Let's Meet: Marina of Marina's Home

Until six years ago Marina was an interior designer but when her love for interiors was challenged by stressful working conditions, she decided to upend her career, swapping paint swatches and floor plans for needle and thread. 

It perhaps won’t come as a surprise then that Marina’s needlepoint designs work beautifully finished as cushions or as striking wall art. Rather than taking care of the wider picture, today Marina’s dedicated to the details.

Marina's Home Collection fuses her love of mid-century modern with influences rooted in colour, Scandinavia, ancient paper art, origami, and even Welsh blankets! Exciting colour combinations join the sleek lines of geometric repeat patterns to create well designed needlepoints with an ageless appeal, ideal for a multitude of modern day interiors.

What I love about Marina’s style is how she marries homespun craft techniques and the sumptuous texture of stitched wool with a very cool design aesthetic. Like her mid-century influences, her designs can be appreciated by a wide scope. They’d add warmth to a contemporary bachelor pad, cool factor to a teenager’s bedroom, and chic details to a baby-boomer’s sitting room.

Today we talk to Marina about the importance of community over competition, her experience of selling needlepoint kits at craft fairs, and why she loves what she does. It’s that time again, time to pop your feet up and take ten while we meet Marina of Marina’s Home.

Geometric Twists in Green and Pink by Marina's Home

Over to Marina…

When I was a child, I stitched a few little cross-stitch kits, but I’d never done needlepoint. In hindsight, it’s quite strange that I’d never tried it before, as my mum has been avid fan of needlepoint (‘tapestry’, as she calls it) for years.

I only started doing needlepoint about six years ago and that was when I first tried my hand at drawing my own designs. My mum showed me the basics of needlepoint and then I was hooked!

For many years prior to starting up my needlepoint business, I was a commercial interior designer, working mainly on hotel and office projects. However, the stress of it was really affecting me. So, after a couple of false starts, I made the decision to leave the industry entirely and pursue needlepoint as a career.

There are lots of different reasons why I’m so passionate about needlepoint. Firstly, it’s a very calming and methodical craft, which really appeals to me. Secondly, I love the simplicity of needlepoint – the fact that you can create something beautiful with only a few basic supplies and equipment.

Thirdly, the people I’ve met through my business have been absolutely lovely. My customers are just a delight and I’m also enjoying immensely getting to know other designers within the industry.

What are some fun facts about you?

My favourite drink is strong tea (with a splash of milk) and I could drink gallons of the stuff every day.

My guilty pleasure is the Norwegian band A-ha, who were mega-stars in the 1980’s. I’ve loved them since I was 12 years old and I still adore them!

I’m constantly hungry and I tend to graze throughout the day. One of my colleagues used to call me ‘Russell’ because I would always be eating snacks at my desk and he could hear the constant rustling of a packet!

Christmas Maker's Market 2018 at The Old Cinema

I loved reading your blog post about your first steps selling at craft fairs and markets and wondered how you’ve been getting on with them since?

Yes, I love taking part in fairs!  It’s so great to meet my customers and chat with them. It’s also a brilliant way to get feedback and suggestions, as well as introducing people to the wonderful world of needlepoint.

I find fairs that are geared towards needlecrafts are much better for me, rather than general craft fairs.  People that come to The Knitting & Stitching Show and to Thread are already very interested in similar crafts to needlepoint, even if needlepoint isn’t one of their current hobbies. Therefore, they are much more willing to give it a try.

One important thing I’ve learnt about fairs is to always bring my tapestry frame and a piece of needlepoint to work on! It really draws people in and breaks the ice.

Stitching at Bedford Park Festival

I think they like the fact that I’m not standing there, waiting to pounce on them and so it creates a more relaxed atmosphere.

Some people are happy to stand and watch me stitch, while others are keen to give it a go. I also have lots of children visiting my stand who are interested in trying needlepoint, which is brilliant, as it’s such a mindful thing to do.

How would you describe your design style? 

I would describe my needlepoint designs as colourful, fresh and geometric. I absolutely love geometric patterns, despite having a completely non-mathematical brain!

I think the visual rhythm that a geometric pattern creates is fascinating.

I also adore experimenting with colour combinations and putting colours together that aren’t always obvious companions.

Mini kits by Marina's Home

You’ve mentioned newbies to the craft are hesitant to try, what advice would you give them?

