We all love gawping over a piece of fine art in a gallery but when it comes to stitching (of the fine art kind) it’s not the price tag that makes your jaw drop, it’s the craftsmanship and patience. Which is exactly why we’ve decided to show you these stunning designs by embroiderer Ruth O’Leary, so you can marvel up close at the detail and design that goes into her work.

 

Ruth specialises in producing hand-embroidered pieces of all shapes and sizes but is particularly known for her 3D installations, especially her goldwork embroidery.

This three-dimensional piece (above) for example, is based on a design for a traditional Welsh dragon and is completely hand embroidered! Ruth stitched each section of this dragon separately before mounting them onto pieces of thin card backing and assembling by hand. Talk about having a steady hand!

Although Ruth works from her own embroidery designs it’s not just brand new pieces that capture her imagination. One of her most intricate pieces is a Victorian framed parasol, which Ruth has completely renovated into this exquisite piece (above). “This parasol has a Victorian frame and a beautifully unusual shape. The original silk cover was in shreds when I found it, so I didn't feel too bad taking it off!” says Ruth.

 

The inspiration for its replacement came from some late 19th century Burmantofts tiles in Newcastle railway station, which caught Ruth’s eye. “I loved their designs but hadn't known what to do with them, but when I found the parasol it all came together. I used a few motifs from the tiles and adapted to fit the shape of the parasol panels. I also changed the colours - I don't know why I chose those shades of green, they just seemed right! It all worked out just as I hoped, and it's still one of my favourites.”

We know re-embroidering a Victorian framed parasol or stitching a dragon entirely out of goldwork might seem a little extreme for the average stitcher, but it’s definitely inspired us to be a bit braver. Or, as Ruth put it: "Don't be afraid to try new things. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve if you give it a go!”

 

You can see more of Ruth O’Leary’s work on her website and blog...

Bee Listy is a talented cross stitch designer fromo the USA. She specialises in alternative cross stitch, particularly focussing on political themes and portraits, and is one of the stars of our Urban Cross Stitching feature in issue 216. Below is her full interview. Watch this space for full transcripts of our interviews with our other alternative stitching stars, Phil Davison and Jamie Chalmers, coming soon.

Bee Listy is a cross stitch designer from the USA

What do you find so appealing about cross stitch?
I’m one of those people who has a mind that never stops working—the only break I get from the constant stream of thoughts, worries, and questions is stitching. Reading a pattern and counting out those tiny xes quiets my mind. It’s almost meditative.

How did you first get involved in cross stitch?
My paternal grandfather Walter was a stitcher – cross-stitch, needlepoint, crewel work. My mom also used to stitch, and I grew up in a house with a lot of hand-stitched work displayed in frames, or on linens. After I finished graduate school, I was working a very demanding job, and needed something to occupy my free time. I purchased one of Julie Jackson’s Subversive Cross-Stitch kits (Irony is Not Dead). I completed it, and then realized I could make my own patterns. The first pattern I ever made turned out pretty badly! The letters were crooked, the crossbones on the skull were messy. I experimented a lot with graph paper, a scanner, and then I started using PC Stitch, but I still hand draw things sometimes. But my grandpa and mom really encouraged me to keep stitching.

Were you interested in needlecraft when you were growing up, or was it an interest that developed later in life?
I had a latch hook kit once, but I don’t recall stitching at all as a kid. I started about six years ago.

What do you think the art form can offer people? How would you tempt someone who has never stitched before to pick up the needle?
I know that everyone gets different satisfaction from different types of art and craft. While other people may experience the relaxing meditative state I experience when I’m really in the groove, it may be different for other people. The handful of people who I know who became interested in stitching through me basically saw that they could create something original. I am lucky to be part of a big DIY community, and so rather than buying a gift, I know a lot of people who would rather hand make something, or purchase something handmade. There is a lot of satisfaction in seeing a project through conception to completion.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
The bulk of work I’ve been doing in the last couple of years is portraiture. Outside of commissioned work, I choose subjects who have influenced my life. For instance, I just finished a small portrait of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel—I chose them because their music made an indelible mark on me. I grew up listening to them with my mom and even now that I’m an adult, when we’re together we listen to their greatest hits album and sing at the top of our lungs together. I’ve done portraits of politicians, world leaders, authors, activists, celebrities – it really just depends on who I’m feeling inspired by at the time. The list of people I want to stitch is so long, I’ll never complete them all because I’m always thinking of new people, or getting different requests from people. I get suggestions from my partner, as well as friends and members of my family. I stitched Oprah Winfrey after it was suggested to me by an eight-year-old member of my family, David Michael.

