Here’s another fact: we can overwhelm our spaces and ourselves with all that we collect. Piles of fabric, boxes of beads, overflowing bobbins, and pins and needles everywhere can make for a chaotic maker space. 

Fear not! We’ve asked some well-known textile artists and some of our Stitch Club members to share their best tips for organising their creative spaces. Some of these makers have separate studios while others create art in their homes, but all of their strategies could work well in almost any space.

We feature tips from Elisabeth Rutt, Jennifer Collier, Jeannie Holler, Lauren Austin, Jess Richardson, Isobel Currie, Rosalind Byass and Deborah Boschert.

Their overarching goals are to know what they have to hand and how to easily find what they need. What more could you ask for?

It’s time to get organised!

Elisabeth Rutt

Elisabeth Rutt, Textile artist: Keeping my materials organised first by type and then by colour makes it so much easier to find something when needed. It’s a filing system of sorts that helps prevent wasted time. 

I use clear plastic sweetie jars to house cotton perlé threads which I then sort and group together by colour in each jar. I keep machine threads, sorted by colour, in clear plastic shoe boxes.

My fabrics are grouped by type, such as cottons, sheers, silks, velvets, weaves, textured and ‘specials’. I use wire baskets on a frame that works as drawers, and if I have enough, I’ll group them by colour as well.

Colour coded threads

Space is limited in my studio, so for my threads, I use a set of coloured plastic drawers on castors for any extra threads of whatever type. The red drawer has a glorious mixture of red threads of all weights, as does the green, blue and other colours. 

I also use microwave food containers to hold buttons sorted by colour and then nestle them in with the threads. And I have a smaller set of very similar drawers for seed beads organised by colour.

Organise tools by technique

I have years and years worth of collected fabrics, threads, art and design materials, books and tools, so I’ve had to learn what to keep near me and what to archive elsewhere when not in use. 

I have clear plastic crates on warehousing shelves in our garage and shed. They’re organised by technique. For example, mono-printing tools and equipment are in one, while transfer printing equipment with suitable fabrics and papers are in another.

“My biggest challenge is deciding what to archive out of my room to make space for making new work!”

Elisabeth Rutt, Textile artist

Elisabeth Rutt works from her home studio in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. She tutors and mentors design and textile students in schools and adult education. In 2022, she was accepted as a member of the Society of Designer Craftsmen.

Artist website: elisabethrutt.co.uk
Instagram: @elisabethrutt
Facebook: elisabethruttstitchedtextiles

Lauren Austin

Lauren Austen, Quilt artist: I don’t have a system for storage, more a system for easy making. My creative space is a work in progress. It isn’t and shouldn’t be perfect. I work on many pieces at once, switching back and forth when I want something different. 

I used to put unfinished works in a closet or drawer, and they’d often be forgotten. So, I now pin unfinished work on big design walls in my living space. 

This allows me to study them when doing other things and think about what to do next. And because I create images of people, they’re always watching me. It’s like they’re saying ‘Lauren, stop playing that video game. The vacuuming can wait. Get busy and finish me!’ 

I also stopped hiding my fabric stash. I now use clear plastic bins, but I don’t spend a lot of time organising by colour or type. I like to open the bins and discover useful colours and textures. The search is part of the process.

Wall storage

My tools are also stored on the wall. I used to put them in toolboxes, and of course, they became ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Now I use magnetic strips for my scissors and metal tools, along with a wooden holder for my linoleum and wood block pieces. Keeping my tools in sight gives me the nudge to use them more frequently.

Workspaces everywhere

My workspace is my apartment, and every room except the kitchen, one bedroom and one bathroom is considered a workspace. But it’s not chaotic, because I try to put things back in their place when done. 

I like working on art as much as possible, so it’s pleasing to see my tools and unfinished pieces on display. 

Lauren Austin is based in Florida, USA. Formerly a human rights lawyer and lecturer, she became a full-time artist, storyteller and instructor in 2004. Her work is held in collections at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art (Washington, DC, US) and the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska, US.

Artist website: thatblackgirlart.com
Instagram: @blackgirlart1959

Rosalind Byass

Rosalind Byass, Stitch Club member: From the outset of participating in Stitch Club, I didn’t want my sample pieces stored in boxes. I wanted them to be easily accessible, arranged in a practical manner and visually appealing. So, I decided to design and construct a decorative textile journal.

It’s a working journal in which I can display completed workshop pieces as well as add and subtract samples. I made it large enough to hold the ever-growing number of pieces I’ve created and will continue to create.  

“Every bit of my journal is made from recycled materials.”

Rosalind Byass, Stitch Club member

I’m passionate about recycling, reusing and reinventing, and it’s reflected within my textile art.

The journal’s cover is a visually striking original design hand stitched in wool on hessian with some hand appliqué. The durable cover is reinforced and lined with a large felt insert.

The smaller decorative ‘tiles’ on the cover began life as lockdown stitch meditations. Each day, I stitched for a half hour without any pre-planned intent. I just mindfully focused on the task at hand.

The journal’s pages are made from offcuts of heavy upholstery fabric bound with hand stitching. The hand stitching adds weight to the edges as well as gives a more finished look. 

Pinned samples

I pin my sample pieces on the pages with ordinary dressmaking pins, making it easy to remove or rearrange them. Some pages also have large deep pockets to accommodate bulkier items such as fabric books.

I don’t include any written information, drawings or works in progress. It’s designed purely as a repository for completed samples. 

My greatest challenge was how to turn the heavy and bulky pages. I needed something that allowed for stretching, so I used threaded elastic and added knots between the pages. It works perfectly. 

Rosalind Byass lives in Melbourne, Australia. She is a textile artist creating original work often centred around memory, indulging her passions for pattern, colour and using recycled materials. Rosalind joined Stitch Club in 2020.

Deborah Boschert

Deborah Boschert, Textile artist: A few years ago, I decided to work with just one notebook at a time. I had been writing ideas on random sheets of paper or whatever was handy and, no surprise, they’d get mixed up or lost. I now keep everything in a single notebook: to-do lists, sketches, podcast recommendations, project ideas, workshop notes and other items as they come up.

I settled on a size and style I like, and I only use that same type of notebook. It’s a Strathmore 400 Series Sketch Pad, measuring 14cm x 21.6cm (5½” x 8½”).  

When I finish a notebook, I go back through it and make tabs on the pages I might want to refer to in the future. Honestly, I could do a better job with this part of the process. And I mark the start and end dates on the cover of each notebook. The dates can help me refer back to a special project or event if I know the timeframe to consider.

Project boxes

I also use a ‘project box’ when creating a new art quilt collage. After selecting fabrics reflecting my chosen colour palette, I keep the scraps and small pieces of fabric I don’t use in a plastic bin. I love how it keeps all those fabrics in one place, and if I need to add or patch something along the way, it’s all right there.

I often grow attached to the colours or ideas I’ve used, and I use the project box leftovers to make something similar or smaller. 

Selecting a cohesive, inspiring colour palette is one of the most important and challenging parts of the creative process for me. Using project box fabrics allows me to skip that part of the process since they’ve already been selected and finessed during the last project. 

Deborah Boschert is based in Texas, USA. She creates art quilts, teaches and is the author of Art Quilt Collage: A Creative Journey in Fabric Paint and Stitch. Deborah’s work is installed as a mural in the Dallas Arts District.

Artist website: deborahsstudio.com
Instagram: @deborahboschert
Facebook: DeborahBoschertArtist

Isobel Currie

Isobel Currie, Textile artist: My studio is a small room in my home, so it needs to be versatile because I use it for all stages of my creative practice. I have an electric desk with an adjustable height. And my storage cupboards and drawers are behind me as I sit at my desk by the window. I use a swivel chair to easily gain access to all areas of my workspace.

I have always been someone who prefers order, so my main organising strategy is to keep my creative space clear by storing tools and materials. They’re still accessible when needed but storing them prevents distraction when working. I also prefer having my materials displayed by colour and type, making it easier to see what I have available. 

Planning your storage

I spent a considerable amount of time planning how to organise everything in an efficient way and then invested in appropriate furniture. I have a large purpose-built cupboard fitted with drawers, shelves and containers to house my threads, beads and tools. Fabrics are kept nearby in a group of Muji stackable drawers.  

I also have to keep my desk area clear when stitching because I use long lengths of threads. So, a flexible Prym tool holder holds my pliers and cleaning brushes neatly away. I also have an Ikea desktop container close at hand that houses my essential tools, including scissors, tweezers, pencils and rulers. 