I would tell them just to give it a try! Needlepoint is surprisingly simple to do, especially if you use a basic tent stitch. Personally, I think it’s much easier to master than, say, knitting or crochet. It’s surprising how quickly you’ll start to see your stitches covering the canvas, which is extremely satisfying.

Also, it’s such a therapeutic craft to do. So, for that aspect alone, it’s a really worth trying.

Back in March last year you began a community with other local creative business owners, has the group taken off?

Yes, our group – Chiswick Creatives – has really taken off! When I started the group, I had no agenda at all, apart from the desire to connect with other local designer-makers. We now have a core of really enthusiastic members and I’m happy to say that we’re going from strength to strength. 

Last Christmas, we collaborated with a gorgeous vintage store – The Old Cinema – at the heart of our high street. The store is a local institution and we created a huge buzz for the event beforehand. Consequently, it was a great success. We’re just in the process of organising our next Christmas event, which is going to be bigger and even better.

Our unofficial motto is, ‘Together we can do more!’, which is so true.

As a collective, we’re much stronger and we can seek out opportunities and collaborations that would be much more difficult to achieve as individuals.

Aside from the opportunities, it’s just so nice to meet with other like-minded people once a month; to swap advice and ideas, and to talk about the highs and lows of having your own creative business.

Geometric Pillow Kits by Marina's Home

Why are you a needlepoint designer?

The simple answer is that I do it because I love it.  For the first time ever, I feel that I’ve truly found my niche.

With my kits, I hope to offer people a lovely design to stitch, in dynamic colours. It’s such a thrill whenever somebody tells me that they’ve enjoyed stitching one of my designs, or that they specifically love the colours.

I’m not influenced by particular trends, so I just design something that I love.

When someone else loves it too, it’s just the best feeling.

Aside from the pleasure of stitching the piece, my customers will have an end product that they can be proud to display in their home.

Which threads and tools do you like the most?

At the moment, I use Anchor wools for all my designs. I love their chunkiness when used on 10-count canvas and their range of colours.  

I couldn’t live without my Elbesee tapestry frame. It’s a floor-standing one and it just makes stitching so much more comfortable. It means I can work two-handed, which really speeds things up.

Interlocking Squares in Coral and Green by Marina's Home

What’s your creative space like?

If I’m stitching during the day, I usually sit in our kitchen-diner. It backs onto the garden and the whole back section is glazed, including the roof, so it’s always light and bright. If I’m stitching in the evening, it’ll usually be in the living room, which is much more cosy. I love working with the TV on and with our dog dosing in his basket.

I have a workroom in our attic, but it’s mostly in a chaotic state! I need to do a complete overhaul and get some proper storage, as it’s really cobbled together from random pieces of furniture. It’s something I keep promising myself, but never get round to doing! However, it’s a great space if I need peace and quiet, as I can really concentrate there.

I swing wildly between being extremely organised and working in complete disarray. It really depends on how much sleep I’ve had (I’m a very light sleeper) and what else is going on at the time.

I have my collection of Anchor tapestry wools, which is growing all the time! My favourite part of the process is experimenting with different colour combinations and seeing what gives me that ‘yes!’ feeling.

Does your passion for interior design go hand in hand with your needlepoint designs?

I love both mid-century design and Scandinavian design, so my needlepoint designs really reflect those influences. For me, simple, unfussy design is the best and hopefully this is what I bring to my needlepoint.

Sadly, doing interior design as a job really took the pleasure out of it. By the time I left the industry, I’d completely fallen out of love with it. I still don’t buy interior design magazines and I generally don’t follow interior design accounts on social media. However, I still have a passion for mid-century furniture and ceramics, which I’m really happy about.

Geometric Hexagons in Blue and Orange Modelled by Paddy the Jack Russell

We’d love to hear more about your creative process, how do you work with an idea to finished product?

I start off by drawing in my sketchbook. For a new geometric pattern, I’ll start doodling away, looking at shapes and proportion, but keeping it quite loose at that stage. Once I’ve got something I think I can work with, I overlay detail paper onto graph paper and draw a portion of the design by hand, to see if I can make it work properly. When I feel happy with it, I’ll draw the design on computer and begin to really finesse it.

Once I’ve got a design and chosen initial wool colours, I’ll then do quite a lot of test stitching. I find that loose skeins of wool and a design on a chart will often translate very differently when actually stitched, so I often need to do some tweaking of the design and colours at that stage.

