On the 30th July it is World Embroidery Day, originally set up in 2011 by a Swedish Embroiderer’s Guild it has spread swiftly around the globe.
It even has it's own manifesto: “The importance of embroidery must be made known and World Embroidery Day will spread around the world. Make 30th July a day filled with creativity for the sake of Peace, Freedom and Equality.”
I thought in honour of the day I would share with you some of my favourite embroidery artists. It's really hard to pick out just a few as during my embroidery journey I have come across a fantastic array of artists and artworks, all bringing something interesting, exciting and inspiring to the party! It could be amazing technical skills, exciting use of materials or the story and characters they bring to life.
I'm going to start with Karen Nicol...
Karen's work was first brought to my attention whilst studying for my degree. This picture was taken at the Hand & Lock Embroidered Arts exhibition in 2021, it is one of three pieces on show by Karen. Karen is a true master of materials who uses them in expressive and imaginative ways. A lot of her work is created with an "Irish" embroidery machine, a piece of equipment we got to use at university. It does straight and zig-zag stitch and you control the stitch width with a knee pedal, so I can personally vouch for the fact it takes a bit of getting used to, with each machine having it's own often quirky, personality. I love Karen's mixed media approach and the character packed into her creations.
Second up is Nigel Cheney...
I was fortunate to have Nigel as a mentor during my Masters studies. His work is layered with meaning and storytelling and a multitude of stitches! These panels from the Stitch by Stitch 2025 exhibition are quite large and all hand stitched, Nigel describes his work as "labours of love", taking many, many hours of work. Drawing is central to Nigel's practice something which I can identify with, I hugely admire his drawing and stitching skills and will always be grateful for his generosity with both his time and advice.
Next Laura Baverstock...
I love contemporary goldwork, I guess I can't resist a bit of bling and often you will see some three dimensional elements, which is another thing I love about textiles - it doesn't need to be flat! Laura Baverstock is a specialist in goldwork and her series of big cats is something to behold. This is a picture I took in 2023 at an exhibition "Treasures of Gold and Silver Wire". I was suitably inspired to have a go at a goldwork wolf during my degree, he ended up a little wonky looking which really helped me appreciate Laura's immense skill. I have looked for a photo of him to share which would probably give you a bit of a laugh, but fortunately for me I can't seem to find one.
And finally Michele Carragher
Michele Carragher was the embroiderer for all the costumes in Game of Thrones, her work is beautiful, so varied and packed full of symbolism. Everything she creates is exquisite with incredible details, her embroidery truly brings the costumes to life. Her book, "Trace" is stunning and a wonderful thing to own.
I hope you found this blog post interesting and even feel inspired to discover more embroidery, there are a lot of other amazing artists out there!