NeedleXChange

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Charlie Reeder aka Stitchsperation.

Charlie is a cross stitch designer with an unashamedly joyful aesthetic.

In this first part of our NeedleXChange, we talk imposter syndrome, naming the inner critic (“Brenda”), and how stitching can be a safe, meditative place to build confidence.

Charlie shares ideas around stitched affirmations and repetition, plus the beginnings of Stitchsperation: bold typographic work, painted backgrounds, and designing what they couldn’t find.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:47 - Imposter syndrome and “Brenda” (naming the inner critic)

00:06:07 - Stitching affirmations (repetition as reprogramming)

00:10:28 - Back from Canada, broke, and making a Sweden wedding gift

00:12:00 - Painting the fabric, then stitching the words

00:14:42 - Aesthetic in one phrase: “Typographic bright shit?”

00:15:41 - Positivity without going “toxic”

00:17:25 - Cross stitch as TV-time sanity (not doom scrolling)

Links:

Website: stitchsperation.com

Instagram: stitchsperation

Intro music is Easy Breezy by Boogie Wheel via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Support on Patreon

Join the Green Room for weekly aftershows, monthly Q&As, and searchable transcripts.

Become an Executive Producer to join quarterly roundtables and shape the show's future.

patreon.com/c/xstitch/membership

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Ruth O'Leary.

Ruth O'Leary is an award-winning embroiderer who’s been exploring AI image generation as a tool for design, iteration, and self-expression.

In part two, we move from the big AI conversation into the grounded maker reality: how Ruth learned needlework, what the Embroiderers’ Guild taught her, and why community still matters even in an online world.

Ruth also breaks down their process — using AI outputs as reference material, collaging and redrawing in Procreate, then translating it into applique and embroidery — plus a quick run through favourite sci‑fi and a brilliant family‑history curveball.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - The Crafting Landscape: A Need for More Exposure

00:02:46 - Roots of Creativity: Personal Journeys in Needlework

00:04:47 - Community and Learning: The Value of Guilds

00:07:51 - Bridging Generations: Attracting Youth to Craft Guilds

00:11:07 - Digital vs. Physical: The Evolution of Craft Communities

00:12:58 - Exploring Techniques: The Art of Stitching

00:14:32 - Cultural Reflections: The Influence of Music and Film

00:25:12 - Heritage and Legacy: Stitching Poetry into Art

Links:

Website: rostara.co.uk

Instagram: rostara.handmade

Intro music is Far Enough by Shiver Disk via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Support on Patreon

Join the Green Room for weekly aftershows, monthly Q&As, and searchable transcripts.

Become an Executive Producer to join quarterly roundtables and shape the show's future.

patreon.com/c/xstitch/membership

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Ruth O'Leary.

Ruth O'Leary is an award-winning embroiderer who’s been exploring AI image generation as a tool for design, iteration, and self-expression.

We talk about AI as a “new medium” (and the early chaotic phase of it), parallels with the Jacquard loom and past industrial shifts, the difference between screen-based fakery and physical needlework, and how Ruth uses AI outputs as reference material that gets reimagined through applique + embroidery to speed up making without losing what Ruth loves about stitching.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - Exploring AI Art and Personal Journey

00:04:20 - The Evolution of Artistic Expression through AI

00:07:03 - The Unexpected Outcomes of AI in Art

00:12:46 - The Impact of Technology on Traditional Crafts

00:15:35 - Navigating the Challenges of AI and Authenticity

00:18:34 - The Balance of Speed and Craftsmanship in Art

00:22:17 - The Role of AI in Realizing Artistic Visions

00:25:07 - The Process of Creation and Inspiration

Links:

Website: rostara.co.uk

Instagram: rostara.handmade

Intro music is Far Enough by Shiver Disk via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange:

NeedleXChange is a conversation podcast with embroidery and textile artists, exploring their process and practice.

Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers, it is an in-depth showcase of the best needlework artists on the planet.

Visit the NeedleXChange website: needl.exchange

Sign up for the NeedleXChange Newsletter here: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

If you want embroidery inspiration and regular doses of textile art, visit the Mr X Stitch site here: mrxstitch.com

If you're looking for modern cross stitch designs, then XStitch is the magazine you need!

