Stitch August/September 2022

Embroidery and textile art have been an integral part of our lives throughout history, right up to the present day. The journey now continues with contemporary artists inspiring us with fresh ideas, colour palettes and techniques. This issue of Stitch exemplifies the journey of embroidery from historical to contemporary perfectly… Read about medieval embroidery expert Tanya Bentham’s impeccable attention to detail, from quirky subject matters to hand-dyed wools, as she recreates scenes and characters from the middle ages. Turn to page 40 to find out how she captures the idiosyncratic style of the times, as with this magnificent knight! Moving on to the Elizabethan era, we have Brenda Sortwell’s glorious gilded pear on page 7 and the star of our cover. Its luminous jewel-like shades were inspired by pieces discovered…

Find details of this issue’s competitions at: bit.ly/stitch-win The closing date is Thursday 29 September 2022. Prizes, gifts, or give-aways offered in competitions might be substituted with ones of similar value. Unless otherwise stated, all competitions, free samplings, discounts and offers are only available to readers in the United Kingdom. Winners are picked at random; the Editor’s decision is final. You’ll need to register if you’ve not already done so. Please state when entering if you do NOT wish Warner’s Group Publications plc to contact you regarding their products or services that may be of interest. Or for your details to be shared with reputable third party companies. Full terms and conditions are available on our website at warnersgroup.co.uk/competition-terms/ Join us: facebook.com/stitchmag Follow us: instagram.com/stitch_magazine Email us: stitcheditor@warnersgroup.co.uk Visit us:…

FIND THE TEMPLATE FOR THIS PROJECT ON PAGE 56 This piece was inspired by The Cheapside Hoard, which was a discovery of buried Tudor and Elizabethan jewellery, unearthed during excavation work in Cheapside, London in 1912. Apart from contemporary portraiture, it is the greatest single collection of Elizabethan jewellery in the world. The collection has over 500 pieces of diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, pearls and peridot. Peridot is a light green semi-precious stone with golden tones. My pear project takes its inspiration from some of these jewels. IMPORTANT! Two strands of thread are used at a time unless otherwise mentioned (Rajmahal thread is sixstranded so separate the threads and just use two strands). START STITCHING 1 Begin with the Tudor Rose. Start by outlining the centre four petals in Hot…

Large Clip-on Magnifier This handy magnifier can be clamped to frames, table tops and desks. The 46cm (18inches) arm for longer reach combines with a 13cm (5 inches) lens with x1.75 magnification. Price £25.00 Code CM1 Sonata Seat Stand A versatile, fully adjustable sit, upon stand. Holds hoops, Bar Frames and roller frames, up to 12". Features include 360° rotation, quick fliptopandheightadjustment. Frame as shown not included. Price £22.95 Code SONATA StitchSmart Floor Stand This stand has an unique swivel system allowing 360° rotation. Height and working angle are adjustable. Available as a complete unit with stand, LED light-magnifier and chart clamp, or just the stand on its own. Stand with LED light-magnifier and chart clamp £149.99 Code D24047 & D25020 £79.99 Stand only Code: D53047 Wooden frame as shown…

FIND THE TEMPLATE FOR THIS PROJECT ON PAGE 60 I have always loved and been captivated by fairies and the I world they live in. In art school, fairies were my favourite subjects to paint. Seeing a fairy come to life, whether on canvas with paint or fabric with thread, reminds me of how important it is to never give up and to have courage. It seems fitting to pay homage to what brought joy and light into my life. I hope this piece inspires you to be brave and remember there’s magic still left in the world. You never know what’s waiting for you when you believe… PREPARATION 1 Transfer the design onto your fabric using your preferred method. Only transfer the black lines of pattern. The other coloured…

From her home studio in Somerset, Jo Butcher enjoys taking a ‘rabbit’s eye’ view of the meadows and flowers that surround her. Her work contains an incredible attention to detail which serves to highlight everything – from individual blades of grass to the tiniest of petals – while at the same time creating an overall impressionistic style. Jo talks to us about her work and her journey as an artist. How long have you been an embroidery artist? I taught myself how to embroider around 20 years ago. Although I had learnt a little at school, from my enthusiastic sewing teacher, who I’m still in touch with, and neither of us can believe my stitches are so small and neat now! What drew you to focus on tiny, intricate stitches?…