At the moment, I use the same canvas and range of wools for all of my designs, so I know that the costings won’t vary too much.

Which indie designers do you love?

There are some very talented designer-makers out there! Just too many to mention. However, some of my favourites are Jane Sedgwick, HOY Pottery, Miesje Chafer, Teddy and Wool, H.Muir Designs, Formworks Studio and Jane Foster.

All of these designers have a very strong design aesthetic, which is unmistakably theirs. They produce simple, clean designs, but executed brilliantly.

A Selection of Needlepoint Cushions by Marina's Home with Paddy

What are the best needlepoint resources you’ve found?

My most useful design resource is my trusty Anchor tapestry wool colour card. It’s just something I couldn’t do without!

With regards to needlepoint books, it might sound strange, but in all honesty, I tend not to buy them.

I try not to be too influenced by other needlepoint designers, as I don’t want to inadvertently copy their style or designs.

I do have a handful of books that are really nice, though. Ages ago, my mum gave me her ancient copy of the Reader’s Digest ‘Complete Guide To Needlework’. I do love this volume, as it shows a myriad of different stitches and the early 80’s photographs are just brilliant.

Two other lovely books I have are ‘Adventures In Needlework’ by Jessica Aldred and Emily Peacock, and ‘Korssting’ by Mette Jørgensen. Emily Peacock is obviously an inspirational figure in the needlepoint industry, so that’s a must-have book. Mette Jørgensen is a lovely Danish designer, who produces beautifully elegant cross-stitch patterns.

What’s next for Marina’s Home?

I’ve got lots of plans and ideas!

I’m part of the Our Common Thread needlepoint  design collective and they recently set a design challenge, which I’ve participated in. For this challenge, I’ve produced a new mini kit, and now I’m in the process of developing the same design for large kits. I’ve also been working on several colourways for the design, which I’ll be rolling out.

I’ve been thinking for a while now about selling the charts of my current designs as PDF downloads.

I receive a lot of feedback from people who like my designs, but would like alternative colourways, to fit in with their particular décor. Also, needlepointers in the US often like to choose their own threads, and often use a variety of fancy stitches. So, by offering my charts as PDFs, it would open up my designs to a lot more people.

Aside from that, I would love to see my kits being sold in world-renowned Liberty of London, so this is something for the future.

Last but not least, I’m keen to start running workshops for beginners. This is something I’ll probably do later this year, or next Spring, so watch this space!

Geometric Triangles in Mustard and Orange by Marina's Home

Thank you so much for talking to us today, Marina. It’s been a treat to get to know more about you and your life as a designer maker.

I love how you’re spreading the word of needlepoint by introducing it to those who visit the shows you attend and most recently, setting up the London Chapter of Stitch Club with Emma of The Makers Marks. I’m excited to see your next steps and hope your dreams of being stocked in Liberty become reality!

Marina recently shared how she works with her fans to create custom palettes on Instagram, a process which I found fascinating to learn about. Head over to Instagram to learn more about that and to give her a follow. To browse Marina's full range of geometric treats, check out Marina's Home on Etsy.

Last time we chatted with Tess of Pewter & Pine about how needlepoint is more than a hobby, it’s also a healer, bringing purpose and stress relief along with the ability to create beautiful things for yourself and your loved ones. If you missed that then Let’s Meet Tess of Pewter & Pine.

Next time we’ll be meeting Tina of Tina Francis Tapestry! Tina’s a British needlepoint designer who’s avidly stitching to bring Bargello back, unite communities and action change. I can’t wait to find out more about her and share her story with you.

Did you enjoy this post? Sign up to my newsletter to get more hand stitched treats delivered directly to your inbox. I can't promise it'll be weekly but I can promise it'll be a healthy dose of creative fun.

We love hearing from you, please leave your thoughts or questions for Marina in the comments.

I'll be back soon...until then, have a thread-tastic week!

Shannan, Bobbin and Fred xX

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Let's Meet: Tess of Pewter & Pine

Tess Nagle of Pewter & Pine

Today I’ve got the happy delight of introducing you to another of Our Common Thread’s designers, the courageous and talented Tess Nagle of Pewter & Pine! 