I designed and made a pincushion that has marked areas for different types of pins and needles. A Hemline magnetic needle holder also helps keep my very tiny needles and clips safe. And I keep bobbins of thread and other materials on a DoCrafts Anita’s Clear Away Tray so that they can be easily moved around.

Isobel Currie is based in Greater Manchester, UK. She is an exhibiting member of the 62 Group of Textile Artists and is the winner of the 2023 Fine Art Textile Award for the most innovative use of textiles. 

Artist website: isobelcurrie.com
Instagram: @isobel_currie_artist
Facebook: Isobel Currie, Embroidery Artist

Jeannie Holler 

Jeannie Holler, Stitch Club member: My primary goal is to use tools that bring clarity to my work. Organising those tools also helps me focus my ideas, thoughts and creativity. 

Plastic bins and boxes allow me to categorise and sort both my tools and fabrics. These bins were my ‘first aid’ when it came to organising my studio. Another important addition is a shelf and cabinet system, which allows me to store those bins in ways that give me easy reference and access to my supplies.

Easy access sewing machine

My greatest challenge was the fact I personified my sewing machine. I didn’t want to ‘hurt its feelings’ by putting it away under a table or in a closet. I did have a sewing cabinet, but my sewing machine was too large. 

Fortunately, my husband was able to adjust the cabinet’s opening using a jigsaw and white paint. Now I can lower the machine when not in use and have an additional flat workspace. And my sewing machine hasn’t complained once!

Even better, the old dining table on which my sewing machine had sat was now free to reuse as a large work and cutting table. The studio became more open and user friendly, and I can now see out my window as I sew. 

Jeannie Holler is based in northern California, USA, and joined Stitch Club in 2020. She especially enjoys hand embroidery and crewel work. Jeannie also machine quilts and then adds hand embellishments.

Jennifer Collier

Jennifer Collier, Textile artist: After 25 years of never being able to find the perfect paper that I knew was hidden somewhere in my stash, I created an effective filing system. 

I have all my vintage papers in clear plastic boxes under my desk. Each box contains papers grouped by a similar theme or other shared feature. I’ve even organised my stationary the same way.

“Having all my materials and equipment close to hand and easy to find reduces frustration and allows more time for making.”

Jennifer Collier, Textile artist

Hiding the clutter 

I work from my own gallery, so because my space is open to the public, everything is neatly stashed away behind my counter. You’d be amazed at how much I have stored there! 

The retail area also doubles as storage. I have different sized recycled drawers for my sewing machine and haberdashery, that not only hide my stored equipment but also allow me to beautifully display my work on the front edge of my desk. 

Hooks & hangers

I have some S hooks hanging on the backs of the drawers to hold scissors, punches and tape. I even hang my orders and postal receipts to help streamline the making and posting of orders. And I made a pull-out packaging shelf that has tissue paper, stickers, postage labels and return address stickers. This means I can now package my work without having to clear my desk.

Lastly, I set up a shelved area at the back of the space to house all my workshop resources, examples and materials. It also houses my maps (arranged by region) and books (arranged by colour) which can be reached by a perfectly-sized vintage library ladder. It’s my favourite part of the space, as I can instantly find the paper I need when an order comes in.

Jennifer Collier is based near Stafford, UK. Her work has been featured in over 100 magazines and in many books. Jennifer’s work has been shown internationally and is stocked in galleries at The Museum of Art and Design (New York), Liberty, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. 

Artist website: jennifercollier.co.uk/
Instagram: @paperjennifer
Facebook: paperjennifer

Jess Richardson 

Jess Richardson, Stitch Club member: When the pandemic hit, I worked from home. After a few months sitting among bags and boxes of my stash, I knew I had to get organised. 

Fortunately, I had space for a deep double wardrobe, but I needed one with attractive doors as the wardrobe would be my backdrop for on-camera work meetings. Online meetings definitely forced me to be tidy!

I purchased a wardrobe from IKEA and then set myself a ‘cupboard rule’: I could only have materials and supplies that fit behind the wardrobe’s doors. Nothing else! 

I’m happy to report I’m still sticking to that rule, but it’s been challenging at times. 

“My cupboard rule does make me consider whether I need anything new.”

Jess Richardson, Stitch Club member

I can easily pull out what I need since everything is organised in one place. It also keeps my husband happy because my stuff isn’t taking over the house!

I also use other IKEA storage solutions, including big square see-through cubes for small pieces of fabric (one for patterned and one for plain). Pull-out wire baskets are great for tools, paper and art materials. Small clip-lock boxes hold beads, and large storage boxes hold yarns, ribbons and card embellishments. Larger pieces of fabric are sorted by colour, folded and put on shelves.

I usually make things at the dining table or on my lap, so I also put everything I’m using in a box lid or tray so I can set it aside at the end of the day. But when I retire, I’ll be able to use my large sit-stand work desk as my new making space. I’ll blissfully be able to leave my projects out.

Jess Richardson lives in Hampshire, UK. She loves mixed media, especially using paper or printing with stitch. Jess joined Stitch Club in 2020.

Now that you’ve learned tips for organising your workspace, is it time to stop adding to your stash? Learn creative tips for working with what you already have and more.

Featured stitchers

• Elisabeth Rutt is based in Suffolk, UK and is a member of the Society of Designer Craftsmen.
• Lauren Austin is based in Florida, USA and is known for her story quilts.
• Deborah Boschert is based in Texas, USA and is the author of Art Quilt Collage: A Creative Journey in Fabric Paint and Stitch. 
• Isobel Currie is based in Greater Manchester, UK and is a member of the 62 Group of Textile Artists.
• Jennifer Collier is based near Stafford, UK and is known for her stitched paper artworks using recycled materials.
• Rosalind Byass is based in Melbourne, Australia and joined Stitch Club in 2020.
• Jeannie Holler is based in northern California, USA, and joined Stitch Club in 2020. 
• Jess Richardson is based in Hampshire, UK and joined Stitch Club in 2020.

You may be happy stitching, knitting, collaging, cutting and creating, whether that’s in a structured or more intuitive way. You might make art for your own amusement, for gifts, to exhibit or to sell. But, what if there’s an urge to take it further? What if you’d quite like to make a statement piece that conveys a message, or share your work with the wider world? 

If you’ve ever thought about turning your passion for textile art into a more serious occupation, the first step is to find the right mindset. We asked five professional textile artists, Shelley Rhodes, Danny Mansmith, Woo Jin Joo, Molly Kent and Trish Burr, about their own paths to success and for their tips on getting there.

Find your ‘why’

‘If we want to feel an undying passion for our work, if we want to feel we are contributing to something bigger than ourselves, we all need to know our WHY.’ – Simon Sinek, Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team.

First, ask yourself why you want to step up with your art. Are you looking to feed your need for creativity, perhaps after retiring from another career or to support your own mental or physical health? Do you want to earn a living from it? Are you keen to exhibit your work? Or craving the buzz and satisfaction of creating your own unique work but struggling to gain focus?

Once you’ve worked out your aims, you need to find the willpower to fulfil them. Adopting a professional mindset is quite different to choosing to do your art as a part-time hobby.

Danny Mansmith

Danny Mansmith began his art career in childhood. He was nurtured by his mum, his great aunt and his grandma who instilled in him the ability to see the creative possibilities in the things around them. Danny’s path wasn’t straightforward, but his self-motivation was key.

Teach yourself

Danny Mansmith: ‘I’m an artist who’s kept a conversation going with my sewing machine since the early 1990s. I spent a year at a small art school but I wasn’t very good at following instructions and so I left to teach myself instead. I became inspired to make my own clothes: the idea of looking and dressing in my own style felt important somehow. In the first month, I took apart almost all of my store bought clothes to try to follow the patterns and teach myself about garment construction.

‘Through the years I continued to teach myself how to use the sewing machine. When I finally felt confident, I got my first job sewing for an artist who made baby blankets and accessories. 

‘My boss encouraged me to apply for some local art fairs and that was a turning point for me, helping me realise that I could make my way in the world as a working artist.’

‘Making things makes me happy – working with my hands and creating a space where ideas are free to come out and manifest in front of me. The sewing machine is both an inspiration and the tool I use. My home studio is both a sanctuary and workspace, where I keep my love of drawing alive with my daily practice.’ 

