Welcome to a new podcast for all stitchers, embroiderers, textile artists and creative souls, where we have friendly informal conversations about what it actually means to be an artist working in textiles.

Isobel and Gina are both practicing artists and tutors specialising in machine embroidery, but we’re still figuring it all out! We chat about combining the creative process with running a business and hope that you will find inspiration and support for your own creative journeys.

As it was through following each other's blogs that we first met, it seemed appropriate to take a closer look at our blogs and our blogging habits. We look back at our reasons for starting a blog and what we were writing then, compared with our reasons for continuing, and what we are writing now. We also discuss whether there's even still a place for blogs within how we communicate as artists, and talk about how we decide what's appropriate for sharing in a blog, compared to what we may or may not share on other social media platforms. Finally, we consider the sometimes tricky question of knowing when, how and if to say something, and when to keep schtum - something we don't always get right! 

Also mentioned in this episode:

Sky Portrait Artist of the Week 

Artist Kayoon Anderson

The Crafter's Companion 

Izzy's upcoming Swirls course

Izzy's new blog 

Gina's new blog

Fashion and Textile Museum blog 

Automatic drawing 

Nigel Slater's chard & feta tart recipe can be found in his book Kitchen Diaries II (p378)

We'll leave you with this excellent quote from artist Anish Kapoor:

"Art isn't always about having something to say, sometimes it's about doing something and seeing what happens"

The music is Dear Autumn by Ikson and you can find it at https://soundcloud.com/ikson