Find out more here: xstitchmag.com

And follow Mr X Stitch on all the usual social media channels!

• Facebook: mrxstitch
• Instagram: mrxstitch
• Pinterest: mrxstitch
• YouTube: mrxstitch
• LinkedIn: mrjamiechalmers

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Robert John Hodge.

Robert John Hodge makes cross-stitch work based on Renaissance sculptures, using a CMYK / screenprint-style layering approach and recurring Wingdings symbols.

In this half we jump into Robert’s newer series - smaller, quicker pieces that work like little stitched collages: videogames, screenshots, photos, culture… and, for reasons we absolutely get into, a whole run of nuclear weapons tests.

Part 2 is where we widen out into the stuff that feeds the work: horror films from the 70s and 80s, documentaries that stitch history into a continuum, Kate Bush and Wagner, and even T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land as a kind of cultural collage blueprint.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 – Cross stitch as a serious art medium

00:05:44 – Challenging the “serious art” prejudice

00:07:50 – Balancing making work and making money

00:09:02 – Art-world reality: logistics + day job

00:11:22 – Film influences + nostalgia threads

00:18:16 – A wide media diet (and why it matters)

00:24:53 – Literary influences: T.S. Eliot and collage thinking

00:26:52 – Looping + obsession as the creative engine

Links:

Website: robertjohnhodge.com

Instagram: robertjohnhodge

Intro music is Cotton Candy by Cospe via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange:

NeedleXChange is a conversation podcast with embroidery and textile artists, exploring their process and practice.

Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers, it is an in-depth showcase of the best needlework artists on the planet.

Visit the NeedleXChange website: needl.exchange

Sign up for the NeedleXChange Newsletter here: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

If you're looking for modern cross stitch designs, then XStitch is the magazine you need!

Find out more here: xstitchmag.com

And follow Mr X Stitch on all the usual social media channels!

• Facebook: mrxstitch
• Instagram: mrxstitch
• Pinterest: mrxstitch
• YouTube: mrxstitch
• LinkedIn: mrjamiechalmers

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Robert John Hodge.

Robert John Hodge makes cross-stitch work based on Renaissance sculptures, using a CMYK / screenprint-style layering approach and recurring Wingdings symbols.

We talk about being a finalist in the Hand & Lock Embroidery Prize, how the work is technically constructed, and the bigger ideas underneath it: art vs craft, nostalgia, digital “glitch” language, and how slow, tactile making can transform images that started life as fast and disposable.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:10 – Hand & Lock finalist story + mentor + family cheer squad

00:03:56 – Renaissance sculpture → CMYK layers → Wingdings glitch

00:06:30 – Time-saving stitching: let the fabric do some work

00:09:27 – Hobby → medium (London limits shaping the practice)

00:11:58 – Art vs craft: embroidery as the point, not the punchline

00:14:36 – 90s Windows nostalgia: Wingdings, WordArt energy

00:17:19 – Making patterns: first self-draft + tools/workflow

00:20:01 – Scale, time, and the realities of big stitch work

00:26:30 – Inputs and influences feeding the work

00:30:28 – Process evolution: designing for a “digital” feel

00:36:40 – New “collage” series: smaller, quicker stitched mashups

Links:

Website: robertjohnhodge.com

Instagram: robertjohnhodge

Intro music is Cotton Candy by Cospe via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Support on Patreon

Join the Green Room for weekly aftershows, monthly Q&As, and searchable transcripts.

Become an Executive Producer to join quarterly roundtables and shape the show's future.

patreon.com/c/xstitch/membership

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Martha Hussey.

We talk fresh off the heels of Martha’s solo show in London and discuss DIY curation as well as Royal Academy highs and near-misses, Martha talks textiles’ growing place in contemporary art and why she’s already sketching the next body of work. We also hit the soundtracks, the films, the books, and the beauty in the mundane that fuels her studio.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - The Challenges of Curating an Exhibition

00:06:46 - The Royal Academy Experience

00:09:39 - The Growing Presence of Textile Arts

00:12:10 - Creativity and the Artistic Process

00:14:49 - Humor and Reflection in Art

00:16:45 - The Soundtrack of Creativity

00:20:42 - Visual Inspirations: TV and Film

00:21:33 - Cinematic Influences on Art

00:25:37 - Literary Inspirations and Reflections

00:29:10 - The Mundane as Art00:32:08 - Personal Insights and Vulnerabilities

Links:

Website: marthahussey.com

Instagram: marthahusseystudio

Intro music is I Been All Alone by Dev Do It via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange:

NeedleXChange is a conversation podcast with embroidery and textile artists, exploring their process and practice.

Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers, it is an in-depth showcase of the best needlework artists on the planet.

Visit the NeedleXChange website: needl.exchange

Sign up for the NeedleXChange Newsletter here: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

If you want embroidery inspiration and regular doses of textile art, visit the Mr X Stitch site here: mrxstitch.com

If you're looking for modern cross stitch designs, then XStitch is the magazine you need! Find out more here: xstitchmag.com

And follow Mr X Stitch on all the usual social media channels!

• Facebook: mrxstitch
• Instagram: mrxstitch
• Pinterest: mrxstitch
• YouTube: mrxstitch
• LinkedIn: mrjamiechalmers

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Martha Hussey.

Martha trained in fine art at St Martin’s and later dove into an art-therapy diploma during lockdown, discovering how stitch can quiet the mind and surface truth. In this first half we get into the meditative mechanics of embroidery, why the back of the work matters as much as the front, and how humour and the “Sexy Stitch” series emerged alongside tufted wall pieces and hairy latch-hook portraits. We also trace the evolution from painting to thread palettes and that pivotal “do something creative for 15 minutes a day” moment that reignited her practice.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - The Journey into Art Therapy

00:09:47 - The Role of Humor in Art

00:12:32 - The Evolution of Artistic Expression

00:15:25 - The Significance of the Back of the Work

00:28:45 - Art as a Reflection of Society

00:31:03 - The Boldness of Artistic Expression

00:33:14 - Navigating the Art World: From Gallery to Solo Show

Links:

Website: marthahussey.com

Instagram: marthahusseystudio

Intro music is I Been All Alone by Dev Do It via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange:

NeedleXChange is a conversation podcast with embroidery and textile artists, exploring their process and practice.

Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers, it is an in-depth showcase of the best needlework artists on the planet.

Visit the NeedleXChange website: needl.exchange

Sign up for the NeedleXChange Newsletter here: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

If you want embroidery inspiration and regular doses of textile art, visit the Mr X Stitch site here: mrxstitch.com

If you're looking for modern cross stitch designs, then XStitch is the magazine you need! Find out more here: xstitchmag.com

And follow Mr X Stitch on all the usual social media channels!

• Facebook: mrxstitch
• Instagram: mrxstitch
• Pinterest: mrxstitch
• YouTube: mrxstitch
• LinkedIn: mrjamiechalmers

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Loren Batt.

Loren is an American-born artist who’s made France home for decades. In this first half, we trace her path from linguistics and art history into printmaking, then the leap into layered, tapestry-like paintings and quilted figures inspired by guild traditions, street life in New York, and medieval folk energy.

In Part 2 we dive into Loren’s themed series: ex-voto boxes - small wishes hung en masse, guardian angels that gently hold everyday burdens like insomnia or being unheard and Sailing to a Better Place born from a need for hope We also cover collaborations in a troglodyte château, future animation dreams, and why playful aesthetics can carry real social weight without confrontation.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 – Art as a Reflection of Society

00:05:47 – The Itch to Create: Artistic Process and Inspiration

00:13:00 – Rediscovering Artistic Passions

00:18:46 – Interdisciplinary Collaborations in Art

00:21:00 – Creating Unique Installations

00:23:17 – The Role of Music and Theatre in Art

00:24:18 – Musical Influences on Creative Work

00:29:29 – Literary Inspirations

00:30:57 – The Impact of Visual Storytelling

00:34:59 – The Importance of Personal Collections

Links:

Website: lorenbatt.com

Instagram: lorenbatt

Intro music is Afternoon by Ennio Máno via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange:

NeedleXChange is a conversation podcast with embroidery and textile artists, exploring their process and practice.Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers, it is an in-depth showcase of the best needlework artists on the planet.

Visit the NeedleXChange website: needl.exchange

Sign up for the NeedleXChange Newsletter here: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

If you want embroidery inspiration and regular doses of textile art, visit the Mr X Stitch site here: mrxstitch.com

If you're looking for modern cross stitch designs, then XStitch is the magazine you need! Find out more here: xstitchmag.com

And follow Mr X Stitch on all the usual social media channels!