Danny Mansmith is based in Burien, Washington, US and has a strong connection to the midwest and Chicago, Illinois. His solo show ‘We All Become Myth’ exhibited at The Highline Heritage Museum in Burien, Washington, March-April 2023. 

Artist website shop: dannymansmith.bigcartel.com

Facebook: facebook.com/danny.mansmith

Instagram: @dannymansmith

Take action daily

Making time each day to create is the secret to a committed and regular practice. Set yourself some boundaries and rules to guide you. This could be 20 minutes a day, or free play, daily sketchbooking, journaling or daily mindful stitching. Be realistic about the time you have available. Small daily actions will help you to overcome resistance and continual action will lead to inspiration and progress. 

Your creativity is likely to flow more readily if you can allow yourself space and time without any pressure. Unless you’re working on commissions, don’t try to make art to order, or pressurise yourself to be creating exhibition-worthy art at all times. Every action related to your art is part of your practice – just make sure you treat it with a professional mind-set.

Shelley Rhodes

Shelley Rhodes: ‘My daily Instagram posts began as a challenge to make me draw regularly. However, over the years I have shifted slightly, so my post might be a collage, assemblage, printing or mark-making, exploration of materials, a stitch sample, or ongoing work. This habit encourages me to notice and respond, then explore ideas and materials more fully. Some ideas feed into my work, but not always. 

‘Sometimes I simply take pleasure in drawing and recording what I see. In 2022, these posts led to an exhibition of my sketchbook pages The Sketchbook at Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre in South Wales. A few years ago, I was asked if I would sell my daily artwork and this has become a great additional source of income. When I post my work online, I never know who is going to see it, or what it might lead to. My daily posts have increased interest in my work, which has led to sales of artwork and books, exhibitions and teaching opportunities.’

Shelley Rhodes is based on the border between Lancashire and Cumbria, England. She makes mixed media work focusing on fragmentation, reconstruction and repair. 

Artist website: shelleyrhodes.co.uk

Facebook: facebook.com/shelleyrhodesmixedmediaartist

Instagram: @shelleyrhodesartist

Stay curious

Having a professional attitude means developing the positive attributes of discipline, persistence and determination. Both Danny and Shelley maintain their commitment with a daily art practice. If you’re feeling an urge to be creative, then allow yourself the time to satisfy it. Set aside time to focus on making art – no matter what. If you make it a priority, rather than an occasional pleasurable activity, then you’ll create a regular practice through your discipline and determination. 

But how do you focus? With the plethora of information available on the internet, it’s easy to get bogged down with learning yet more techniques, rather than developing those you know. Guard against this temptation and concentrate on what you’re really interested in.

Trish Burr

Embroidery artist, educator and author Trish Burr started her craft when she was a young mother in Zimbabwe. She found cross stitch too limiting and so she began to experiment with thread painting. Because patterns and materials were not available and there were drastic foreign currency restrictions, Trish had to use whatever she could find. She chose pictures from books, postcards and calendars, trying her best to replicate them with needle and thread.

Trish Burr: ‘I had no formal training so I created my own style of needle painting – a new form of long and short stitch was born. This simple method, which I have honed and crafted over the years, is what I still use today.

‘When I moved to Cape Town I was asked to teach at some local conventions. My students struggled with the technique and were generally very nervous of it, so I made it my mission to simplify, simplify. I tried to put myself in the shoes of my students – I spent many months with a doodle cloth and notebook, making notes and thinking of different approaches which would make my instructions clear.

‘I think this was a turning point in my career – as my instructions improved, my patterns became more popular, and the demand for my work increased.’

Determination and focus

‘Another watershed moment was when I began to explore how colour affected my embroidery. Needle painting is known for its beautiful, shaded appearance, and I wondered why some works looked flat and dull while others had a radiant glow. I spent years researching and experimenting with how colours interacted with each other. I realised that there was a whole world of colour combinations – it was time to break free from traditional limitations.

‘Once, I was trying to recreate the vibrant greens of a bird’s feathers, when a man came to fix our television. It turned out he was an artist. He helped me to understand that you don’t need to use brighter shades of green, but if you create a contrast in the greens it will bring vibrancy. My explorations eventually led me to write the book Colour Confidence In Embroidery.’

Trish’s success can be put down to her determination and focus, which in turn brought about fortuitous events that she could not have made happen. The moral is – begin it!

Embracing technology

Trish’s challenges did not, however, end there. Trish had to overcome the era of technological revolution, which without determination could have been another cause for procrastination.

‘When I began embroidery, there was no internet, no websites and no online sales. Over the years I had to learn how to manage my own website, produce patterns in different formats for print and PDF, and ship my products worldwide.

‘I purchased the first version of the graphics software CorelDRAW and began to explore drawing my own diagrams and outlines for embroidery. This was life changing for me. I still use the same software program for my designs – I’ve become adept at drawing with a mouse, in fact it now feels awkward to draw with a pencil. I had to get to grips with social media and marketing. When I published my first book I pasted pictures into a spiral bound notebook and manually wrote out the text, but now it is done with computer software and digital photography.

‘It was a constant challenge to juggle my home life with my ever evolving embroidery business, as well as find time to sit quietly and stitch. There came a time when the increased demand was such that I had to choose whether to expand and employ staff, or stay small and personal. I decided on the latter because I wanted time to do what I love, which is to design, stitch and teach. However, I did need some help. The solution came when I attended a talk where the speaker mentioned the benefits of virtual assistants – they handle all the admin, which frees me up to focus on the core work. My assistants in India are always available to help, and I could not do without them!’

Trish Burr is based in Cape Town, South Africa. She is an embroidery artist specialising in needle painting and whitework embroidery. In the last two decades she has published 11 books, created embroidery patterns, tutorials and videos, and has taught both at home and abroad.

Artist website:  trishbembroidery.com

Facebook: facebook.com/needlepainting

Instagram: @trishburrembroidery

Overcome the negative voice

Much has been written about how to deal with the negative voice in your head. 

On her website, artist and author SARK talks about procrastination, as well as the inspiration, motivation and synchronicities that propelled her to success as an artist. 

SARK: ‘As someone who has sold over two million books in the last 30 years, it may surprise you to know that I too have experienced procrastination, perfectionism and fears about writing or ever sharing my unique gifts with the world.’ 

But SARK overcame that to go on to sell her art products and write many inspirational books, including Make Your Creative Dreams Real.

Author Steven Pressfield has written several motivational books including The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle and Do The Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way. He is quoted as saying: ‘Most of us have two lives. The life we live and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands resistance.’ 

If you struggle with inner blocks, then this idea is worth exploring. As artists and many others have shown, it really is possible to put a stop to resistance. 

Internet addiction is a form of procrastination, distracting us from our own work. Do you ever scroll through Instagram while feeling like your work isn’t good enough to share? A great way to overcome perfectionism is by sharing your work, whether that’s on Instagram, Facebook or, like Shelley Rhodes and Sue Stone when they started off, by taking part in a small local exhibition.

Fighting fear and self-criticism

Keeping busy with other things and making excuses is a form of fear that’s often kept under the radar. Do you fear criticism and have low self-esteem, resulting in a feeling of imposter syndrome? Fear can be associated with doing something new, and can stop us in our tracks. But you can use fear as an ally – if you make a start, you will improve and your fears will recede. So take action in spite of fear. As Susan Jeffers wrote in her famous book, feel the fear and do it anyway!

In her motivational book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert says: ‘Fear is always triggered by creativity, because creativity asks you to enter into realms of uncertain outcome, and fear hates uncertain outcome. This is nothing to be ashamed of. It is, however, something to be dealt with.’ 

One sure-fire way of overcoming self criticism is to self validate. If you’re not happy with your artwork, figure out what worked, and what would make it better next time. If your attitude towards your practice needs improving, consider what’s holding you back. If you’re not creating enough time, look at what’s stopping you from making your art a priority. Examine your practice and find ways to overcome your blocks. For a quick start to your work sessions, finish each day by preparing for the next. Choose a thread and thread up your needle – then all you need to do is sit down and begin. What could be simpler?

Negative comments can knock your confidence and make you question the validity of your work. Do you fear negative comments from others? If so, try looking at it from another point of view. The people doing the judging may just be trying to provide well-meaning advice, or they could be envious of your work and want to protect themselves. Artists experience many rejections to exhibitions and galleries, so believe in what you’re doing and recognise that selection can be a subjective process. The key is not to over identify with your work – do keep telling yourself ‘you are more than just your art’. If you receive negative feedback, act like a pro and carry on regardless. This attitude will help you to keep going – soon you’ll find that ideas will start to flow.