For so many of us needlepoint is a stress reliever, a welcome distraction in our chaotic and stress-laden  lives and, sometimes, as in Tess’s case, a healer. Tess’s journey has been one of twists and turns and her experiences are a reminder of how needlepoint is more than just a hobby; it’s a salvation, a refuge, and a way for us to connect with the earth and the community around us.

Through the simple act of stitching we can find peace with our past, survive the present and ground ourselves to the earth and its bounty of inspiration. When we keep the thread flowing, we keep the good vibes going.

Mojave Desert Textile by Pewter & Pine

I’ve been admiring Pewter & Pine’s needlepoint since we were first introduced back in February. Tess’ mix of Navajo and kilim styles combines with earthy colours and her love of typography which she uses to convey her sense of humour, strength and, awe of the world around us.

Armed with a paintbrush, a needle and some thread Tess has faced her demons and emerged from battle stronger than ever with a beautiful family and a fantastic business under her belt. Needlepoint is a lifesaver for so many of us and this is Tess’ story.

Over to Tess…

I’m 34 years old and currently living in Phoenix, AZ with my husband and our cat. I grew up in NY State and went to high school and college in CT.  After college I moved around quite a bit. Found myself out in Los Angeles for a few years, then Manhattan. From there I moved down to New Orleans which is where I met my husband. And, our cat. From New Orleans, the 3 of us moved up to Boston, MA and from there we ended up in Phoenix!

I have always had the creative urge but felt like I could never quite get my hands on what it is I wanted to do. I think that is why I moved around a bit at first, I felt a bit lost and was trying to seek something out but didn’t know what that something was. Also during that time I had started on a long journey of drinking which slowly and progressively got worse.

After I had moved to New Orleans and had been in denial for years, it became apparent that I did in fact have a real problem and that’s where I got sober. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done but turns out it was the best thing I’ve ever done. Me sobering up led to my needlepoint journey.

Soulfully Southwestern designed by Pewter & Pine, stitched, finished and photographed by Christie Denizio

I was on the phone with my Mom one day when she suggested I try stitching to ease my stress a little bit. My Mom of Doolittle Stitchery has been a needlepoint designer and stitcher for over 30 years. That was the first time I ever considered it even though it had been accessible to me my entire life.

Not long after that phone conversation I made a trip to visit my family in Vermont and that is when my Mom taught me how to stitch. I fell in love with it and I fell hard. It really felt like a meditative process for me and seemed to help ease some anxiety that I was experiencing.

My Mom saw how much I took to it and offered to teach me how to stitch paint. So immediately after learning how to stitch I learned how to stitch paint. All fell into place from there. I like to say that needlepoint saved my life. It gave me purpose and brought me so much joy.

I too love the Kilim and Navajo styles I see in your designs, where does your inspiration and love of these influences come from?

In all honesty, I don’t know why I am so drawn to that style. It’s just what I like. I think a big part of my aesthetic comes from the spiritual path that I try and walk today.

When I was 18 years old I went into a 30 day treatment program where you go out into the Utah wilderness with llamas as your pack animals and hike, camp and survive out in the wilderness.

While I was out there, we built our own sweat lodges and I did a vision quest, which is a Native American rite of passage that is supposed to help you find your purpose in life, your role in a community and how you may best serve the people. I sat in a 10 foot circle by myself for 4 days without food.

I think the fact that I was introduced to some Native American beliefs and practices at that time has really stuck with me through the years. I also think that my vagabond lifestyle and love for travel and nature has inspired a lot of my work.

No Drama Llama by Pewter & Pine

What are the steps you take to move an idea from inspiration to finished design? 

My design process is pretty simple. I get an idea then start mapping out on to canvas with sharpie. Once I have the basic design laid out with sharpie I will start adding color and details with paint.

Some ideas come to fruition pretty easily, while others can take a little longer and with some (or many) revisions made.

I also occasionally use a program called MacStitch which can be really helpful for more complicated designs. I will start the design in there and once I get it right I will put it down on canvas.

Most of the time, I never know if a design idea will come out the way I envision it. Working in needlepoint can be tricky because you have to imagine things as a very pixelated image, and not all ideas will transfer well. Some days things look a bit like this…

Valuable part of the design process

What do you listen to or watch while you’re painting canvases or stitching them?

While I paint and design, I prefer to listen to things and while I stitch I prefer to watch things. I also find that a lot of the time during the day I do both of these things in silence. Sort of a meditative thing. Helps to clear my head.