What other needlecraft artists influence your work?
I wouldn’t say I’m influenced by other artists, but there are a handful of people I really appreciate for what they’re doing to create community for stitchers. I have been most directly influenced by Julie Jackson’s work because I do some subversive stitching of my own, but one of my favourite stitchers right now is Jamie Chalmers (aka Mr X Stitch). Check out this thread on crafter.org.

Also, I love Rayna and Johanna from Radical Cross Stitch. Their work is absolutely outstanding.

How do more traditional stitchers react to your work?
I don’t know! I mostly get feedback from other non-traditional stitchers. I get a lot of love from non-needle working crafters though. I sew in coffee shops around Minneapolis and St Paul, Minnesota, USA where I live, and I get a lot of attention from knitters who are very impressed with my work.

Bee's grandmother and gradfather's stitched portrait

You’ve stitched a lot of portraits, from Bea Arthur to Benazir Bhutto. Are there any that have a particular special place in your heart or special significance to you?
Most definitely. The last Christmas gift I ever gave my grandfather Walter was a stitched portrait of him with my grandmother, taken from a portrait of them from May 1943. I worked on it every free moment of the day for three weeks to finish it in time for a Christmas gift for the two of them. He was the stitcher so he was very impressed with the work, and despite being very ill and tired, he asked me a number of technical questions about the work, and was impressed with how orderly the back of the piece looked. The second most beloved would be the piece I did of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever done with the largest colour palette (more than 70 colours).

Who would you like to immortalise in cross stitch next?
The list is so long—I’m on an author kick right now, so maybe Jeannette Winterson? I’ve also being feeling strongly toward politics – Aung San Suu Kyi is someone I’ve made a pattern of, but haven’t stitched yet. I’ve considered doing a series of dictators, but I’m not sure I could stare at their faces long enough to actually stitch them. I’ll likely do Michelle Obama soon. She’s an icon in so many different ways right now, so I would like to find a picture that shows her brains, her strength, and her femininity. 

What are your most popular designs?
Portrait patterns of Johnny Cash. I did a portrait of him when I first started doing portraits, and it’s not technically great and had a small palette – but the owner loves it.

On your blog you talk about your craft swap. Can you tell us a bit more about that?
I’m a member of Craftster.org, which often has member-organized swaps. I recently participated in a LGBT/allies themed swap. I kept meaning to showcase the different items from the swap on Queercraft, but haven’t done it yet.

Who do you think will be the big names in cross stitch design in the next few years?
Well, there are a lot of people very active right now, and I hope it keeps growing. The thing that technology is doing for cross-stitch is making it easier for people to come up with their own patterns. I think that notoriety should be going to people who are pushing the boundaries of the craft – I think that Jamie Chalmers is working really hard to produce patterns that appeal to men, a niche that really needs to be filled. Bee Franck is doing some really beautiful black work mixed with her popular culture references. Rayna Fahey and Johanna from Radical Cross Stitch make some stuff that focuses on radical politics of feminism and ecology.

What do you think the role of needlecraft is in the 21st century?
I think that we’re riding a wave of DIY right now that I really hope continues: people are creating funny work, political work, and still creating traditional work—but the spin that some artists are putting on their work is really interesting. There are a handful of people who are taking inspiration from things on the internet (Jamie Chalmers has a series of spam email cross-stitches), and we’re also seeing other popular culture things represented in stitches, like art from recently released records.

