekta Kaul - London Map

Janet Browne - Skipton Castle to Bolton Abbey

Wendy Dolan - London on the Map

I found the whole experience to be extremely inspiring. The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming, the work was outstanding and we even had some sunshine. If you are passing through those neck of the woods next summer or fancy planning a trip then I would recommend making a detour to Art in Action, it is special.

"I believe that the purpose of art is to uplift people.” Bernard Saunders - Founder of Art in Action

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/07/stitchy-snippets-art-in-action.html

Today, I have the pleasure to introduce you to Katya, a Ukrainian artist whose beautiful embroidery projects I stumbled onto on Flickr. Her lovely "sketchbooks" are filled with embroidery sketches as detailed and lovely as drawings or paintings. Let's meet Katya!


How did you learn to embroider? Are you self-taught?

My Grandma loved to sew and mend things. Her name was Evdokia. She tried to engage me in different crafty activities but I was hopeless as a kid, and lazy :). Though I guess I was always surrounded by people who loved creating handmade things and about 4 years ago I started my first project (it was a simple cross stitch kit).



Is there a particular style of embroidery or embroiderers that appeal to you most?

My dream is to master gold work and luneville (or tambour) embroidery. This autumn I’m planning on a visiting a local school of embroidery that offers these courses.

I am a big fan of embroidery done by Michele Carragher. She is creating amazing pieces for different TV series. She always inspires to learn more and apply different techniques. Right now I’m working on the project "The Raven" that was inspired by Michele’s works and by Game of Thrones. Honestly, I do not know when I will finish it. Ideas keep coming during the work :).

What inspires you to embroider?

Inspiration comes from different places. It can be a creepy TV series like Hannibal, or wallpaper prints with an interesting design of the forest. Lately, I’m into birds and everything related to birds :).



Do you do your work in a studio or special place? Do you think your surroundings are important to your process?

I do not have a studio. But of course as any craft person I wish I had one. I work at home. It’s a sunny place (that’s very important to me since I like working with lots of daylight). I have lots of cases, chests and boxes to store threads, needles, beads, fabric. The surroundings are important but I can embroider anywhere :) (while waiting for the train or when I have a break at work).


Do you sketch, paint, or do any other artistic pursuit?

Sometimes I sketch but usually I work with the illustrations and photographs I find on the web. I love creating collages. The latest project: fairy-tale characters living in a modern city.


If you could meet any other artist, embroiderer, or crafter, who would you like to meet?

I would really love to meet Michele Carragher :). Also, it will be fun to visit Royal School of Needlework in the UK.


Do you enjoy any other “crafty” pursuits like knitting, quilting, etc.?

I like sewing little things like pouches and textile brooches. Though many of them are not finished yet. That’s the problem – I jump from one project to another :).

Do you exhibit your work, have a shop, or sell your work in any way?

In a week I’m planning to participate in a charity fair dedicated to helping people with HIV. And I don’t have problems with choosing presents for my friends’ birthdays. I do not have a shop but I’m thinking about opening an online shop.



For more on Katya, visit her Flickr stream.

Thank you for this view into your world and art, Katya!

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/07/interview-with-katya.html

Hi there! This week I'm featuring @cut_and_rum on Friday Instagram Finds. I have not been able to figure out the name of the person behind the stitching, but I have figured out that the language I read in the posts is Portuguese :) I absolutely adore the designs @cut_and_rum creates! They are old school tattoo designs, which are my favorite and what most of my tattoos are. Old school tattoos are often simplistic without being childish, they feature clean lines, they're colorful, and poignant. I urge you to head over to her Instagram account and check her work out!

@cut_and_rum

The black panther is a staple of tattooers, and like tattoos, this panther will last forever. Cut and Rum's stitching is flawless - just look at that satin stitching!!



This envelope in a hand is Cut and Rum's latest piece. I don't know if she's going to fill in with colors, but either way, it does and will look amazing.


Is this a merbunny? Or a bunnymaid? Or would it be called something else? Once again, the satin stitching is beautiful. I especially like the shading on the bunny.


Cacti are really hot in fashion and home decor right now, and this flowered cactus is no exception! I also like the hints of tattoo flash we can see in the backgrounds of many of the pictures.


I showed my husband Cut and Rum's Instagram account, and this Death's Head Moth tattoo was his favorite. I can't say enough about her beautiful satin stitching. As is so often the case with tattoos, moth tattoos have interesting meaning. They're similar to the symbolism of butterfly tattoos in that they're a symbol of our souls and their transformative nature. But moth tattoos represent our dark subconscious.


That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Cut and Rum's work, make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/07/friday-instagram-finds-no-14.html

We have a winner in the Janet Bolton book giveaway!

feeling stitchy: Interview with Janet Bolton

Enjoy your book, LUGIRL! Thank you again to Karen Thiesen from www.womanwithaneedle.com for sharing the inspiring interview of Janet Bolton with us, and sharing the book for our giveaway.

http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/07/fabric-pictures-giveaway-winner.html