In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Vanessa Marr, an artist, researcher, and lecturer whose work explores the invisible labour of women through textiles. Her long-running project, Domestic Dusters, invites people to embroider their personal experiences onto the humble yellow duster, transforming it into a powerful storytelling medium. We discuss the origins of the project, the unexpected history of dusters, and how embroidery can reclaim narratives of domesticity and gender roles.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:30 – Why are dusters always yellow? The unknown history behind them

00:06:00 – How Vanessa’s project started: Choosing the duster as a medium

00:10:30 – Fairy tales, feminism, and how stories shape women’s roles

00:19:00 – The meditative nature of stitching and how it allows for reflection

00:30:20 – The hidden labour of women and how embroidery highlights it

Links:

Website: domesticdusters.wordpress.com

Instagram: vanemarr

Intro music is The Juggler by Ch@ntarelle 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: https://www.needl.exchange/

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