Page 83 - The Digital Cloth Holiday issue 2

that is special to them which I’m very happy to
do. Because what I do is so time
consuming though, I do need quite a long lead
time to make sure the client gets their
commission when they want it.
I’ve had several exhibitions, both solo and
group shows, over the years. The current
ongoing situation with COVID right now means your practice forward.
that I’ve had to shelve any thoughts of a solo
show for the foreseeable future but as soon as
things, hopefully, improve, that’s something I
want to do again. I’d love to get stuck
into a new body of work but I’d have to
put a year aside to do that and I need to
earn a living too. It’s always a fine
balance - making work to put food on
the table but also making work that
excites and energises you and pushes
I’m very lucky to have a small room in
my house which I use as my studio. I’m
all set up there and it’s a lovely
working environment. The view from
my windows is the Edinburgh rooftops
and chimneys, with Arthur’s Seat in the
distance. A wonderful view to look up
from my sewing machine when I need
to give my eyes a rest. I try and keep it
reasonably tidy - I need to know where I
can quickly lay my hands on a particular
shade of thread so they’re all in drawers
depending on their colour. I use thread
from a great company in England called
Sew Essential - the shades of green they
have in particular are perfect for what I
do. Beside my trusty Bernina 820 long
arm machine is a lovely little
ceramic pot a friend of mine’s father
made me in which I keep all my vital
tools to hand: embroidery scissors; a
brush for regularly cleaning my machine;
oil to keep things moving; and tweezers
- very important! When planning and
measuring out a new piece I have to go
into the hall to spread out as there isn’t
enough room in the studio for that. My
cat sleeps in basket at my feet under
the table - I think she thinks the sewing
machine is a big, purring cat!
I know I call myself a textile artist, and
I’m proud to be known as that, but I am
aware that my work is probably more
akin to drawing and painting - it’s just
that I draw and paint with thread. So, a
lot of my influences are actually painters
and illustrators. I’m particularly drawn to
the work of the Russian artist