Make your art your own

Making art is not a competition, it’s a form of expression, and you should never feel you have to be better than others. We can all make art, and there’s no sense in trying to work your way up an imaginary ‘hierarchy’ of artists. 

Remember, making art is unique to you, so create your art for YOU and YOU alone. If you choose to share it on social media, always create the work for its own sake, not for attention or applause.

Shelley Rhodes: ‘It takes a while to develop your own style and way of working, rather than an imitation of others. I always encourage my students to investigate, test materials and explore their own ideas.

‘I try not to make work just because I think it will sell or please others. Rather, I make from

the heart and to please my own artistic values. Having said that, another challenge when starting out on the path to becoming a professional artist can be the lack of money. I gave up full-time teaching to concentrate on my own work, but worked part-time in an administration role while developing my work, as well as teaching my workshops.’

Molly Kent

One textile artist who has overcome many challenges is Molly Kent. Molly’s work is concerned with representing issues around mental and physical health through rug tufting and weaving. She focuses on our contemporary existence regarding social media and internet living, and how this affects our perception of self. 

In 2018, while at university, Molly had a fall which led to a flashback and a return to ill mental health that had begun when she was 10. She was diagnosed as having complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), due to previous trauma.

Molly had experienced bouts of bad nightmares and strange cryptic dreams. As she researched the condition and understood her struggles, she looked into dream psychology. She was able to use these dreams as a visual vocabulary, to construct narratives within her work that allude to the traumas she suffered and her emotional responses to them.

Epiphanies and dreams

In 2019, her final year of university, Molly produced a body of work Doubt in the Digital Age, which represented her personal doubts within an increasingly digital realm. As the pandemic ensued, her work took on a greater meaning as channels of communication and connection were mostly online. Molly completed her degree and was then furloughed by her employer, so she had more time to focus on making artworks. 

It was then that she created Dream Weaving to record her CPTSD-related dreams and nightmares. She developed her tapestry weaving skills, not only to expand her methods of making, but also as a calm and meditative process, compared to the noisy and anxiety-inducing rug tufting process she’d used before.

Molly has a down-to-earth approach to her status as a professional artist – it mirrors the imposter syndrome or sense of fraudulence that some artists feel. 

Molly Kent: ‘In all honesty, I still find the label of professional artist to be a strange one, I don’t really know what I’m doing most of the time, and feel like I haven’t really got the hang of being a career artist yet. But, from the outside, I suppose it does look like I’m a professional. 

‘My journey hasn’t been linear or even consistent in many ways, most probably due to my mental health. But my CPTSD diagnosis, researching dream psychology and realising the effects of lockdown have propelled my work forwards in terms of the development of the digital aspects of my works.

‘I’m somewhat passive at going out and trying to seize opportunities first hand, so I’m grateful to many others for helping my development as an artist, including award bodies, private and public collectors, and fellow artists who have nominated me for awards or opportunities.’

‘I think the main thing that has helped my progress is simply continuing to create work in the face of multiple adversities, and making work that feels true to me.’

Molly Kent is based in Edinburgh, UK and has a MA from Edinburgh College of Art. Molly has exhibited at the Venice Biennale (2019), and her work has toured with exhibitions in Australia, Scotland and the UK. Her work is held in the University of Edinburgh’s art collection and the National Museum of Australia.

Artist website: mollyhkent.com

Instagram: @mollyhkent

Pay attention to the practicalities

Creating is central to your practice, but artists also have to spend time doing other things to support their work, whether it’s research, testing out techniques, sketchbooking, communicating with others, making applications, administration and accounting, or framing and hanging their work. So it is essential to figure out how to get organised and learn the technical skills you need. 

Though these are all important, don’t forget that your key task is to place the focus on your art practice – give your art a high priority, every day.

Woo Jin Joo

Woo Jin Joo is an award-winning mixed media artist specialising in soft sculpture. Her work challenges the value that humanity endows on objects in a materialist and consumerist society.

When she graduated in 2021 Woo Jin decided to become a professional artist. She felt some trepidation as she faced the responsibilities of balancing time, finances and the other practicalities that go with a career.

Woo Jin Joo: ‘I had initial uncertainties when deciding to be a freelance artist. Throughout my studies, I was completely absorbed in the medium and making – I knew wholeheartedly that my art brings me the most fulfilment. I was unsure about the financial viability of the move and having to navigate a career after being in formal education for so long.

‘However, I was really lucky to be awarded the Janome Fine Art Textiles Award at the Festival of Quilts in 2021, just a few months after graduating – it was exactly what I needed at that moment. It not only showed me that my work is appreciated in the professional world, but also gave me financial support to invest in my own free-hand embroidery machine and studio fees, giving me the extra courage I needed to make the transition.’

Part-time jobs

Initially, Woo Jin kept on her part-time job as a gallery assistant. She applied for opportunities to lead workshops and fulfil her desire to work in education. After a year or so she was able to leave her part-time job and now works as a freelance workshop facilitator, which helps to support her art practice. 

Woo Jin Joo: ‘I always try to prioritise my studio practice but it’s a constant balancing act, with the added task of searching and applying for exhibitions, residencies, commissions and funding opportunities. There are a lot of administrative and miscellaneous tasks taking place behind the scenes to make a studio practice happen, but in the end I’m excited and energised by the fact that I can bring my ideas to life as an artist.’

Woo Jin Joo is originally from Seoul, Korea, and moved to London in 2014 to complete a BA Textiles at Central Saint Martins, and an MA in Textiles at Royal College of Art. In 2021, she won the Janome Fine Art Textiles Award, and was shortlisted for Hari Art Prize and East London Art Prize. 

Artist website: woojinstudio.com

Instagram: @woojinstudio

Get support

Going it alone isn’t always easy, especially if procrastination has been a habit of yours – it can be hard to ditch. You may need encouragement to find the motivation to stick to a routine or get the discipline to put down your phone and stitch. 

This is where the benefits of joining a group can be enormous, whether that’s online or in person. When you interact with like minded artists, you begin to feel at home, motivated and supported.

Textile clubs and groups

Woo Jin was accepted into the 62 Group as an Associate Member, and Shelley Rhodes joined the Textile Study Group, which bolstered her path to becoming a professional artist. 

Shelley Rhodes: ‘Being part of such a respected, national group has helped me to raise the level of my work and to be seen by a national audience. It is a very special textile group, as we work alongside each other on two weekends each year, led by a renowned artist. So I continually learn and develop skills within my practice. Not everything is relevant to what I do, but I think it’s always good to be open to learning and resolving ideas in a new way.

‘The group also requires its artists to teach, which continues to stimulate me and feed into my work. Also, thanks to the generosity of my students, I often learn things when I teach.’

Our artists’ top tips

If you want to scale up your textile art practice, then adopting the mindset of a professional artist is a step in the right direction. The artists we’ve interviewed have shared some of their best insights into practical actions you can make.

Danny Mansmith: ‘Use the internet for simple things, like sharing images on Instagram or joining an art group or co-op gallery. Look for like minded people to connect with and share ideas. It takes time to develop all the skills necessary to be a working artist, just keep at it.’

Shelley Rhodes: ‘I believe that one thing often leads to another, so get your work seen and have a presence on the internet, whether that’s through a website or social media. I was first invited to teach in Australia because the organiser saw my work on Pinterest, which subsequently led onto other things. And when I first started out, I had some work in a small local exhibition. A gallery manager saw it, which led to a solo exhibition. I like to let things develop organically over time. Sometimes you have to pursue opportunities, but often they come to you when you least expect it!’

Trish Burr: ‘Don’t hide your light under a bushel! Set aside your self doubts and think about how much pleasure you are giving others by sharing your work. We’re all capable of much more than we realise. We all have a creative sense; it is just a matter of honing our specific craft. Creating something original is one of the most satisfying and rewarding things you can do. No matter how difficult your customers or followers are, always be kind and helpful. They will appreciate it and become your most loyal supporters. Read the book Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh. It shows you how to live a life of passion and purpose, while literally delivering happiness to others.’

Molly Kent: ‘Try to consistently make and share what you’re doing, be it via social media, or by talking to fellow artists or curators. I find that people reach out when they’ve seen a new work on my Instagram feed, or through my website, which I update regularly. Also, have a sense of balance – despite being known as a professional artist, I don’t make a living wage from my art. It’s a balancing act: working enough to pay the bills, while leaving enough time to work consistently on my art practice.’

