Stitchery Stories

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/

Floriane Schmitt loves to experiment with creative fabric manipulation ideas. Under her brand name of FloHomeDesign she creates accessories and home decor items from smocked neoprene and is writing a fabric manipulation book, due out end 2023.

Floriane shares her story of how her dream of a career in fashion evolved into specialising in fabric manipulation and creating her own collections bringing a very modern twist on some traditional Canadian Smocking techniques with very modern materials. Neoprene + Smocking = Neosmock

Floriane has packed a lot of experience into her education and career so far, topped off by her fabulous story behind the fabric manipulation book she is writing at time of recording (Oct 2022). This is an inspiring story of 'going for it, making opportunities, and of saying Yes!

Susan Weeks chats with Floriane Schmitt about:

• A chance comment on Instagram that led to a book writing deal
• The structure and challenges of creating her book
• Don't be afraid to show your work
• Using Instagram as a quicker way to showcase your skills and work
• Making a major pivot from fashion design to fabric manipulation designer
• Creating her accessories and home decor collections and brand
• Giving a traditional technique an interesting twist with modern materials
• Her inspiring internship
• Innovation with new fabrics and creative fabric manipulation techniques
• You can't keep the creativity flowing for endless hours
• and so much more!

For this episode...

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

https://stitcherystories.com/florianeschmitt

Visit: https://linktr.ee/florianeschmitt

https://florianeschmitt.com/

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

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

Inspiration from Iris Van Herpen:

https://www.irisvanherpen.com/

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:

Ann Small: Layered Cloth

https://stitcherystories.com/annsmall/

Jayne Emerson: Textile Designer, Author & Tutor

https://stitcherystories.com/jayneemerson/

Kathleen Laurel Sage: Shaping Machine Embroidery With Heat

https://stitcherystories.com/kathleenlaurelsage/

Cath Janes is an award-winning human anatomical embroidery artist.

Under her brand name of Kraken Kreations she combines anatomically correct illustrations with colourful hand embroidery which all have a story to tell.

Cath shares her honest and hilarious story of the ups and downs of the creative life of an artist, and her unique and distinctive art. There is so much entertainment as well as valuable creative business lessons contained within this episode of the Stitchery Stories textile art and embroidery podcast.

Maybe you dream of going viral on Instagram, worry about being artistically lonely, or struggle to set boundaries and price your art?

You will certainly find some inspiration and hard-earned experience today. Oh, and have a right good laugh too!

Susan Weeks chats with Cath Janes about:

• Joys & frustrations of commissions
• Inspiring stories behind her anatomical embroidery commissions
• Her commissioned hoops are often part of a healing process
• Importance & prevalence of medical illustrations
• What is 'false colour'
• The surprising catalyst for becoming an anatomical embroiderer
• Anyone else love dissecting things?
• Dealing with artistic loneliness and finding your tribe
• What really happens when a 'reel' video goes 'viral' on Instagram
• Balancing commercial pressures with artistic urges

and so much more!

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

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

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

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

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:

Ruth Norbury: Capturing Urban Decay With Textile Art https://stitcherystories.com/ruthnorbury/

Profanity Embroidery Group: Huge Fun. Beautiful Art. Ugly Words https://stitcherystories.com/profanityembroiderygroup/

Jane Sanders: Textile Portraits Of Iconic Pop Stars https://stitcherystories.com/janesanders/

Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist with a long-established career. She combines mixed media with digital machine embroidery to create beautiful sculptural forms flooded with colour. Alongside runs her gallery & curatative experience, giving us a fabulous guest sharing her art practice wisdom, on Stitchery Stories textile art podcast.

Art is all about communication. Creating art to interpret your thoughts, inspirations, perhaps trying to make sense of the world.

And the communication continues long after the art is finished.... you need to tell everyone about it, so they can enjoy it too. Susan has some great advice about this side of a successful art practice.

We also dive into the aspects of when you take your art career to the 'next level' of exhibitions and galleries.

Susan Weeks chats with Susan Hensel about:

Getting excited about digital machine embroidery

The frustrations of inconsistent materials

Current inspirations from climate change & weather maps

How Donald Duck's blue jacket sent her into a life-changing artistic pivot!

Using techniques & approach appropriate for the ideas you are trying to express

Evolving beyond the clay & brealing out of the rectangle

Opening a gallery as a way of meting new people

Getting media & press attention

Artist representation

Understanding the gallery business

There are artists everywhere - who have created everything we use Switching between 'business mode' and 'creative mode' can be so difficult

For this episode...

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

https://stitcherystories.com/susanhensel

Visit: https://susanhenselprojects.com/

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

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

Tweet: @hensel_susan

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:

David Morrish : Disruptive Digital Embroidery

https://stitcherystories.com/davidmorrish/

Hayley Mills-Styles: Thread Artist Who Loves Digital Embroidery

https://stitcherystories.com/hayleymillsstyles/

Kathleen Laurel Sage: Shaping Machine Embroidery With Heat

https://stitcherystories.com/kathleenlaurelsage/

Jennie-maree Tempest is a textile artist living on the Bass Coast of Australia. After many years creating art quilts and portraits, she has decided to challenge her textile art skills and creativity by creating textile art botanical sculptures.