Thoroughly modern designs are Bee's speciality

Do you think embroidery in general, and particularly cross stitch, are becoming more popular and, for want of a better phrase, socially acceptable?
I was recently recognised as the woman who sews on the train. I often block off sections of pieces so that I can fill in areas away from the pattern – and this is something I often do on my morning commute in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. The number of people who show interest in learning more, or commissioning a piece grows all the time, so I’m hoping to see more people stitching and appreciating beautiful needlework. In the USA, the huge return to DIY crafts really seemed to take off after the 9/11/01 attacks – some sociologists have said that people felt like they needed to return to the home, even figuratively, and by creating new original works (whether it be knitting, crochet, baking, needlecraft), people are feeling more organically connected to their surroundings rather than just buying gifts or décor at a big box store like Ikea. Owning original artwork is possible for people because so many people are creating original art.

Do you think we’ll see a continued growth in ‘alternative’ samplers and designs in cross stitch?
Absolutely. You know, I’d be making more patterns if I had a bigger desk to work on! I find it hard to just sit at the computer and create an awesome pattern – I like to stretch out with the sketchpad, then play on the computer. I need a better computer too- one of those tablet styles, and a big wide desk to work on. I live in a small, crowded flat.

What event in your own life would you most like to record in stitches?
This is the hardest question I’ve ever been asked in the handful of interviews I’ve done. Would I choose a jubilant moment, like when I finished my masters degree? Or a heartbreaking moment that I’m grateful to have moved through? There are so many events that I want to happen but haven’t occurred yet. I think I’d like to do a sampler that would record all of my various jobs, or the radical activist groups that I’ve been a part of. There is a photo somewhere of me as a 10-year-old child holding my fat orange cat that would be great to stitch – a perfect moment with a beloved pet, when life was very simple. I did stitch a portrait of myself which I gave to my mother for her birthday a couple of years ago. It was very strange to stare at my own face for a couple of weeks.

If you could choose one cross stitch sampler saying to sum up your attitude to life, what would it be?
I did a small sampler of it already – if I can bake a cake, I can build a bomb. I don’t advocate violence, but I believe that the power of people to rise up is important.

You do a lot of bespoke work. How does one go about getting a design commissioned from you?
It’s surprisingly easy – send me an email, a photo or an idea, and we go from there. I like to work with the commissioner to choose a good photo – what is the light like? Are there a lot of details, a broad variety of colours? I then spend a lot of time cleaning up the photo using Adobe Photoshop before I start working on the pattern in PC Stitch. PC Stitch is a wonderful program, but it doesn’t have it’s own artistic eye. I like to change things – substitute colours that the computer suggests for more vibrant colours that I like better, or think will look better. You can get a lot more depth from a variety of grey than just using flat black, DMC 666 can look too orangey if it’s next to the wrong colour, and things like that. The satisfaction of presenting a finished commissioned piece to someone is wonderful. My partner’s mother commissioned a piece from me last year as a gift for someone, and I had the joy of hearing about all of the people who were touched by the simple beauty of both the artwork, and the gesture of the actual gift.

Thank you so much for thinking of me!  This has been a pleasure.

If you've already got your copy of issue 214 you'll have seen our latest My Life In Stitches interview with textile designer Amy Senogles. Read on for the uncut version!




What first attracted you to working with textiles?
Since being very young, I’ve loved sewing and making things. I’d always collected fabrics and embroideries and the natural progression for me was to combine them into my work. I think the tactile quality of textiles is what attracts me the most.

Tell us a bit about the sort of work you do.
I create garments, accessories and interior products using antique textiles. I combine old stitches with my own embroidery in a patchwork of old and new. I am very interested in the ethics of fashion, and am very keen to re-use and re-cycle wherever possible.

What kind of embroidery techniques do you use most? Do you do a lot of hand embroidery or do you prefer a machine?
Hand embroidery features most within my work. I love the irregularity of hand stitch, and the fact that the hand of the maker is so evident in the work. I think that in this era of mass-production, it is refreshing to see labour intensive, one-off pieces of work.
My current work features mostly cross stitch combined with some floral motifs.

