‘In a world of fast-moving production, hand-embroidery signifies creating with intention. Each slow stitch is made with purpose, it requires your attention, your focus - it's an act of love. And to make things that are one of a kind only makes them more treasured,’ says the embroidery artist Isla Heller. Isla, like many other embroidery artists taking on commissions and making ready-to-buy products, is proving how this centuries-old technique is just as relevant and interesting today as ever.
There is indeed something utterly romantic and charming about a hand-embroidered treasure – whether it is on your coat or your coaster, a bit of delicate needlework can transform an everyday object into something beautifully crafted and totally unique. It is not just that embroidered items, compared to plain, unembellished ones are decoratively more interesting, but they are physical proof of the care and time that went into them. This I know from first-hand experience, as a couple of years ago I ordered an at-home embroidery kit from the lovely Rosita Studio, mistakenly thinking that it would be an easy and fun way to pass the twixmas days. Easy it was not, and I was left in awe at the delicate and meticulous creations that Rosita Studio's founder, Maria, among a number of other talented embroiderers, are producing.
And even if you are blessed with nimble hands and more patience than me, there are some embroidery techniques that are best left to the professionals. Bargello is one of them. This technique has its roots in 14th-century Florence. The distinctive flamestitch pattern is time consuming and requires scrupulous attention to detail, two qualities possessed by Paul Bailie, the Worcester-based embroiderer behind @thismanswork. A move to North Worcestershire in 2020 coincided with him taking up needlework, initially as a form of escapism, though he has since found customers in decorators at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, and he also sells off-the-shelf pieces, such as cushions, through Brownrigg Interiors, in Petworth.
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As gifts go, it would be hard to beat a commissioned piece of embroidery. This is certainly something that Isla has found. She works on anything from a personalised nightgown to a set of napkins with the embroidered illustration of a house on them (perfect for someone moving into, or out of a home). ‘I love the collaboration of the planning phase. I find it so moving that I'm included in the stories that my clients want to bring to life; a love note found in a pocket, the icons representing a yearned-for new baby; it's a privilege to be included in preserving those memories,’ she says. Isla's studio – like many small, creative businesses, exists primarily on Instagram, which has been a valuable tool in building an client-base.
Maria has been creating hand-embroidered pieces for some years now. Among her best-sellers, unsurprisingly, are linen Christmas stockings which Maria can embroider a name. Though she also sells DIY kits too – if you are feeling brave you can stitch your own stocking, or a delightful piece of artwork.
If, like me, you are neither creative nor dextrous, than buying directly from such talented creatives is the way to go. Here are a few of our favourites to buy now.
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