Improvisational Embroidery

Since its inception in 2019 as a website for creative during the covid pandemic, I have been a member of Stitch Club www.textile.org.uk. It is one of the few subscription based options I have kept up with. I find subscriptions, including Patreon, can become quite expensive but this one offers two tutorials from various textile based artists each month. I haven’t managed to do so many of the tutorials while I have been working on my diploma but now that is complete, maybe I will pick up more of their challenges. Improvisational embroidery is one such option. It utilises different stitches to what would normally fill blocks of colour, without planning ahead. I used single thread embroidery floss often working over previous stitches to produce a greater depth and contrast of colour. I found it helpful while I was sitting with Rob when he has been unwell as the threads moving through my hands helps to relieve the stress of his ongoing health problems.

Making Zen 2026

This last week has seen the free online workshops for Making Zen 2026. This programme - a marketing programme of sorts, offers several short tutorials (about 30 minutes each) by art and craft makers over the five days. It is a bit of a marathon and I find I need to choose the tutorials. Alot of my art practice focuses on recycled/reused/foraged materials so the example above is one of the items I created. It is made from an old pair of jeans with embroidery embellishment. Inside the roll there are three pockets for tucking project/tools in. I couldn’t follow the process of the tutor so I just made up my own pocket structure.

In the middle photo below you can see that I have used the jean pocket to create an additional external piece for the pouch. Unfortunately, the top of the pocket is slightly wider than the cut out denim substrate, so it introduces and interesting bulge to the project. Nevertheless, it was a calming and relaxing way to work while sitting with my husband.