Woo Jin Joo: ‘Find a core narrative, interest and passion to drive and inspire your practice. Take time to rest, reflect and research – it’s not always about constantly producing. If you are looking to make your art your business, then register yourself as a sole trader, get a business bank account, keep a good record of your income and costs, and get public liability insurance. Maintain good working relationships with organisations, galleries, and people you work with. Don’t be afraid to put your work out there, you never know what could come of it.’

The power is within you

Many artists talk about finding a narrative. Reported as being one of the greatest films of all time, The Wizard of Oz is a fantasy containing many metaphors that may be worth remembering as we all tread our paths through life. 

When Dorothy reached the end of the yellow brick road she discovered that the wizard she’d sought was an ordinary man who didn’t really hold the power to send her home. Along the way she learnt that she’d already got all the intelligence, heart and courage she needed – the power was within her.

You have that too. So, are you ready to follow your own yellow brick road…?

‘My formula for success was very simple: Do whatever is put in front of you with all your heart and soul without regard for personal results. Do the work as though it were given to you by the universe itself – because it was.’

Michael A. Singer, The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life’s Perfection.

We hope you feel inspired to approach your textile art practice with new vigour and that reading the trials, successes and tips from our professional artists has given you some useful pointers. If you’re still wondering where to begin, read our article Getting started with a new piece of work.

If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.

If you feel motivated to take your first step towards a more professional textile art practice, tell us more in the comments below.

Do you put up barriers to starting and if so, where do you find that helping hand to get you off the ground?

‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step’, said Dao De Jing.

If you’ve lost confidence and haven’t picked up a needle or sat at a sewing machine for a while, taking that step can feel momentous.

But, even the most experienced artists had to start somewhere. No one was born with a needle and thread in their hand. Perhaps you grew up in a creative family, had encouraging teachers or felt a pull to attend art college? Or maybe you’re only finding the time or confidence to pursue your passion after parenthood or retirement?

Is creativity born or bred? Can anyone become a textile artist? We asked one of the most dedicated Stitch Club members to share her story in a quest to find out.

Heléne Forsberg: finding happiness in making

Despite having had a love of art since childhood and an interest in stitch since 2009, Heléne Forsberg, who lives in Stockholm, Sweden, would often find herself gripped by indecision. She would deliberate over her choice of fabric and threads and, in particular, which techniques to use to achieve the quality of textile art she aspired to.

In fact, though she had dabbled in textile art for a decade, she didn’t feel she had the skills to fully immerse herself in her practice and produce top quality textile art.

Heléne told us how she boosted her knowledge of techniques and was able to make art that satisfied her soul, and gave her the confidence to exhibit and enjoy a community of like-minded stitchers. All of which elevated her skills and happiness to new heights. She has seen her confidence and her stitch skills soar over the last two years. Here she shares her story with us.

Heléne Forsberg: ‘I spent over a decade working in an office with papers and numbers, and being very organised. When I turned 30, I started painting as a hobby and had my first small exhibition in 2001. 

When I started stitching in 2009, I made a decision to challenge myself. I became really hooked on stitching from the start, and I can honestly say I have stitched almost every day since 2010, although I’m still making up my mind about which kind of textile art practice I would like to focus on.

Starting with TextileArtist.org

My first encounter with TextileArtist.org was at the start of 2019 when I started a one-year-long online course ‘Stitch your Story with Sue Stone’. This turned out to be the most fantastic experience!

A year later the pandemic had started and, at a time when many people were confined to their homes, TextileArtist.org offered seven free online Community Stitch Challenges on Facebook. I took part in those and loved the professionalism of the workshops and the contact with people from around the world. When they followed up with Stitch Club, I didn’t hesitate to sign up as one of their founding members.

Progressing with Stitch Club

As the pandemic continued, the members formed a happy community online. My other stitching groups in real life in Stockholm were, of course, cancelled.

The members in Stitch Club are like a modern kind of pen pal to me. But instead of writing letters to each other in the post, we have the immediacy of online communication, sharing photos of our work in the members area.

It’s such a generous and inspiring place. As it’s a global community, there’s always someone active when you’re sharing your own work or commenting on somebody else’s. I also love the sharing of things like culture and nature motifs with my global stitching friends. My English has improved greatly these past couple of years too.

Friendships and connection

For me, there are two great benefits to being a member of Stitch Club. I love the pen pal feeling – that camaraderie between the members. Right from the start, I decided that I wanted to contribute towards creating and maintaining this positive environment. In real life I like to inspire people to be creative, to enjoy life and find their true passion which, for many of us, is creating something of our own, working with our hands.

I find it extraordinarily special to have connected with others around the globe through our love of stitch, even though we live so far apart. I now have stitching friends in Australia, USA and all over Europe.

I first met Irene Curren from Scotland in April 2021 via Zoom. We are both founding members of Stitch Club and also meet in an online sub-group fortnightly with five others. We’d love to meet up in person and we’re all based in Europe so it might actually work!

We always discuss the current or previous workshop. But as we’ve got to know each other we talk about all kinds of things. We have become online friends.

Photobook record

We’ve shown each other our sketchbooks and Irene’s are fantastic. Made for Ali Ferguson´s workshop, they’re now filled with notes and examples of many Stitch Club workshops. Once, she held up a printed photo book of her textile art and I was inspired to develop one as a record of my Stitch Club pieces. I’ve made one for each workshop interpretation I did in 2020 and 2021, and plan to make one for 2022 at the end of the year. I’ve listed all the workshops by their name and the name of the workshop leader. The online versions can be viewed via my website. 

I feel really happy about having documented my work this way. I’ve received lots of lovely compliments and it also helps me to take a step back and view all my pieces from a new perspective: I always learn more about myself and my textile journey whilst putting them together and then looking through them. 

In real life they are sitting in my studio, some mounted and some still waiting. It would be nice to show them in an exhibition someday – perhaps together with other Club members? That would be so much fun!

Gaining self belief

One of the greatest transformations I’ve made is in my new-found ability to make quick decisions. Prior to Stitch Club, I was incredibly slow – very ambivalent – and I would agonise over this and that. I’d take so long to decide what to stitch or which one of the 100 ideas popping out of my head to follow through with.

Now, I nearly always go with the very first idea that pops into my head after seeing the new workshop video. That’s also helped me to refine my sketching habits. 

Naturally, I’ve improved my stitching a great deal since starting Stitch Club too. It’s no wonder, with all the practice I get.

Becoming structured, consistent and no longer agonising over all the decisions (I literally spent hours deliberating before) has turned me into a person who believes in myself.

Let’s face it, there just isn’t the time to execute all the ideas in my head. So now I just go with the first one. It’s so much easier, and I can always adjust that idea while in the process of making the piece.

Gaining new skills from experts is phenomenal. I’ve learned so many new interesting techniques that, combined with the skills and knowledge I already had, I’ve now got the ability to work on my projects much more creatively. The experts inspire me and enable me to believe it’s possible to make such marvellous pieces of art. It’s definitely taken me to heights I hadn’t dreamed of before.

The scope of the Stitch Club workshop leaders´ practices is huge. They all show that the possibilities for creativity are endless. Being creative is fun and we should all have a try at it!

Once you have learned the language of stitch it’s easier to speak and express what you truly feel or want.

Making and taking time

I’m also driven by my passion, enjoyment, curiosity and determination to learn and improve.

The motivation I get from interacting with the other members, seeing how they interpret the workshops and getting feedback and support for my own interpretations is truly inspiring.

The online community is so encouraging that I don’t find it at all difficult to make the time to do the workshops.

I have a routine that’s very clear to me and my family. Every Friday night, after having our traditional pizza, I watch the new video before going to bed. Then I sleep on it. In the morning I choose my material and generally go with the very first idea. If there is time I start stitching Saturday morning. If not, I do it at the beginning of the following week. 

I go with the flow, and I feel no pressure. If it has to be a really small piece, so it is. That’s my way of giving myself a fun treat. I give myself the permission to spend a few hours on my number one hobby and it helps me with my daily routines.

Motivation to make – the why?

Mostly, what drives me is curiosity! I want to realise my ideas and make them work. I find it very satisfying to develop my own adaptation and altering of techniques and materials. I also like to surprise myself when I create and not be too repetitive with predictable outcomes. 

