an independent group of creative textile artists and stitchers

from Durham and the surrounding area

Stitching Ideas and Inspirations

links to courses etc | stitching ideas | prompts from 2020

Here are some ideas and inspirations to help you keep stitching, or trying something new. If you have something to suggest please share your work with other members.

On-line courses / tutorials / podcasts:

Some of our members have used on-line tutorials and workshops for new ideas or inspiration to keep them busy. Some are free (such as YouTube), others require sign-up and a fee to participate. The list below contains some suggestions for you to browse. Each link will open in a new page, don't forget to close it when you have finished browsing. This image, is a selection of work by member Jo Crawley. Jo has been following Anne Brooke's Sew4thesoul series. You can see more of Jo's work on her Instagram page. Please consider supporting our local artists by purchasing a card or something from their etsy / folksy shop. Click on the name in bold to follow the link.

Embroiderers' Guild USA . Free stitching resources to embroider small projects. We particualry like the Halloween and Christmas themed ideas. Ideal for practising techniques, small gifts or to work with any younger stitchers you know...

Haptic & Hue podcasts. Settle down with a cup of your favourite beverage to listen. Haptic & Hue explores the way in which cloth speaks to us and the impact it has on our lives. It looks at how fabric traditions have grown up and the innovations that underpin its creation. It thinks about the skills that go into making it and what it means to the people who make it and use it. It looks at the different light textiles cast on the story of humanity (Introduction from their website).

Anne Brooke (Teacher & textile artist from Harrogate). YouTube channel with lots of inspirational videos, based on her #sewing4thesoul series. Lovely work for those who like Appliqué with textures, fabrics and threads. The latest project is #52tagshannemade. A hand stitched small tag for every week in 2021. Follow Anne on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hannemadebyanne/

Sarah Homfray (RSN Teacher & specialist embroiderer). YouTube channel with lots of inspirational videos for learning hand embroidery techniques.

Chloe Redfern website with details of her embroidery patterns for hand stitching.

Maggie Grey aka d4daisy follow the blog for details of the books of the fabulous series 'Workshop on the Web' - brilliant ideas for mixed media.

Bead Embroidery Free starter video tutorials using your own bits and pieces.

Izzy Moore website with details of her excellent online course 'Swirls of Colour' for Free Machine Stitching with mixed media. New courses added for 2021.

Jessica Kinnersley, local textile artist. Instagram page with videos for slow stitch, sketchbook prompts and other interesting things.

Kate Slaughter (Kates Kloth), one of our local textile artists is now offering zoom workshops also has lovely cards and kits available. Follow Kate on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kates_kloths/.

Trish Burr, subscribe to Trish's blog to receive weekly updates for her free stitch along of small free projects to make into a fabric embroidery journal... https://www.instagram.com/trishburrembroidery/.

Bobby Britnell, A variety of mixed media courses on offer. Sign up to newsletter for updates on courses etc.

Angie Hughes, A variety of mixed media courses on offer. Sign up to newsletter for updates on courses etc.

Gelli Arts, YouTube channel for the official site of Gelli Arts. A must go to place if you want to learn more about printing with mixed media using a gelli plate.

Colouricious, YouTube channel for Jamie Mason (previously Malden). Not just holidays, but all sorts of tutorials on block printing and other mixed media and stitching projects.

InStitches Creative Textiles, a blog from Hazel and Terry with activities and inspiration. Sign up to newsletter for up to date news.

Donna Cheshire is based in Newcastle, follow her blog for more information. She has a Folksy shop with beautiful little items for sale (https://folksy.com/shops/DonnaCheshireTextileArt).

Deb Cooper One of our very talented local textile artists with lovely cards and kits available. follow Deb on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/debcoopertextileart/.

Laura Edgar on Facebook another of our local textile artists with cards and kits available.

Textile Artist . org Artist interviews, inspirations and much more.

Susan Weeks Stitchery Stories, podcast interviews with textiles artists (check the archive list for more interviews), load one up and relax with a cup of tea....

Arnold's Attic aka Katie Hill, has an excellent YouTube channel, interviews with UK based textile artists

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Stitching Ideas and Inspirations:

The textile postcard swap. Members used a bi-monthly prompt to create a small number of stitched postcards to swap with each other. Click here for the 2021 Postcard Swap updated gallery of postcards shared.

Stitiching prompts from 2020

The gallery links in the ARCHIVES pages include works from previous exhibitions when we were part of the Embroiderers' Guild. Follow this link for the list of prompts, inspiration and examples of work completed during the 2020 social-distancing and self-isolation.

If you have completed work from any of the suggestions and prompts, please email Penny, our web page editor (tas2durham@gmail.com) with a couple of photos of your work with a short description of what inspired you and the techniques you used. We won't publish your full name, just initials to ensure you are attributed to the work.

If your piece of work is the result of kit or a professional design or from a workshop/course please ensure you tell us the details to comply with current UK guidelines on copyright. For Example:

"the 'Owl & Pussycat' raised embroidery techniques, Durham Spring School 2019, from a kit designed and provided by the tutor Jenny Adin-Christie".

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