• Facebook: mrxstitch
• Instagram: mrxstitch
• Pinterest: mrxstitch
• YouTube: mrxstitch
• LinkedIn: mrjamiechalmers

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Loren Batt.

Loren is an American-born artist who’s made France home for decades. In this first half, we trace her path from linguistics and art history into printmaking, then the leap into layered, tapestry-like paintings and quilted figures inspired by guild traditions, street life in New York, and medieval folk energy.

We talk bilingual identity, raising globally mobile kids, and the moment canvas stopped being “invisible” support and became living textile - complete with stitched frames and characters stepping out into relief.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:06:57 – Identity and Assimilation in a Globalized World

00:09:38 – Language, Bilingualism, and Cultural Flexibility

00:12:15 – The Artistic Journey: From Childhood Dreams to Reality

00:15:03 – Exploring the Influence of Art History

00:20:06 – The Intersection of Textiles and Art

00:31:01 – Exploring the Intersection of Fabric and Art

00:34:27 – Childhood Inspirations and Artistic Foundations

00:38:26 – The Potential of Animation in Art

00:42:12 – Themes of Connection and Humanity

00:45:54 – Guardian Angels and Whimsical Commentary

00:49:09 – The Role of Objects in Human Connection

Links:

Website: lorenbatt.com

Instagram: lorenbatt

Intro music is Afternoon by Ennio Máno via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange:

NeedleXChange is a conversation podcast with embroidery and textile artists, exploring their process and practice.Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers, it is an in-depth showcase of the best needlework artists on the planet.

Visit the NeedleXChange website: needl.exchange

Sign up for the NeedleXChange Newsletter here: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

If you want embroidery inspiration and regular doses of textile art, visit the Mr X Stitch site here: mrxstitch.com

If you're looking for modern cross stitch designs, then XStitch is the magazine you need! Find out more here: xstitchmag.com

And follow Mr X Stitch on all the usual social media channels!

• Facebook: mrxstitch
• Instagram: mrxstitch
• Pinterest: mrxstitch
• YouTube: mrxstitch
• LinkedIn: mrjamiechalmers

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Chloe Savage.

Chloe is a conservation embroiderer, couture specialist, and educator whose studio practice spans everything from National Trust restorations to hands-on needlepoint kits.

In this second half of our conversation, we trace Chloe's creative upbringing through diamond mines, Paris couture, and the Royal School of Needlework.

She unpacks how life detours—from teen motherhood to science teaching—ultimately fueled her practice and how art became a lifeline through grief. Please note this episode briefly touches on emotional abuse.

Another artist who processed personal trauma through artistic practice is the wonderful machine embroiderer Julie Heaton. We had a NeedleXChange way back in episodes 25 & 26.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - Conservation Stories and Experiences

00:06:52 - Art as a Reflection of Personal Struggles

00:15:33 - The Journey of Healing and Empowerment

00:18:50 - Future Directions in Textile Art

00:22:59 - Embracing Creative Freedom

00:24:03 - The Role of Education in Artistic Expression

00:27:04 - The Influence of Family on Creativity

00:28:17 - Exploring Personal Interests and Hobbies

00:29:27 - The Impact of Art Installations

00:30:27 - Chloe's Favourites

00:40:57 - Overcoming Challenges and Unique Facts

Links:

Website: chloesavageembroidery.com

Instagram: chloesavageembroidery

Intro music is Getting Good at Letting Go (Instrumental Version) by Vicki Vox via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange:

NeedleXChange is a conversation podcast with embroidery and textile artists, exploring their process and practice.Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers, it is an in-depth showcase of the best needlework artists on the planet.

Visit the NeedleXChange website: needl.exchange

Sign up for the NeedleXChange Newsletter here: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

If you want embroidery inspiration and regular doses of textile art, visit the Mr X Stitch site here: mrxstitch.com

And follow Mr X Stitch on all the usual social media channels!

• Facebook: mrxstitch
• Instagram: mrxstitch
• Pinterest: mrxstitch
• YouTube: mrxstitch
• LinkedIn: mrjamiechalmers