Making is an adventure to me. I love to experiment and constantly develop my knowledge and skill through practice. Cross-referencing techniques, choosing the colour combinations for my new projects and exploring the possibilities of various materials – I love all of that. 

I can be a neat stitcher and be super detailed, organised, thorough and patient. Or I can go in quickly, boldly and make crazy-looking things. Then I’ll finish by balancing the piece up at the end, adding that final stitch or piece of colour. 

The reward is my satisfaction when I look at my new piece and think: ‘I made it, I could make it work!’ It’s like creating my own mini universe, making something that didn’t previously exist completely from scratch out of my materials, through my eyes and hands and my newly gained knowledge.

I love to create and see unique things emerge through my hands, not following ready made patterns. It’s a freedom I value immensely.

Creativity and flow

I have never had any troubles with my creativity. More trouble with discipline, motivation and energy. For 10 years I had experienced an increasing state of fatigue, which was finally diagnosed as hypothyroidism and low iron levels. I started on medication in 2019, so when Stitch Club started I had regained some of my energy, though I was still lacking a bit of that daily motivation.

The workshops have helped me to keep up the tempo, which I love because I’m back to my former level of motivation. Doing all the workshops and chatting with my Stitch Club friends has become a very comfortable habit, and it’s easy to do from home.

The variety and abundance of all the workshops has helped me to be able to say ‘you are ok’. I am not alone in being a creative and eccentric person! 

I think I’d previously felt different and somewhat alone in spending time on creating textile art, not even being too bothered about selling any of it. Now I’m in a group of dedicated stitchers, and for that I’m truly grateful.

A new favourite technique

One textile technique I just LOVE and didn’t do much of before Stitch Club, is textile collage. I see myself making lots of those in the future! I am currently gathering and sorting my material for that, having fun combining various colours, fabric and threads just the way I like them.

As my local groups start up again in the autumn of 2022 I am looking forward to telling them about the huge leaps in my textile practice since 2020 and to show them my 2020 and 2021 Stitch Club photobooks.

And, last but not least, simply the fact that I’m being interviewed for TextileArtist.org about my experiences makes me feel honoured and happy. Who would have expected that two years ago? I appreciate this opportunity and hope people will be inspired and motivated to follow their passion like I have.

Embracing your curiosity, stepping forward

Whether you’re looking for success in your art or in your work, is there a common ingredient – perhaps one that Heléne has described – that can take you there? Many have studied the nature versus nurture question and the conclusion is – it’s commitment that works. 

In his book Outliers: The Story of Success Malcolm Gladwell concludes that practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good: it’s the thing that makes you good. He gives as an example the years of long nights played in German clubs by the Beatles before their big break came along.

This article tells the story of Giorgio Armani, who abandoned his medical studies to pursue a fashion career, starting at the bottom as a window dresser. As he took opportunities to learn new skills and practise them, he developed what appeared to be a natural ability – another word for talent.

For some practical advice, creatives can take inspiration from Elizabeth Gilbert, the writer who started by taking jobs in diners by day while writing by night, to reach international acclaim as an author with her book Eat Pray Love. Her book Big Magic encourages us to embrace our curiosity and move forward. It describes how to tackle what we most love, and how to confront what we most fear.

It’s time to celebrate that these experiences are once again possible.

But before you delete your social media accounts and donate your iPad to charity, pause a second.

Haven’t there been more than a few positives to the world of stitch and mixed media being forced to go virtual?

A portal to creative possibilities

During the pandemic, we’ve been exposed to a whole range of new and exciting ways to engage with our creativity that don’t exist ‘in-person’.

The internet has become a direct line to the studios of textile artists on the other side of the earth. We’ve learned weird and wonderful techniques and processes we hadn’t considered, or even heard of, before. And, despite not being in the same room as the people we’ve been communicating with, we’ve been inspired by fellow stitchers we’d never get the chance to meet offline.

Maybe you’re thinking, “OK. I can see how an online textile art workshop might be a nice add-on to in-person classes.”

But what if it were the other way round?

After all, even when the world resumes regular service, there are times when in-person workshops and courses just don’t fit.

When in-person isn’t possible

Sometimes cost can be a barrier. Not everyone has a couple of hundred quid to stump up on a regular basis, or can afford travel and accommodation for a special workshop.

“I live in a remote part of the UK and I recently paid 450 pounds for an art week, plus travel and accommodation. It’s a lot of money.  Doing workshops online gives such value for money. I’m getting to choose things that wouldn’t possibly be available in such abundance.”

Judith Sutherland, Stitch Club member

Sometimes you can be constrained by what’s available in your area. If you’re passionate about building your toolkit of exciting techniques and processes and developing your visual vocabulary with textiles, the local Knit’n’Natter in the library on Thursday afternoons might not cut it.

Maybe the only artist group near you is by invitation only, and you don’t have the confidence to call yourself a textile artist (yet).

Perhaps you feel that you don’t belong anywhere.

Sometimes it’s flexibility. You just can’t make Tuesday nights, because of work or family commitments. Sometimes your health lets you down, and you can’t predict when you’ll have a bad day. What’s the point of committing to something you might not be able to attend?

“I have a ‘health hiccup’. Some days I have absolutely no energy. If that happens to be a workshop day, then it’s not easy to really take the workshop on board. But with pre-recorded workshops online, I’m not restricted to a given day. I can do it when it’s convenient for me.”

Sarah Edwards, Stitch Club member

When in-person feels uncomfortable

If you’re at the beginning of your creative journey, the thought of being in a room filled with experienced, creative stitchers can be daunting.

Maybe you’ve been to workshops where you’ve felt intimidated by your fellow students who all seemed so confident and technically accomplished. You might have been wary of asking a “stupid” question. Or maybe the loudest person in the room never stopped hoovering up the tutor’s attention.

And with so many stitchers of varying levels of experience, it’s easy to feel rushed. You might have found yourself falling further and further behind, ending the day with nothing much to show for your efforts.

Or conversely, you might have become frustrated that the workshop was plodding along too slowly to accommodate the one person who never learned to do running stitch as a child.

How online learning can become a key part of your creative practice

It’s true that in-person workshops DO offer something you can’t get online.

And the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly thrown a whole load of death-by-Zoom stuff at us: disorganised, unfocused online meetings where everyone is talking over each other, the tutor is mumbling and the demonstration is unclear and uninspiring.

But that’s not what we’re talking about here.

Well organised and properly put together online workshops have a whole host of benefits that aren’t always possible with the in-person experience.

• Expert guidance from world-renowned textile artists who take you through a creative process, but encourage you to express yourself personally, so that what you make is distinctively ‘you’ (not a copycat of their own work)
• A rich resource of on-tap video tutorials available 24/7 that you can dip in and out of at your own pace, on your own schedule, depending on your wiggly life and your own specific interests
• A range of supporting materials to enhance and clarify your experience, like step by step workbooks and inspirational ebooks
• A forum to ask your workshop leaders questions and get feedback
• A private online community of supportive people from all over the world who share your passion and understand your journey
• An atmosphere of kindness and support
• Real humans behind the scenes to guide you and help you if technical gremlins rear their ugly heads (it happens to the best of us)

Because it’s more affordable, more flexible and can fit around your other commitments, online learning can act as the backbone of your creative development and go hand-in-hand with the occasional in-person workshop.

1 Online learning is flexible so you don’t need to be

Whatever your constraints, your workshop is there for you 24/7, rather than once a week on Thursdays.

Choose a schedule that suits your time and responsibilities, whether that’s five minutes a day for stitching practice, or a week-long textile art staycation set aside for layering and embroidering a panel. Your workshop won’t disappear if you don’t use it for six months.

“Online workshops help me break things into manageable chunks. If I don’t have four hours to work on a piece, I can get something done in 30 minutes, and then tomorrow, I can spend 30 more minutes. And at the end of the week, I’m going to have something I’m proud of to show for it.”

Laura Otten, Stitch Club participant.

Online learning makes it easier for you to go at your own pace.

This is becoming even more important in a post-Covid world, where your life might be getting back to the days of ‘normal’ time pressures. With no course deadlines, you can’t fall behind, but there’s always a structure to follow, so you can never lose your way.

2 Online learning supports your style

Some of us are action learners in the extreme, learning better by stash diving and riding our creativity on a wave of playtime.

Some of us are reflectors: we like to carefully watch, reflect, and watch again before we try out something new.

Some of us like to revisit or repeat previous workshops to reinforce our learning.

Online workshops have the flexibility and content that caters for the way you learn best.