Every night though, I end my day with a stitching sesh. You will find me on my living room couch with my husband and my cat by my side watching the newest binge worthy TV show.

Camel Ornament by Pewter & Pine

Who are your favourite designers?

Oh man, there might be too many to name. Without a doubt I am a huge fan of all the women who have taken part in the Our Common Thread design challenge. It’s been really amazing to work alongside them and we have all been learning so much about each other and from each other.

To name some others - Charley Harper's needlepoint designs are up there on my top favorites. I also love Birds of a Feather, Little Bird Designs, Pip&Roo, and Kate Dickerson.

Our Common Thread’s online exhibition is in full swing! Take a virtual tour and see what some of Tess’ favourite designers have created in response to their first ever design brief: Living Coral, Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2019.

Living Coral - Our Common Thread Design Challenge by Pewter & Pine

It’s so cool that you and your mum are both creative and both paint needlepoint canvases. Me and my mum are both creative too and so I wondered what it’s like for you having a creative mother?

My Mom is my best friend and I honestly don’t know what I would do without her. We are constantly on the phone bouncing ideas off one another other, sharing photos of our current WIPs, giving each other, and sharing, ideas.

She has been doing this for such a long time so I am very fortunate to have her in my corner. I can’t count the number of times I have had to call her with a design problem and she has helped me come up with a solution. We are the opposite of competitive and I’m really thankful for that.

The Tally Ho Textile finished as a clutch by Pewter & Pine

Which threads do you sew with the most?

My all-time favorite is Planet Earth Fiber. I LOVE their silk fiber. I also recently started using a new fiber that they came out with called “Essentials” for 18 mesh canvas. It is 50% merino wool and 50% silk and it is like butter, Baby. I also use Silk & Ivory’s silk fiber in tandem with Planet Earth’s. Both fiber lines are really great and come in all the pretty colors.

Where do you sit down to sew and to paint?

I transformed a bedroom in our house into my studio space where I paint.  It gets good natural sunlight which is muy importante! As for stitching...that usually takes place in our living room.

I recently got a La-Z-Boy recliner chair off Craigslist and that thing has become my favorite place to sit. I’m basically an 80 year old living in a 34 year olds body and loving every minute of it.

What challenges have you faced as a designer and as a wholesale business?

A big decision I had to make as a needlepoint designer was whether or not I wanted to sell strictly wholesale to needlepoint shops or sell retail direct alongside wholesaling. I ended up making the decision to strictly sell wholesale to needlepoint shops and I feel that was the right choice.

I myself am a small business so I’m all about supporting small and local. I can’t imagine life without needlepoint shops so I like to do what I can to help keep us all up and running!

Trunk Show with Pewter & Pine

Which part of the whole hustle do you enjoy the most?

My all-time favorite part of this job is seeing someone’s finished stitched product of a design I created. I live for it. I love the collaboration that exists between me and the stitcher - me having designed it and them having made it their own. It is so rewarding.

I will also add that stitching needlepoint is generally my favorite part of the process. Don’t get me wrong, I love painting but stitching is pretty much the reason I got into painting in the first place.

What are your favourite needlepoint resources?

The book “Stitches To Go” by Suzanne Howren and Beth Robertson is where it’s at. I am never without this book while traveling and it’s always around while I’m stitching at home. It’s a great resource for finding the perfect stitch to use on a project.

And my all-time favorite needlepoint resource - needlepoint shops. I love going in to my local shops and getting feedback on different stitches, colors, techniques, etc.

What’s the future for Pewter and Pine?

I do have some exciting stuff in the works that I really hope comes to fruition! Stay tuned!

Gasp by Pewter & Pine

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us and being so candid, Tess. I’m a big fan of the ways you capture your vision of the world in your beautiful designs and it’s been an honour to get to know you both professionally and personally. 

Don't forget to follow Tess on Instagram to stay up to date with Pewter and Pine and find out exactly what those exciting things Tess has in the works for us. If any of the designs have caught your eye, check out Pewter and Pine’s website for more information.

Last time Joanna of The Plum Stitchery shared her story with us, if you missed it then Let's Meet: Joanna of The Plum Stitchery. Joanna has some fab advice for beginners and explains how she collaborates with artists to turn their artworks into needlepoint canvases.