Do you have any tips or advice for cross stitchers who might like to branch out into more advanced embroidery?
My main piece of advice is not to be afraid of making mistakes. I like to think of everything I’ve ever made as teaching me something, whether it was a success or not. You may even find that a ‘mistake’ can inspire you to create something you’d never have thought of before.

Are you aiming for a particular ‘look’ or ‘image’ for your collection or does each piece you create have a unique story behind it?
When I produce work, I hope that my collection has an overall style but that each piece is unique. Everything I make starts with a section of an old embroidery or piece of fabric, and it evolves from there. The constraints are set by the size and colours of the fabric, but I aim to translate my own style into the product it develops into.

Where do you find your inspiration?
I am influenced by the fabrics that I collect, as they often dictate what I will make, or how I will make it. I found designers such as Jessica Ogden and Russell Sage very inspiring whilst studying for my degree, as I was very interested in re-using fabrics and exploring the intrinsic qualities of textiles. I also think the conceptual designs of Maison Martin Margiela are wonderful, and challenge perceptions of conventional fashion.

What’s been the proudest moment of your career so far?
Being selected by Texprint as one of their star designers for 2008 was the best part of my career to date. I was able to show my work in Paris at Premiere Vision and meet some very influential and inspirational people from both the fashion and the textile world.

What piece of craft equipment couldn’t you live without for your work?
It may seem simplistic, but I find I couldn’t live without a needle and some embroidery thread. I do use more complex equipment, but a needle and thread can travel with you, can be used more or less anywhere in the world, and can be picked up and put down whenever you feel like sewing. I travelled around quite a lot last year, and having my sewing with me meant I always had something to keep me busy on long journeys.

Where would you like to see your designing going in the future? Have you got any special ambitions or plans?
I’m working on developing interior products at the moment and hope to continue working to commission and exhibiting at craft fairs and events. I would love to collaborate with a fashion designer and see my designs translated into a collection of garments.

How important do you think needlework is as a skill? Does it have a role in the 21st century? How do you think we can give it a trendier image?
I think that given the current economic climate, we will see a resurgence of needlework, as people have to make their clothes last longer, and there may even be a shift away from cheap, disposable fashion. Consumers are becoming disillusioned with mass-produced garments and interior products and are increasingly seeking bespoke alternatives. I strongly feel that not only will people be interested in buying such products, but that they will also be keen to rediscover ‘lost’ skills to use for themselves.

What cross stitch sampler saying sums up your attitude to life?
I’d take inspiration from a reissued wartime poster I saw recently that said ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’. It sums up my determination to succeed and that reminds me of the goals I hope to achieve regardless of what gets in the way.

Do you have any special projects/events coming up?
I will be launching my website around the end of May, and am currently applying to exhibit at the Great Northern Contemporary Crafts Fair in Manchester this October.

For those of you who avidly read our interview with Ruth O’Leary in issue 213, here is the full uncut version! All our craft stars have such interesting things to say about their work we're always disappointed not to be able to include everything in the space we have in the magazine. But we don't want you to miss anything, so keep a look out for more extended interviews here on the website soon...!



What first attracted you to working with embroidery and textiles?
I first started stitching as a little girl, as my mum and gran did too – it just came naturally.  I didn’t keep it up as a teenager, but when I was a student I decided to embroider the logo of my favourite band on a denim jacket!  I enjoyed the whole process much more than I’d expected, and started embroidering other, more conventional, things. I always work to my own designs, and I find that the possibilities with textiles are so much greater than with painting, for example.  I can incorporate texture and depth in a way I couldn’t with anything else.  I just love the feel of fabrics – I wouldn’t be happy working with anything hard or harsh.

Did you find it difficult to break into the market?
I think I’m still in the process of breaking into it!  It’s taken a while to get this far, and I think what’s made a big difference is my website, which provides a showcase for some of my work.  I’ve had people contact me from all over the world, which would never have been possible before.  

Goldwork is one of your specialities – why do you like this technique particularly?
A range of reasons: I love the effects you can get with it, especially when used in 3D pieces, the way it catches the light and sparkles in the sunshine, and I love the tradition associated with it – goldwork has been used for centuries for rich and eye-catching textiles, and this continuity is important to me.