3 Online learning widens your artistic horizon

“The artists come from many places, many different backgrounds, many different parts of the world, and that expands my vision immensely. I’m doing things I never would have done and meeting artists I never would have met and my practice is evolving because of that.”

Wanda Moon, Stitch Club member

A good online workshop is your portal to learning from a global community of expert tutors.

Online workshops aren’t limited by geography, and this means that you can learn skills and techniques from artists from anywhere. It’s your window on the world of textile art, giving you different perspectives and enhancing your vision for your own practice.

4 Online learning offers a diverse, supportive community

“It’s a safe haven, with a nurturing feeling where I can learn and grow and socialise with people from all over the world with a common passion. These are my people.”

Lee Thermaenius, Stitch Club

Enjoy the freedom to connect with people from across the world who want the same thing as you – to have a creative outlet, to stitch joyfully, to learn and develop confidence as textile artists.

It’s a real meeting of enthusiasts, and a place that makes you feel you belong. Be inspired by other people’s stories, by their differences and by your similarities. It’s your global community from the comforts of your own home. It’s a safe space to share ideas, struggles, solutions and finished pieces with supportive, creative people.

“I get more than just sitting there watching somebody teaching me to stitch. I get a whole emotional support for my hobby.”

Judith Sutherland, Stitch Club member

With online textile art workshops, you have time and space to give and receive constructive feedback and suggestions. But only if you want to. That’s the beauty of online. You can lurk in the background, enjoying the learning and gaining confidence and skills from a structured learning journey. You can show your work (or not). You can ask questions (or not).

Stitching a new normal for textile art

So perhaps the way you develop your creative practice going forward looks a bit different to the pre-pandemic normal? Maybe it’s not a case of either/or? Perhaps in-person and online can go hand-in-hand to help you build a more meaningful and rounded approach to making textile art?

Why not tell us about your positive online experiences with textile art workshops in the comments below?

“I want to spend time being creative.

It’s an important part of my life. But it’s very easy to say and not so easy to do.”

Like a baby bird madly flapping its wings and barely leaving the ground, at the beginning of your creative journey you’re likely to stumble and fall. You have the will, but lack the basic tools to express yourself confidently with fabric and thread.

But slowly, as you begin to connect (or reconnect) with your imagination and ingenuity, the more joyful the process becomes and eventually you take flight.

As you uncover your own personal way of making textile art through regular practice, the higher you soar!

But what if you’re flying solo?

When even the people you’re closest to don’t understand that creativity is an integral part of who you are, momentum can be tough to sustain.

Your wings may feel slightly heavier after a well-meaning but dismissive remark from a partner or family member about ‘tinkering with textiles’. Comments about ‘wasting time and money’ on a ‘little hobby’ can see you nose diving. Add to that the distant memory of a harsh critique from an embroidery teacher (“Wonky, uneven stitches!”) and you’re coming in for an emergency landing!

Finding the people who do understand can be transformative for your creativity, your self esteem and your life.

Take it from Jess, Yvonne, Marie, Joan, Sarah, Becca, Sharon, Erica, Vicki, Karen and Linda, collectively known as Gathering Threads.

Covid, Christmas & creativity

It was the 19th of December 2020. Coronavirus cases were out of control here in the UK, new unknowable variants were emerging and Christmas had effectively been cancelled.

But amongst all of that dark came a ray of hope and positivity: an email from a TextileArtist.org Stitch Club member called Jess Richardson.

Here’s what she had to say.

Hi Joe, Sam and everyone at TextileArtist Central,

As we approach the end of the year on a day full of more grim news we just wanted to let you know how much we have loved being part of Stitch Club this year.

We are a group of ladies from four different countries. Most of us didn't know each other before joining and probably never would have met but we’ve gravitated together.

We started meeting online at the same time each week to discuss our progress with the Stitch Club workshops, offer advice and encouragement and share our love of textile practice.

We’re also in regular contact via our WhatsApp group where we chat about fab things, sad things and other news from our lives. We have swapped bits from our textile stash and been generous with our friendship.

In the run up to Christmas we organised a Tree Decoration and Card Swap and made something for one of the others in our group. Today we held an online meeting to open up these parcels. Attached is a screenshot of this happy occasion.

Without doubt these new friends and Stitch Club have become one of the most important things in our lives. Thank you very much for all the effort you put into making it a great experience for us all.

Merry Christmas

From Jess, Yvonne, Marie, Joan, Sarah, Becca, Sharon, Erica, Vicki, Karen and Linda

We were so thrilled that we arranged to gatecrash one of the Gathering Threads online meet-ups.

The passion, positivity, mutual respect and warmth in that Zoom call was palpable. This is a group of ladies whose creativity has been fuelled and whose practice has been enhanced by a sense of belonging.

Let’s meet the woman who started it all… Sharon Eynon.

All the gear, no idea!

As a child Sharon was always more comfortable resetting spark plugs with her dad than threading a needle with her mum. So when she inherited her mum’s extensive textile stash in 2014 she had absolutely no idea what to do with it.

It wasn’t until four years later, when Sharon started exploring the creative possibilities of fabric and thread in an online course with Sue Stone, that she began to understand her late mum’s love of embroidery. Finally, a way to put all her beautiful “bits and pieces” to good use!

As a founding member of Stitch Club, Sharon’s enthusiasm for making textile art continued to grow.

After feeling particularly inspired by a workshop from artist and bestselling textile author Mandy Pattullo, Sharon found herself eager to share ideas and investigate the possibilities of the process more deeply.

Sharon posted in the members area asking if any of her fellow stitchers were interested in getting together online.

Yvonne Schlaepfer-Parle was the first to answer the call…

Party of two

Yvonne is a long-time knitter and woman of the world; born in Ireland, she’s lived in London, New York, Australia and now Switzerland.

Back in March 2020, her burgeoning knitting business was about to host its first in-person retreat…and then Covid happened!

“So that whole thing crashed and burned. But then a friend of mine, who knew I was feeling pretty sad got in touch to say she’d seen the TextileArtist.org Community Stitch Challenge on Facebook and encouraged me to give it a go.”

But stitching had been ruined for Yvonne years ago when she’d been berated at school for sewing outside the lines.

“I didn’t think I’d ever be interested again. But when I watched that first free workshop with Sue Stone and she said ‘Embrace the wonky’, it changed my life! I’m not being pithy or trite—it really did. It gave me permission to go outside those lines and sometimes even plan to go outside those lines.”

Cut forward a few months. Having joined Stitch Club off the back of the free workshops in the TextileArtist.org Community Stitch Challenge, here are Sharon (in Wales) and Yvonne (in Switzerland) meeting on Zoom each week to nurture their newfound passion. A passion for something they’d both long since decided was not for them!

Week on week, stitchers from different backgrounds and at various stages of their creative journey started to join Sharon and Yvonne’s regular meetups. And as the group grew, the more inspired and excited the individual members became.

Let’s explore the creative lessons you can learn from the Gathering Threads group and how you might benefit from finding your very own stitch tribe.

How finding your stitch tribe can catalyse your creativity

No 1: A breadth of knowledge & experience

Imagine how regular access to a rich and diverse source of knowledge and experience could propel your own textile art practice.

Some members of Gathering Threads have a very broad skill base. Like Sarah Bond, who taught Art and Design for over 40 years, has a degree in Art History and has encouraged pupils of all ages to apply art textile techniques to fashion, stage and ecclesiastical projects.

“After I retired I sort of found myself in no man’s land deciding what to do next and, having recently moved from Hampshire to Wiltshire, I felt like I was in between communities.”

Since finding Stitch Club, and in turn Gathering Threads, Sarah has generously shared her expertise with the group, offering advice, recommendations and encouragement to the less experienced stitchers, like Yvonne:

“As a rank beginner with no artistic training, I don’t have any preconceptions. It’s been revelatory to hear others in the group who do have a background in art discussing the tips and rules they’ve learned along the way.”

No 2: The motivation to make

“I don’t have enough time” can often be code for “this isn’t important enough to me right now.”

If, like self-confessed butterfly Joan Noble, you do find yourself ‘easily distracted by 101 different things’, the commitment to regular meetups with like minded creative people can help you develop a more disciplined practice.

“These ladies keep me on my toes. It’s helping me be more focused and encouraging me to drop other things in favour of doing the Stitch Club workshops.”

And Karen Hughes, who had been put off sewing by the words of a childhood teacher who told her, “You’re much better at theory, than you are practical”, has also benefited from the gentle nudge being part of the group has given her.