Jennie-maree focuses her creativity inspired by the native Australian species that grow around her coastal home. The latest is a flowering yucca that is around 6ft / nearly 2m tall! It has been a massive undertaking, and has taken over four months of hard work to create. It's not only a challenge of textile art but also of construction. How did she make such a large item out of fabric & threads?

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Jennie-maree Tempest chats with Susan Weeks about her inspirations and challenges and her creative life by the coast.

For this episode... View Show Notes, Links & Examples of Jennie-maree's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/JenniemareeTempest

Visit: https://jemartem.com/

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

Look : https://www.instagram.com/jemartem.textiles/

Buy : https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/JemartemTextiles

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

Today on the Stitchery Stories textile art podcast, Nikki Parmenter shares her life in fabric & thread & a wide range of interesting materials too!

She chats with Susan Weeks about the wide range of inspirations and materials that she uses to create her large scale art. And although Nikki has a Fine Art background, she is very much self-taught when it comes to incorporating textiles and embroidery into the mix! Plenty of experimenting has developed a vivid and exuberant style.

Nikki 'escaped' the world of education back in 2016 but her absolute delight in teaching people still shines through everything that she does, and teaching is still an important aspect of her art practice.

In fact, as the global pandemic took hold, and everything was cancelled, Nikki carried on experimenting, and moved online, becoming very visible, and offering online workshops and talks via Zoom rather than the traditional 'in-person' approach. She shares plenty of tips and insight into how she did that, and the results she has generated.

For this episode... all links, info & examples of Nikki's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/nikkiparmenter

Tanya Bentham is an expert in the style of hand embroidery known as 'Opus Anglicanum'. It is a style of embroidery that was prevalent in the 13th & 14th centuries in England. Very specific stitches are used in a specific way with specific materials and style.

Tanya shares her fascinating story of how she got started in embroidery and how the obsession with Opus Anglicanum started.

It may sound dull that Tanya takes her inspiration from Medieval manuscripts. Far from it! Those manuscripts contain hilarious situations and crazy characters and this was an area that I wanted to dig down into with Tanya.

There is a lot of humour in her work. She also loves to take old images and put a modern twist on them, but still using relevant imagery and sticking strictly to the style and methods of the era.

Tanya has brought all that knowledge and experience together and her first book is just about to be published... exciting times!

Susan Weeks chats with Tanya about:

• What is Opus Anglicanum?
• The main stitches used and the specific thread.
• Her twist of 'The 3 living & the 3 dead'
• How to create a face in Opus Anglicanum
• Historical re-enactment
• Writing her book
• Knitting in the dark!
• Finding it difficult to start things and preferring longer bigger projects
• Where do all the crazy characters and silly scenes come from?
• Just how nerdy is nerdy?
• Medieval simplicity vs Jacobean crewelwork exuberance
• Learning which rules you can break so it is still 'Medieval'
• What to wear when you are a proper artist
• A fab excuse for not finishing a piece of embroidery....

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

Visit: https://www.opusanglicanumembroidery.com/

Like : https://www.facebook.com/groups/2131204437191134/

Read : https://opusanglicanum.wordpress.com/

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

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWJl2IvOniL94jIym33JNYA

Tweet: https://twitter.com/Opusembroidery

SIGN UP for Crafty Online Course Creator's Workbox to get started for FREE on your online course creation journey

https://www.craftyonlinecoursecreator.info/workbox

Other episodes you might like! https://www.stitcherystories.com/phillipaturnbull/

https://www.stitcherystories.com/clarehunter/

https://www.stitcherystories.com/stamfordbridgetapestryproject/

Other links and things we talked about:

The Luttrell Psalter

https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/the-luttrell-psalter

The Syon Cope

https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-syon-cope

Bananarama

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A-w5L7pygE

Asterix & Obelix

https://www.asterix.com/en/

Tintin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Tintin

Les Dawson - wonky piano playing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nNGlaiVypU

Vendulka Battais is a textile artist, quilter, embroiderer and designer who started her creative journey making clothes with her mum in the Czech Republic. She learnt simple patchwork when she moved to the UK and was looking for a new hobby!

Vendulka shares her fabulous story of where that early interest in patchwork took her. It's a story of creativity and of making opportunities and of taking action. From squares and triangles, Vendulka's work has evolved into quilting and embroidery, and a love of circular patterns inspired by mandalas and dream-catchers. Her love of teaching shines through with in-person classes and her new range of online video courses too.

