Next week I’m going to be having a stand at the Knitting & Stitching Show in Dublin, which is going to be awesome!

The side-effect of this is that life is a bit hectic here at Mr X Stitch Towers, so the next couple of Edge posts are going to re-introduce you to some of that have been featured in posts gone by. Here’s a selection from 2009!

• The awesome applique of Emily Eibel!
• Shannon Rankin’s mixed media art!
• You’ve never seen plush like Mortal Plush!
• The legendary Johnny Murder!
• Our very own Arlee Barr!
• The mixed media magic of MimiLove!
• Liz Kueneke’s neighbourhood projects!
• Silke Krah’s edgy embroidery!

There’s eight inspirational people for you to enjoy!

If you’re in Ireland next week, come along to the show. I’m going to be on stand N27, with some inspirational stitchery to look at, my emoticon cross stitch kits for you to buy and I’ll be signing copies of PUSH Stitchery to boot!

If you’re in luck you might also get to meet the fantastic Ellen Schinderman!

Come along and say hi!

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The Cutting & Stitching Edge is brought to you in association with my new book!

Our own Penny Nickels will be stitching, bitching, and signing copies of Hoopla this Monday along with Johnny Murder, Cate Aneveski, and author Leanne Prain tomorrow night. If you’re in the Portland area be sure to check it out!

Love.
It is the month of February after all
and love has inspired great works of art in a great many mediums.
Love runs the gamut from exaltation to devastation.
In this show a group of contemporary fiber artist will explore the many facets of love.

Curated by Pamela Davis

REDUX
811 east Burnside #110
Portland, Oregon
www.reduxpdx.com
Opening reception:
Feb 4th, 2011
6-9:30 pm

Participating artists:
Amanda Fiebing, Bo Betsy, Cathy Pitters, Carla Madrigal, Emily Baier, Emily Katz, Jessica Friday, Joetta Maue, Johnny Murder, Julie Jackson, Kristen Rupp, Lucy & Ryan Berkley, Lyndsey Baldwin, Mark Bieraugel, Cindy Steiler, Mike Wurn, Moxie, Pamela Davis
Penny Nickels, Rachel Lieberman, Tracy Jager

Twilight Artist Collective is pleased to invite you to a group embroidery art show:

Dwelling on the Past:

Twilight Artist Collective

4306 SW Alaska ST

Seattle, WA

Opening Reception: January 13, 2011 6-10pm
Show runs: January 13 through February 6, 2011

19 artists meditate on the past’s influence on the future. As resources dwindle, as the economy falters we find inspiration from a sparer era. As new technologies rise some past technologies fade but some remain whether for reasons of nostalgia, aesthetics or necessity. How does the past inform our future? Curated by Pamela Davis.

Participating Artists:
Marilyn Artus, Lyndsey Baldwin, Pamela Davis, Dixie Darling, Iron Pony, Julie Jackson, Emily Katz,  Carla Madrigal, Allison Manch, Moxie, Johnny Murder, Beth Murphy, Penny Nickels, Cathy Pitters, Kristen Rupp, Tiffany Sabatini, Cindy Steiler, Mary Woodring, Mike Wurn

CONTEMPORARY EMBROIDERY REVISITS THE PAST

Redux in Portland, Oregon is hosting a group embroidery show called “One Stitch Forward, One Stitch Back”.

Opening Reception: April 2nd 6-10pm
Show runs: April 2nd through May 6th

The domestic arts have a long history of resourcefulness often salvaging and reclaiming materials. The 24 artists showcased here will take needlecraft back to those roots by incorporating repurposed materials while adding a contemporary spin to the art.

Check out all the artists, many of whom we have featured here before:

Emily Rose Baier, Berkley Illustration, Diem Chau, Pamela Davis, Jessica Friday, Kate Greiner, Rachel Hunnicutt, Iron Pony, Tracy Jager, Emily Katz, Carla Madrigal, Andrea Majot, Johnny Murder, Beth Murphy, Penny Nickels, Lucy Peterson, Cathy Pitters, Kristen Rask, Kristen Rupp, T.J. Sabatini, Charlotte Schwennsen, Cindy Steiler

Thanks to Plush You, which is where I shamelessly stole all of this information from!

This week I wanted to take a look at the embroidered eye. I found several, so get ready, there are a lot to see.

This huge, detailed piece by Mrs Gibson is so realistic, it looks like it was sketched in thread.

A cyclops flower is weird, fun, and totally unexpected, like a lot of the great stuff made by Crazy But Cute.

Luiza Chandy embroiders with and on usual materials – something you can see in her flickr photostream. This piece is stitched with cooper wire.

This wearable eye patch was embellished with a portrait of her own eye by the talented Nicole Wolfersberger. You can see Nicole modeling it here.

This gang of giant eyes was created and herded together by Spooky Daddy. Spooky indeed.

Sometimes the right frame takes an embroidery to the next level. Kirsty Neale used vintage glasses as a frame from this piece. Works very well, don’t you think?

This pair was embroidered by sallytheskellington one day when she was snowed in and decided to practice the long and short stitch. I love the way the colors blend into each other.

Corrine B made this creepy contribution. Her work is always so fabulous and freaky!

This famous eyeball was stitched by manbroiderer extraordinaire Johnny Murder for the Phat Quarter anatomy swap. I feel as though it is looking into my very SOUL.

I hope you enjoyed this perusal of peepers. (I’m sorry, once I thought of it, I had to type it!) See you next week!

Beefranck’s Emporium is brought to you by Kreinik‘s gorgeous silk and metallic threads. Go get some!

If you’re in Austin, Texas you have to go and visit Over and Under, a fantastic exhibition of contemporary embroidery at the Yard Dog Gallery, curated by Jenny Hart. The show runs from 6th November until 6th December and features a terrific array of stitchers that (if you’re a Mr X Stitch regular) you know and love:

Diem Chau : Richard Saja : Orly Cogan : Emily Eibel

Kate Westerholt : Shannon Rankin : Jennifer Porter

And the awesomeness that is Johnny Murder.

And that’s only the ones that we’ve featured here! Suffice to say it’s a must-see show.

So, go, enjoy it and then come back and tell us all about it! Kthxbai!

Got a mention in a cool little article on handmadenews.org alongside my main hombre, Johnny Murder, the Crochet Dude and the cool cat that is Paul from Dudecraft.

Check it out!

There’s a little interview with me over at Johnny Murder’s excellent Manbroidery blog.

If you don’t know who Johnny Murder is, what’s the matter with you?

You can find out about him here.

And while we’re talking about the Murder household, don’t forget our recent post about these saucy pillow cases stitched by Johnny’s significant other, Penny Nickels.

Johnny Murder is the head of the Manbroidery group on Flickr. He’s a dude. He’s the kind of guy who would beat you in a fistfight for laughing at him for mentioning embroidery. Or at least that’s what I imagine.

Johnny does caricature stitches of characters that probably happen when cousins marry. They are creations from his Sloppyworld comic.

They are well observed examples of the scrapings at the bottom of the gene pool; they are disgusting and yet really cute at the same time…

They are also well finished pieces of work – Johnny clearly knows how to handle a needle and thread. And maybe he knows how to handle a gun as well..!

There’s so much more that could be said about Johnny; about his ashtrays across America project; about his awesome sideburns. Just go and explore his world and find out for yourself! Johnny and his partner in crime, Penny Nickels, sell their wares at their etsy store.