“It’s like going to a digital cafe or college and you just turn up and we all exchange ideas and stuff. It’s a great motivator.”

The group’s weekly meetups in conjunction with the fortnightly workshop in Stitch Club have also helped Jess find direction.

“I used to beat myself up if I wasn’t doing something creative, but the regularity of being presented with a well-explained and inspiring challenge, along with all the other brilliantly organised materials, means there’s no barrier to getting started.”

No 3: Uncovering possibilities & breaking rules

At the start of any creative adventure, the cushion that comes from step by step rules and guidelines can be a great comfort. It’s how you get started.

More experienced stitchers, like Sarah, are ready to break those rules and steer away from the guidelines.

“I love that the tutors in Stitch Club encourage us to find freedom to explore the projects in our own way and there’s no judgement or expectation to create a duplicate of any kind. I think that’s a really progressive teaching method.”

And that ethos has been embraced by other members of the group.

Like Erica Staxenius, who was introduced to embroidery by her step-grandmother at the age of seven.

“Sewing is something I’ve delved into from time to time. After school, I started to make my own clothes from my mother’s old stash. My efforts were self-taught and I had a few disasters along the way!”

But Erica has always been what she describes as a “practical sewer” and thinking creatively to make works of art in her own voice through the Stitch Club workshops has not always been easy.

“Over the years I’ve often looked at textile art and wondered how and if I could do something similar. And I think with the help of all these wonderful inspirational workshop leaders and my friends in this group, it’s starting to feel achievable. I’ve still got a way to go, but looking back on everything I’ve done in the last year of Stitch Club it’s mind blowing how far I’ve come.”

“It’s interesting to me how I’ve never been one to follow the rules of life, but with sewing and art I have. The encouragement in this group means I’m starting to feel brave enough to break a few of those rules. I’m finally starting to become less restrictive and more inventive in my sewing.”

No 4: Discovering your personal visual vocabulary

The digital age has given us access to an abundance of inspiration. It’s impossible to incorporate every idea you stumble upon whilst browsing social media into your textile art. But it can be tempting to try!

Not only can this lead to an overwhelming and confused process, it might mean the work you’re making doesn’t feel distinctly ‘you’.

Through the focus of group meetings and the conscious discussion of your personal process, you can begin to hone your ideas and develop your own personal style. As Gathering Threads member Becca Allen discovered.

As a child, Becca learned to draw from her dad, created collages with her mum and made toy mice to sell to her friends.

Years later, when Becca was seeking a way to bring fabric and thread into her artwork, she took a course with the in-demand workshop leader Cas Holmes (who has since taught a popular Stitch Club class using the Japanese artform Momigami to create art). A love of all things textile was born.

Becca has been particularly inspired by the members of the group developing their own unique ways of interpreting the workshops.

“It’s amazing to see how we’re all doing the same projects, following the same set of instructions, using the same equipment, but the ways in which we translate the techniques and processes are so diverse.”

No 5: The confidence to create & share

Have you ever felt a little self-conscious about your lack of art training? Maybe you love being creative and have always been drawn to making things, but you’ve been reluctant to show other people what you’ve made for fear it’s not good enough?

Vicki Briggs doesn’t come from an ‘arty’ background and has struggled at times with feeling inhibited, but being part of Gathering Threads has given her the confidence to dive in and give anything a go!

“I was quite shy about posting images of my work in the members area to start off with, but with the support, advice and encouragement of our little group and the wider Stitch Club community, I’ve become braver. Now I think to myself, ‘Does it really matter? It’s a learning curve!’ The whole experience has given me a real boost in self esteem.”

And Yvonne agrees…even when the responses to what she makes are mixed.

“Since joining Stitch Club, I’ve had the confidence to venture into other groups and I’ve had very different reactions to what I’m presenting. A piece I made in a Stitch Club workshop on eco-printing was compared to mouldy pepperoni pizza by someone. I would have been horrified in the past. These days, I don’t care. Experimentation and collaboration are more important to me.”

“I now call myself a textile artist. I would never have done that before. I would have felt I was pretending to be something I was not, but now I realise I am, and I’m in the company of textile artists in this wonderful group every week. It’s been transformative.”

6 Finding solutions & fulfilling ambitions

When you hit a wall in your creative process, it can be doubly frustrating when you don’t have anyone to help you figure out how to knock it down (or at least rearrange the bricks!)

Linda Langley started stitching to pass the time when she was a young radiographer on night duty but prior to joining Stitch Club hadn’t picked up embroidery for a good few years.

“I’ve re-learned an awful lot in terms of techniques and being part of this group has meant I’ve found ways of dealing with my particular challenges. I don’t have a workspace, which can be difficult and means I’m much slower than some of the other girls, but they’re helping me realise that’s not a problem. The great thing about Stitch Club is I can go at my own pace. I don’t feel any pressure to do every workshop, but I’ve been inspired by this group to try things I wouldn’t have done if I was left entirely to my own devices.”

Marie Audéon, who lives in France, has a longstanding association with textiles, having been inspired by her mother.

“As a child I would collect and organise fabrics by colour and type, cut them up and reassemble them into something new. In adulthood I continued to sew, making a large array of decorative and useful things for the home”

Marie had always felt drawn to using the techniques she learned as a child to do something more personal and expressive and since joining the group, this dream has become a reality.

“When I discovered TextileArtist.org I thought to myself, ‘This is my chance. It’s now!’ I am learning to mix materials like paint and thread to express a personal story and through the connection with this group my process has really evolved. In the past few months I’ve been using a sketchbook to develop ideas and documenting the various stages of the creative process through photography.”

No 7: Nurturing an open mind & daring to experiment

Have you ever watched an online stitch tutorial or considered a particular way of making art and immediately said to yourself “That’s not my type of thing”?

Developing a sense of what you want to make and how you want to make it is an important step in your journey towards developing a personal voice for your textile art. But often the techniques and processes you feel resistance to can be surprisingly rewarding when you let go of preconceptions and give them a go.

Being part of a group with eclectic tastes can help you stay open to new experiences. Embracing alternative approaches to creativity can uncover inventive ways of interpreting projects that may have initially felt prescriptive or simple.

Jess told me:

“Even with the Stitch Club workshops that I don’t think I’ll do, when everyone in this group starts talking through their ideas and pictures of work start popping up in the members area, the enthusiasm for the project becomes infectious. You don’t want to be left out. And you end up surprising yourself with how inventive you can be with something you didn’t think was your sort of thing”.

And the collaboration within the group has also encouraged its members to join the dots, workshop to workshop, taking a technique they learned from one into the next.

Yvonne has used an exercise set by Julie B Booth in her workshop, that seemed deceptively simple, to create a whole series of work.

“I’ve gone and done several more pieces and taken that whole thing in a completely new direction.”

Create, connect, thrive

When you’re feeling creatively isolated, where do you turn for support? The most obvious place isn’t always the best fit.

Perhaps the local embroidery group has a focus on traditional needlework that doesn’t appeal…they meet on a Wednesday morning when you’re working or have childcare duties…the in-person workshops they organise run into hundreds of pounds that you can’t afford…or they just don’t get you!

The good news is you’re no longer restricted by location. You can share your creative journey with like minded creative people living on the other side of the world if that’s what it takes.

And when you find the people who understand and care, the people who push you to be more inventive and experimental, the people who make you feel safe and brave, not only will your creativity blossom, you may make meaningful and long lasting connections.

The Gathering Threads group meets on Zoom every week to work through ideas, talk about creative challenges and share their thoughts on the latest Stitch Club workshop. They share online resources and support one another via the Stitch Club members area and WhatsApp. They swap tools and materials via snail mail (when Sharon couldn’t find leaves for eco-printing, Sarah sent her some of her stash.)

But something deeper and more significant has emerged…friendship.

“We are connected by our love of art. That includes textile art but a range of other arts as well including pottery, painting, photography, quilting, knitting, crochet and felting. We also share cooking recipes and book recommendations and send birthday cards. This has developed from a group of strangers into a special group of friends.”

Yvonne Schlaepfer-Parle, Stitch Club and Gathering Threads member

And some of these friends have now met in real life too. “It’s so strange”, Jess said to Erica recently, “I feel like I’ve always known you even though it’s been less than a year.” The group are now dreaming of a time, hopefully in the not too distant future, when they can all meet up for a weekend and do one of the Stitch Club workshops together in person.