Next time, we’ll meet Marina of Marina’s Home! Marina’s an up and coming designer with a flair for bold, geometric designs and a very cute Jack Russell, and will be chatting to us about her experiences of selling at craft markets and much more.

Did you enjoy this post? Sign up to my newsletter to get more hand stitched treats delivered directly to your inbox. I can't promise it'll be weekly but I can promise it'll be a healthy dose of creative fun.

We love hearing from you, please leave your thoughts or questions for Tess in the comments.

I'll be back soon...until then, have a super stitch-tastic time!

Shannan, Bobbin and Fred xX

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Let's Meet: Joanna of The Plum Stitchery

After a little break that has seen me stitching in super quick time to finish my piece for the first ever exhibition with Our Common Thread, I’m excited to be back and introducing you to the wonderful Joanna Somers of The Plum Stitchery!

Joanna first picked up needlepoint in her early thirties and propelled by her passion and love of needle and thread, her hobby quickly became a career. She began painting canvases for her local needlepoint shop and it wasn’t long before her own line, The Plum Stitchery, was born.

The Plum Stitchery offers elegant and classy heirloom-quality needlepoint canvases, all hand-painted by Joanna. Joanna’s own designs tell stories, whimsical tales of ballerinas, space rockets at night and hot air balloon rides are but a few of the adventures you may take while completing a Plum Stitchery canvas. 

Joanna not only produces her own designs but also collaborates with a band of talented artists, transforming their artworks into hand-painted canvases you can add your own touch to. The Plum Stitchery has worked with Dana Gibson, Snowden Flood, Jacky Williams and many more, resulting in a varied range of styles for us to choose from that are bound together by sophistication and well-executed design. These qualities lay at the heart of The Plum Stitchery and inform everything they produce. To stitch a Plum Stitchery canvas is to leap into timeless chic.

It’s time to pour a cup of tea, this time I feel it’s only right to break out the vintage bone china, and delicately nibble petit fours while we get to know the fabulous Joanna!

Jane - Joanna's first canvas

Hello Joanna, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your passion for needlepoint? 

Hello! My name is Joanna, and I own The Plum Stitchery. 

That this is my “job” is surprising; when I was little, I thought I’d be an acrobat. 

When I grew up, I tried nursing, marketing, real estate, and motherhood. 

My children are 7, 5, and 2 and another is joining the party in July.

They’re lovely people, but I can only work when they’re asleep, which is why I post many new designs at 1:00 in the morning.

While I’m not an anxious or overly nervous person, I do find myself spinning and that’s why I love my job; whether I’m painting or stitching a canvas, it transports me, it calms me, I find my center, it helps me to breathe, and it brings me immense joy.

Hot Air Balloon by The Plum Stitchery

Do you identify more as a painter or a needlepointer, or both?

Both.  I was a needlepointer before I was a painter, but I enjoy each equally.

Needlepoint and I were not formally introduced until 2014 when my mother-in-law tried it and said, “Joanna, you would love this.” 

My hand-quilting projects were rolled up and set aside as I stitched a project, and then another project, and then another, and I watched my stash grow. 

I started to work at my local shop Wool & Willow Needlepoint and gained amazing insight into the industry from the shop’s owner Anne. 

Anne gave me my first piece of advice before I tried painting a canvas, “Add a little bit of water to acrylic paint and use the tiniest brush you can find.”  

Feathers by The Plum Stitchery

Can you explain your creative process?

My designs typically start with a sketch.

Once I have it just how I want it, I outline the main design with a black pen and place canvas over top of that. I paint from there.  Seeing a design emerge on paper from my first idea is exhilarating, and I love to see it render onto canvas.  

When I paint a design, I start with one color of one element; choosing that first color is the most important step because it will determine the how the rest of the design will go. It continues to change as I paint it, and I never quite know how a design will look until it’s done.

There are some designs that were absolute fun to design and I remember painting them and not being able to put down my brush. 

Maude by The Plum Stitchery

Where do you draw inspiration from?

There is inspiration everywhere, and the one element of design that inspires more than anything is color.

Some colors just strike me and I know exactly what other colors I would like to use in the same design, and a canvas can shape up from that starting point.  Nature, architecture, history, and Wes Anderson all inspire me, too. 

The Plum Stitchery has collaborated with a lot of other artists, how do these projects come about? 