Do you have any other favourite techniques besides goldwork?
Appliqué and split stitch.  Appliqué was one of the first techniques I started to use, and I’ve found it to be remarkably versatile.  It can be padded to give depth, can form solid blocks of colour or subtle shading with sheer fabrics, and can be left plain or embellished with more stitching or bead work. Split stitch is similar to long-and-short or satin stitch, but is usually finer, and I use it for detailed shading effects in my miniature landscapes.  It also has a long history and is more closely associated with goldwork than it might appear: they were the core techniques used in Opus Anglicanum, the highly-prized embroidery England was famous for during the Middle Ages.  I try to use these traditional techniques, but in a contemporary way.

Do you have any tips or advice for cross stitchers who might like to branch out into more advanced embroidery?
Don’t be afraid to experiment!  Most embroidery techniques are actually very simple, but can be used alone or in combination to give stunning effects.  Cross-stitchers are often very meticulous and with a good eye for detail, and so would probably enjoy something like Hardanger embroidery, or why not let yourself go and create some free embroidery, with different yarns and beads or found objects.  I’m sure you’ll be amazed with the results!

What have you found to be the best thing about being part of the craft world?
The friendship.  I’ve been a member of the Embroiderers’ Guild for many years and have made a lot of good friends there.  I’ve always found embroiderers to be more than willing to share their expertise, so if you are thinking about trying a new technique, joining a local group like the Guild can be a great way of learning more, as well as making new friends.

Are you aiming for a particular ‘look’ or ‘image’ for your collection or does each piece of work have a unique story behind it?
I think my work does have a particular ‘look’, but that’s not intentional, it just happens.  All my work has its own story, but as I work on a piece, my own likes and dislikes in both design and technique – my personality, I suppose -  always come through.

What (or who!) gives you inspiration for your designs?
Oh all sorts of things!  Some, like the miniature landscapes or the machine-embroidered flower panels, are based on photographs, while the book slip cases are inspired by the books themselves.  A recent piece, the ‘Fire Lizard’ roundel, was based on a lizard that curled itself up into a ball on a TV nature programme!  I’m always on the lookout for ideas, and inspiration can come from anywhere.

What piece of craft equipment couldn’t you live without for your work?
A frame.  I find it impossible to work without having the fabric I’m working on properly stretched onto a frame; I can’t keep the tension of the stitches consistent without it.  Unfortunately, it’s also possible to pull it too tight…

What’s been the proudest moment of your career so far?
I’m afraid I can’t tell you!  I can say that I’ve been asked to stitch a prestigious piece of ecclesiastical embroidery to be presented to one of the most magnificent cathedrals in England, but until a few more things are confirmed, I can’t say any more.  But being asked to be a part of this project is definitely the highlight of my career so far.]

Where would you like to see your designing going in the future? Have you got any special ambitions or plans?
My designs have tended to evolve in response to new ideas and inspiration rather than to a plan, and I’ve been fortunate that other people have also liked my work.  I’m currently exploring complex geometric designs in goldwork, which I think will work well as wall panels - after that, who knows!

How important do you think needlework is as a skill? Does it have a role in the 21st century? How do you think we can give it a trendier image?
I suppose in some ways, in today’s modern world, skills such as needlework or stone carving or wood turning aren’t important at all.  After all, machine-made items are quicker to produce and much more cost-effective.  But to me, that just makes traditional craft skills more important, not less.  We would lose so much of our culture and heritage if they were to die out, not to mention the profound satisfaction to be had in making something unique, by your own effort. As for giving it a trendier image, I wish I knew.  Embroidery in all its forms, cross stitch and all the others, is such a wonderful pastime, relaxing and a way to find your own creativity, with so much to offer everyone.  Still, knitting is now fashionable, so maybe now more people are discovering the fun in crafts, needlework will be next!

