Videos

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…

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I continue my conversation with Rosie James, a machine embroidery artist who stitches everyday moments into intricate textile pieces. In Part 2, we dive into her technical process, from working with transparent fabrics to engineering large-scale embroidery. Rosie also shares insights into her evolving artistic…

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Rosie James, a textile artist renowned for her free-motion embroidery that captures fleeting human moments. Rosie’s work explores movement, liminality, and the unseen narratives of crowds, often stitching figures frozen in time from photographs she takes in public spaces. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Intro…

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Alison Carpenter-Hughes. In part two of our conversation, Alison dives deeper into the emotional and symbolic aspects of her work. We discuss her connection to Leicester’s textile heritage, her ventures into community art, and how she plans to push the boundaries of her…

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Alison Carpenter-Hughes. Alison is a machine embroidery artist known for her intricate, emotionally resonant portraits. Her work explores texture, layering, and the interplay of colour to bring stitched images to life. In this episode, she shares her journey from discovering free-motion embroidery to…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Harriet Riddell. Harriet is a globally celebrated free-motion embroidery artist who brings her sewing machine to life in unexpected places, capturing the essence of people, places, and stories through her unique art. Known for her adventurous spirit, Harriet has travelled the world—embroidering bustling…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Holly Searle. Holly is a visual artist who transforms vintage tea towels into striking, subversive works of textile art, In this second part of our NeedleXChange, the conversation turns fully to Holly Searle’s Tea Towel Project - a growing collection of over 180…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Holly Searle. Holly is a visual artist who transforms vintage tea towels into striking, subversive works of textile art, In the first part of the NeedleXChange, Jamie speaks with visual artist Holly Searle about the origins of her creativity - from childhood memories…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Hattie McGill. Hattie is an embroidery artist and costume specialist whose goldwork has graced screens from Doctor Strange to Bridgerton. In this second part, Hattie talks about pivoting her practice during the pandemic by launching a series of goldwork embroidery kits, balancing studio…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Hattie McGill. Hattie is an embroidery artist and costume specialist whose goldwork has graced screens from Doctor Strange to Bridgerton. In this first part, we explore Hattie’s training at the Royal School of Needlework, her unexpected leap from furniture restoration into embroidery, and…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Cas Holmes. Cas Holmes is one of the UK’s favourite textile artists, a respected teacher and author of numerous embroidered art books. Her work often uses found objects and has an alchemical philosophy, where the creativity is discovered at the edge of uncertainty.…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Emma Homent, aka The Maker’s Marks. As well as creating needlepoint designs that hit that sweet spot of modern nostalgia, Emma is an advocate for contemporary needlework and the value of creative collaboration. Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:19 - Bluey 00:5:03 - When Emma…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Cath Janes. Cath is a Welsh needlework artist whose anatomical hand embroideries show the scientific beauty of bodies. Timestamps: 00:00:12 - Intro 00:01:48 - Becoming an artist 00:06:40 - Going viral 00:15:00 - Back story 00:22:20 - Creative path 00:25:35 - How Cath…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Diana Weymar. Diana Weymar is an embroidery artist and curator, and founder of the Tiny Pricks project, a collaborative needlework project that immortalises quotes from Donald Trump as a crowdsourced documentary of an unusual part of American history. Diana is the author of…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Marcia Bennett Male. Marcia is a textile artist and stone mason, whose stitched works explore her personal experiences as a black woman living in modern Britain, and focus on black historical figures. Marcia's work uses simplistic form and hidden meaning to address topics…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Aaron Fein. Aaron Fein is a mixed media sculptor whose work plays with perceptions, both luminant and psychosocial. Inspired by the fading colours of American flags after 9/11, Fein embarked on a project to create white flags that represented grief and unity. He…

Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Seasonal Conversation 09:06 Discovering Cape Town and Embracing Nature 12:01 The Beginnings of Danielle's Embroidery Journey 23:07 From Fashion Design to Thread Sketching 26:00 The Humble Origins of Danielle's Embroidery 27:38 Fashion vs. Freedom of Creativity 35:06 Aligning Brand Ethos with Personal Values 43:48 Balancing Commercial…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Liz Kueneke. Liz Kueneke is an Ibizan-based artist whose community created maps plot personal paths through urban environments. Her Urban Fabric project involves embroidering maps of different cities and inviting communities to weave their own narratives into the maps. The project aims to…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Kate Kretz. Kate Kretz is an acclaimed multidisciplinary artist known for her intricate, time-intensive works that tackle challenging societal issues. In this first part of our NeedleXChange we talk about Art from the Core, Kate's new book, we discover Kate's creative background and…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Audrey Montoya. Audrey Montoya is a needle felting artist whose melancholic characters are strange in all the right ways. Her affinity for childhood icons and kitsch pop culture began at an early age, but after an education in the world of fine art,…

John Thomas Paradiso is a Washington-based artist who has been exploring the intimacy of gay culture through needlework for over 30 years. Using hand embroidered quilting techniques, working on surfaces including leather and suede, and using traditional materials like doilies to mask the graphic parts of his subjects, John’s work…

In this episode of NeedleXChange we interview Niki McDonald. Niki McDonald, also known as TapestryGirl, is an Australian needlework artist whose urban pop art portraits use modern street art styles to tell stories of iconic characters she has created. In our interview we talk about how Niki juggles the artistic…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Meredith Woolnough. Meredith Woolnough is an Australian machine embroidery artist whose organic creations are instantly recognisable and simply stunning. Meredith’s art pieces are celebration of the beauty of nature and at the same time, a technical marvel. We talk about her passion for…

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Meredith Woolnough. Meredith Woolnough is an Australian machine embroidery artist whose organic creations are instantly recognisable and simply stunning. Meredith’s art pieces are celebration of the beauty of nature and at the same time, a technical marvel. We talk about her passion for…