Susan Weeks chats with Vendulka about:

• Coming out of covid lockdown and wondering what's next.
• Her dream of creating on demand online video classes.
• It's a whole new set of skills creating an online course.
• If you don't have guidance then you need plenty of time for trial and error!
• Investing effort into creating an on-demand online course is creating future income
• Habits have changed and online courses are now seen as a great way of learning and networking
• Running her fabric & haberdashery shop in Suffolk
• Starting her creative adventure with simple patchwork and quilting
• Starting a group which encourages designers to share their patterns and a central place to buy patterns from
• Connecting designers / creators with makers
• Being inspired by a 'stairway to heaven'
• Wanting to turn her hobby into a business and support her family
• Learning how to run a shop
• Celebrating 10 years as a shop business owner
• It's OK to improve over time... Just Start!
• Learning how to create with what you have
• The meditative effect of free motion quilting
• Glow in the dark fabric mandalas

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

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

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

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

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwNXZS-is0c

JOIN our Facebook Group to Buy & Sell patterns https://www.facebook.com/groups/buysellpatterns

SIGN UP for Crafty Online Course Creator's Workbox to get started for FREE on your online course creation journey

https://www.craftyonlinecoursecreator.info/workbox

Other episodes you might like

https://www.stitcherystories.com/amijames/

https://www.stitcherystories.com/saimakaur/

https://www.stitcherystories.com/lorraineturner/

Lorraine Turner is a textile artist who gives support for endangered animals through her vibrant textile art.

Lorraine has been a practicing artist for many years as a graphic designer, working on wide variety of commercial projects but her adventure into textile art started a few years ago, and she adopted the 'no rules' approach to her textile art creations.

Lorraine works on large textile art portraits of endangered animals, using bright patterned fabrics, materials and techniques that she experiments with to achieve what's in her head. Fabric applique, hand and free machine embroidery, aspects of quilting, so many techniques are layered together to produce her stunning art.

A key impact on Lorraine's work is her inspiration. Endangered animals come to her via her daily meditations and tell her their stories and troubles. This is a fascinating story of working from the heart and attracting fabulous opportunities along the way.

Lorraine chats with Susan Weeks in this episode of Stitchery Stories textile art podcast.

Her current Monarch butterfly art challenge The 'no rules' method of developing her textile art Taking it all back to the core Developing the commercial aspects of her art practice to support her focus & passions Generating revenue & charging for her expertise Meditation as inspiration for textile art How to shut off your brain and unplug Working with groups and uplifting children What makes your heart sing? Attracting amazing opportunities

For this episode... View Links, information & Examples of Lorraine's work at http://www.stitcherystories.com/lorraineturner

Visit: https://calicohorses.com/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/people/Lorraine-Turner-Textile-Artist/100063678787825/

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

Buy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LorraineTurnerArtist

Sew: Monarch Butterfly Challenge

https://calicohorses.com/monarch-sewing-art-challenge/

Follow Sue for course creation and online marketing stuff

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.

Get your FREE "Crafty Online Course Creator's Workbox" and fortnightly 'Crafty Course Chat'

https://bit.ly/3sgAIji

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Janine Heschl

https://www.stitcherystories.com/janineheschl/

Kate Tume

https://www.stitcherystories.com/katetume/

Catriona Baird is Textiles Curator at Paisley Museum, in Scotland, which celebrates it's 150th anniversary on 11th April 2021.

Catriona shares the story of the Paisley pattern - that swirly floral stylised teardrop motif that pops up in so many designs and objects, as well as of course on the famous Paisley Shawls.

This is a story that brings together geography, history, fashion and textiles and gives a fabulous insight into early industrial textile production too.

In this episode of Stitchery Stories, Catriona Baird chats with Susan Weeks around:

• Her current research as part of the Paisley Museum Re-imagined Project
• What is the Paisley Pattern
• Where did the Paisley pattern originate
• The history of Paisley as an important textile production centre
• Making Paisley Shawls
• The Jaquard Loom and making 'point paper' designs
• Paisley Museum history & its collections
• The types and styles of Paisley shawls
• The first exhibition of Paisley shawls
• The links with The Needlework Development Scheme
• Investigating the museum collections
• The museum re-development project

And we also make a CALLOUT for interesting objects which feature the Paisley pattern and have an interesting story.

If you have an interesting Paisley object with an interesting story then please email a picture and the story to Catriona at the museum and she will be delighted.

Email: [email protected]

For this episode...

View Links, information & Examples of the paisley pattern at http://www.stitcherystories.com/paisleypattern

Visit: https://reimagined.paisleymuseum.org/

Like: https://en-gb.facebook.com/PaisleyMuseum/

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

Tweet: @PaisleyMuseum

Follow Sue for course creation and online marketing stuff

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.

Get your FREE "Crafty Online Course Creator's Workbox" https://bit.ly/3sgAIji

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Lindy Richardson & The Needlework Development Scheme

https://www.stitcherystories.com/lindyrichardson/

Dr Jennie Batchelor & The Great Lady's Magazine Stitch-off

https://www.stitcherystories.com/drjenniebatchelor/

Clare Hunter: Banner Maker Writing The Threads Of Life

https://www.stitcherystories.com/clarehunter/