It is an absolute privilege to bring such amazing talent to needlepoint and I’m overwhelmed every time an artist is open to collaboration, that they trust me with their work.  Some artists were complete strangers to me that I reached out to with the idea to collaborate, while some were friends first and the idea to collaborate built from there. 

What I love most about the artists I represent are their unique styles. In letting me adapt their work to needlepoint, they are offering needlepointers the opportunity to stitch a canvas that best fits their personal aesthetic.  

Mathilde by Dana Gibson and The Plum Stitchery

Where do you sit down to sew and paint?

My studio is in a sunroom off the den of our house.  Besides a lot of light, it allows me to work during the day in between being a stay-at-home mom.  The greatest challenge of starting this company was learning how to jump in and out of creative work minute by minute, because sometimes that’s the only time I have to get something done.  I have a standing desk, and my paints and canvases and designs are sitting out all day and I run to it when I have a minute to spare.   

Which needles and threads do you most like to sew with and why?

Bohin needles work beautifully and while you’re supposed to use a new needle with each project, I will admit this is not a rule I follow.  One needle might stitch several projects and they’re only ever retired when one side of the eye snaps off.   

In regards to fibers, I love silks and wools equally.  Silks can stitch like butter and have a long-lasting luster; wools offer the most gorgeous, warm finish.  

The colors of strandable fibers seem deeper and more saturated somehow; Needlepoint, Inc. silks and Vineyard Silk Merino Strandable wools carry some of my favorite colors. 

Carousel Horse - Vintage Circus Collection by The Plum Stitchery

Which are the best needlepoint resources you’ve found?

I hoard vintage needlepoint books; the colors and designs show how much the art of needlepoint has changed over time.  You can see the influence of tapestries and samplers move into geometrics and follow that line to the modern needlepoint styles artists create today.  

In regards to resources, some projects motivate me to go “stitch shopping” to find that perfect stitch; Stitches To Go and Julia Snyder’s stitch books are my go-to.  

Which indie designer-makers do you love?

There are so many…

Willa Heart’s designs are as chic as they are witty.

Nathalie Lete’s work is vintage and bold and elegant.

The gentlemen at MadCap Cottage are masters with patterns.

Dinara Mirtalipova has gorgeous detail and saturated colors.

Do you listen to podcasts or follow any YouTube channels?

Podcasts are usually rolling when I paint, but none of them are related to fiber arts. My favorites of these are The Moth, This American Life, and TED Talks Radio. 

Learn to Paint Canvas Workshop with The Plum Stitchery

What advice would you give budding needlepointers?

My advice would be to stitch to your heart’s content.  Follow no rules beyond creating this piece that brings you joy.  My mother is an avid stitcher; when we were little, she cross-stitched and did crewel work and she never did anything with the pieces she stitched.  She put her projects in a box in the basement and they may still be there now.   For her, the joy was in the stitching.   

Tricia Heaton recently wrote a post to new stitchers about this; the multitude of “this is how you should do this” rules that float around needlepointers and that we should all ignore that noise.  There’s no “right” way to do something you love. 

What’s next for The Plum Stitchery?

There are some wonderful collaborations in the works, several new clubs emerging this summer, a few stitch-along projects, and trunk shows scheduled through next year.

Ballerinas by The Plum Stitchery

Thank you so much for chatting with us today, Joanna! It's been a lot of fun getting to know you and more about The Plum Stitchery. I love your advice to beginners and agree, if we keep enjoyment at for forefront of everything we do we will help ensure the needlepoint world is a welcoming and fun place for everyone to be, no matter how they stitch.

Don't forget to follow Joanna on Instagram to stay up to date with The Plum Stitchery. If any of the designs have caught your eye, you'll find more information about how to order on their website. 

Last time Emily shared her story with us, if you missed it then Let's Meet: Emily Peacock. I’ll be chatting to a few more members of our needlepoint design collective, Our Common Thread,

over the month of May, stay tuned to find out who we’re going to meet next.

Did you enjoy this post? Sign up to my newsletter to get more hand stitched treats delivered directly to your inbox. I can't promise it'll be weekly but I can promise it'll be a healthy dose of creative fun.

We love hearing from you, please leave your thoughts or questions for Joanna in the comments.

I'll be back soon...until then, may your needle always be threaded and your canvas stash plentiful!

Shannan, Bobbin and Fred xX

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