Katie, 24.
Embroidery designer from South-East London.
My Gran was a keen embroiderer and would always try and teach us how to crochet and knit, I however did not have the attention span as a child to fully immerse myself in it. As I grew older embroidery increasingly intertwined itself with my love and constant need to draw. Embroidery became a new world in which my drawings could transform into something more.
I really like how you can transform a fabric that is seen as fairly one dimensional, into something really beautiful and interesting. I love how in a world that is constantly evolving I find myself slowing down and returning to traditional techniques
I studied Fashion Textiles with a specialism in Embroidery at London College of Fashion. Specialising from the very beginning gave us the space and time to explore different equipment, techniques and the history of our specific practice. The course particularly encouraged independent working throughout and I found a real momentum in my own journey, dialling in my own creative boundaries and compass.
Embroidery is embedded in my own sense of purpose and meaning, and having the opportunity to develop my craft and practice whilst working is a real bonus.
There isn’t really a typical day at the London Embroidery Studio - every project is unique to itself and can span between half a day to months of work. It can be exhausting but never really disappoints in its exciting and rewarding moments.
The piece of work I am most proud of is a hand braided & hand beaded mask I created for my BA final collection - it was a key part of my collection that took weeks to complete.
I have always thought that if I were not doing embroidery full-time, I would perhaps retrain in art psychotherapy.