What event in your own life would you most like to record in stitches?
I think becoming godmother to Anna.  I didn't stitch anything to mark it at the time, but I did make up for it a few years later with an embroidered book cover for a prayer book on her First Communion, with the design incorporating her initial and the date.  A proud day for all the family!
 
What cross stitch sampler saying sums up your attitude to life?
I think I’ll go with a quotation from A Craftsman’s Creed by James P Harvey:
“All the fine traditions and the skill
Come from my elders from the long line down
Are mine to use, to raise our craft’s renown,
And mine to teach again with reverent will.”

Do you have any special projects/events coming up?
I’m going to be mysterious again!  I’m in the early stages of planning an exhibition, but when it will be depends very much on a couple of commissions I have in the pipeline, both the ecclesiastical embroidery commission I mentioned previously, and one for a top London interior design firm. Depending on when I’m able to start work on them, the exhibition could happen later in 2009, otherwise it’s likely to be delayed by a year or so.  Watch this space!

More about Ruth and her work can be found at her website.


 

If you really enjoyed reading about Louise Gardiner in issue 208, here's some more from our interview with her which we couldn't fit on the page in the magazine! What first attracted you to textiles? I have always loved pattern, texture and...

If you enjoyed reading our interview with Laurence in issue 204, here are a few more snippets for you.

Laurence studied Fine Art at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. He was always interested in illustration and graphics, but says: “I chose the course because I didn’t want to make up my mind. I thought I could bubble around more! I’m not ambitious – I liked the idea of interior design, that was all.”

He was at Camberwell for three years, graduating in 1986. From there he went to work in the marketing department of a rubber flooring factory, which, he tells us, he really enjoyed. Since then he’s gone on to be the face of some of television’s most popular programmes, including Changing Rooms, Holiday, and most recently To The Manor Bowen.

Laurence definitely believes that cross stitch is going to be around for a long time, playing its part in the world of craft and design. We asked him what he thought we could do to help make needlework more trendy in the eyes of future generations. “I think the answer is not to try to do anything,” he says. “Needlework will discover itself again.”

Which is great news for us!

Don’t forget to drop us an email if you’re planning to stitch Laurence’s fabulous Jaisamand design. We’d love to see your finished work!

Charlotte Liddle first made her name in the crafting world just under a year ago when her book Stitch&Sparkle was published by Coats Crafts UK. Now she's involved in teaching stitching workshops at Liberty, designing cross stitch kits for Coats Crafts UK...

Emily Peacock specialises in designing contemporary cross stitch cushions that are ideal for the 21st century home. With designs ranging from tattoos to cornfields her striking creations are sure to attract attention – and with such raw emotion behind each...

Ellie Evans is an up and coming designer with a passion for cross stitch and a talent for turning family history into memorable keepsakes. She's just at the start of her career but she's already been awarded the Embellisher Prize from Selvedge magazine and has...

A master of most crafts, Kaffe Fassett loves nothing better than to create a masterpiece in stitches, then share it with those around him. He's brought needlepoint to magazines such as Vogue and TV shows like Pebble Mill and even designed the Christmas...

In issue 195 we spoke to Jayne Netley Mayhew about her designing habits. Here are her answers in full... When did you discover your talent for drawing? At one stage I had drawings that I did at the age of two! My eldest brother and I would always be drawing...

Teresa Wentzler is one of stitching's leading fantasy designers. As a child she immersed herself in fairytales, dreaming up worlds full of castles, wizards and dragons. As an adult she's turned this subject into a range of cross stitch designs admired by...

Embroidery designer Jan Constantine has given her work the strapline 'Designed for today, destined to be heirlooms of the future'. She began her career as a designer for several textile companies but embroidery was always at the heart of her work. Now selling...

Kate Westerholt is a cross stitch sampler designer with a difference. She takes 18th century colonial motifs and combines them with modern film quotes and song lyrics in an attempt to question what our modern day culture will actually mean in hundreds of...

Linda Gillum is the creative hand behind many of your favourite Janlynn cross stitch designs. In issue 192 I decided to find out a bit more about Linda and her work. Turn to page 98 of issue 192 to see examples of Linda's work and read on to find out what...