You are unique and have your own story to tell.
Sarah Boardman
The world needs to see it.
This is true generally in life and also within the world of textiles. But with the myriad of techniques, themes and approaches to work and design, how do you find your spark or your textile identity?
It has taken me some years to find my ‘thing’ and my own unique voice and identity in my textiles, and is something that I am still growing in and exploring.
Some people seem to just know while for others of us, it takes a bit longer.
In September 2016, I embarked upon a journey that would change things for me and open up a new career path. I started a City & Guilds course in Machine Embroidery with Creative Stitch taught by Annette Morgan. It opened up a world of wonder and technique I had no idea about. We sampled what seemed like a million different techniques and ideas plus we had to formulate them into assignments. I met some wonderful friends along the way too. It was mesmerising and overwhelming at times. After completing the course, I decided to take it further and complete the Advanced Stitched Textiles course that was the equivalent of the C&G diploma which, at the time they stopped offering. Again, more techniques and pushing boundaries on those techniques and ideas. The courses were stretching and amazing. I learnt so much about myself as well as stitched textiles.
During the course, I had a growing dismay that I really didn’t know where I fit in. I would look at others on my course and see them finding their ‘thing’. But I really didn’t know what I was about. There were clues – there had been certain things that made me go, “Oo, I love that” and ignited a spark of excitement in me bringing a gleam to my eye. For example, using textiles to convey a message; colour and playing around with it; simple shapes and setting them off against one another; creating textures, designing patterns and printing to name a few. And there were other techniques that I did not like. Working with plastics and burning things with a soldering iron just gave me a headache. So, although I like some of the effects, I avoid anything like this in my work.
After graduating, I had the sinking feeling that I didn’t really know what I was about. Even after I had joined Out of the Fold, I didn’t know where I sat. I knew I wasn’t a quilter but did a few quilted bits as that was what everyone else was doing. I would ‘see’ a sculpture or finished piece in my head but would not go down that route. I think I was trying to avoid anything that would be uniquely me – for whatever reason! I tried to fit in but felt like an outsider in the textile world.
Then, in Dec. 2019, Swedish weaving embroidery found me. I had never heard or seen this type of embroidery before. It took me completely by surprise! I never considered myself a hand embroiderer – I had just done a machine embroidery course after all! But I got hooked on the technique and how I could use colour to create different effects. I loved the design aspect of it, the ease that I could carry it around with me whilst I was waiting on the school run etc. It just seemed to fit me and I it. I put a larger piece into the ‘Drawing Threads’ exhibition with Out of the Fold. It drew so many comments that I decided to teach a workshop and things have grown from there. I now have my own website, give talks and workshops to stitch groups and have recently given a demonstration on Swedish weaving embroidery for The Embroiderer’ Guild. I’ve had a stand selling my own kits at the Festival of Quilts for the last 3 years and it’s still growing. I’m amazed and humbled by the journey and finally feel that I’m finding my voice and my textile identity.
If your still looking for yours perhaps consider the following questions and thoughts:
- What technique, theme, design idea, medium, makes you go, “Oo, I love that?” It really could be anything.
- What pieces of work by others make you say, “I wish I had done that”? What is it about these that you love so much?
- Follow your heart
- There’s no right or wrong
- What is it that you really love to do?
- Or think about it the other way around – what technique, colour, idea etc could you really not live without?
- If you had to clear out your textile books and could only keep 1, which would it be and why?
- Knowing what you definitely do not like can be as valuable as knowing what you do like.
- As Oscar Wilde said, “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken”!
- Comparing yourself with others will effectively extinguish your spark
Follow that spark and tell your story. The world does indeed need it.
