I’ve been busy in the studio over the last couple of months and Dolly might look cute but she’s not the best studio assistant. It is nice to have company when I’m working though and she’s much more relaxed when I move around the room.

My thread collection is definitely expanding, I might even need to pick up some more storage boxes and move the drawers next to my desk around. I like to have the threads I use most next to me like DMC cotton Perle and Mouline stranded.

Getting ready for my Fancy Goods exhibition last month allowed me to revisit some techniques I haven’t used for a while as well as a new colour palette.

Stitching on paper is a great way to add dimension to a piece of work like a giclee print or a painting. I love stitching into paper, I’ve even sewn through mountboard with my trusty Bernina 1008. Hand stitching on paper can be tricky as you don’t have the flexibility of fabric. This is a problem when you need to keep your beautiful giclee print clean and crisp

I always pierce holes first so I know where to stitch. This reduces the risk of getting an unwanted hole in the paper. You just need to take it one stitch at a time and remember that paper with a high rag content is practically fabric.

October and November involve lots of travel and working away from the studio so I’m looking forward to a quiet December where I can start work on some new ideas and try new hand stitching techniques.

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