I usually describe myself as a hand-stitcher as most of my work in the last few years has been hand stitched.I like the process as much as the results. We have a 'slow food' movement as an antidote to fast food and perhaps hand stitching is my answer to the world of instant gratification. Here is one way in which a piece of work, having been imagined and planned can be slowly made in a satisfyingly rythmic way. I watched my mother and aunt embroidering and dress-making and I've enjoyed the feeling of following the women in my family and across the world who have stitched to make things of utility and beauty.
I do use my sewing machine; I've recently been at a workshop where the tutor, Linda Miller, showed us how to draw with our machines and achieve a pleasing quality of line. Perhaps this way of drawing will find its way into my next body of work as I am just beginning the process of developing work on the subject of pots, for the group's next exhibition in Warwick.
My Textile Connection work is running parallel with some gold work for a church commission and that will be handwork, so there will be no withdrawal symptoms!
