Crimson Pins | Mr X Stitch

Hooray for hoops, over the next two editions of 'Exploring Etsy' I shall be celebrating the versatility of this humble bit of kit. Just one simple hoop, some fabric and a trusty needle and thread presents us all with endless possibilities. I love seeing how different creative minds take these same basic tools and make them their own, it's such a joy to see the diversity of unique work that results. First up today, as part of another double helping of needlecraft splendour, is Clare from 'Crimson Pins' whose bold stitching style packs a real punch. Clare has sewn a little on various projects over the years, but it was only last year that she discovered contemporary embroidery. It was all thanks to Instagram that embroidery kept popping up on her radar. Seeing artists like 'stitchinthematrix', 'nerdsandneedles', 'yourgothicgranny' and 'fearsomebeast' creating amazing art with a needle and thread proved inspiring; embroidering skulls and bones, cheeky typography, beautiful florals - all of which she's a total sucker for. Deciding to try her hand at it, she soon fell in love with the craft, which eventually led to selling pieces on Etsy from her home base in Hampshire here in the UK. What is your earliest stitching memory? I learned basic hand-sewing very early on and have used it for a number of crafty projects over the years. I remember being taught to cross stitch when I was 9 or 10 years old at school by a lovely Jamaican lady. She did the same class one after the other and I would often stay on through at least three or four to carry on with whatever I was stitching. What fires your imagination? I stitch what I love, taking inspiration from my other passions - gaming, typography, Disney, TV, Halloween - whatever floats my boat! When people pick up what I’m putting down it’s the best feeling. I’ll never forget selling my first piece, and I still get a buzz when something I've stitched finds a new home. For someone who's relatively new to this style of embroidery Clare has already developed a strong style full of personality. To see more of her wonderful stitchy offerings head on over to her shop. But before you do that I'd like to invite you into the beautiful world of Munira Alimukhamedova and her shop 'MoqMoqEmbroidery'. Originally from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Munira moved to Almaty, Kazkhstan four years ago where she now lives with her boyfriend and their cat. Thanks to her mother, a sewer/constructor/maker with golden hands, Munira has been involved in different hand-made activities since childhood. For a long time her main interest was in fashion but with a desire to get a more solid knowledge in design she entered the Architectural Institute. While studying she started to create collections and participate in fashion weeks in Tashkent, focusing on minimalism, pure graphic lines and monochrome colour palettes. After moving to Almaty she continued to make clothes, participating in local pop-up shops and selling them in concept-stores. But 2015 presented her with an awful creative crisis, mentally exhausted and with absolutely no ideas for her work she decided to take some much needed time-out from making clothes. While collecting images for a potential future collection there were a surprising number of embroidery pictures alongside images by Egon Schiele, in particular his drawing "Hands". Inspired by the beautiful intricacy of lines she found some linen, big hoops and just started to embroider. With no final idea in mind Munria fell in love with the process finding it both relaxing and invigorating and thus her embroidery journey began. Now working from her home-studio, trying new methods and experimenting with techniques, embroidery has become her full-time job and Munira is so grateful she has the opportunity to do what she loves. What is your earliest stitching memory? I tried to embroider for the first time when I was 12 or 13 years old. It was this very classical picture of birds on a branch, which you'd find in any granny’s home. I picked up the right coloured threads, read about satin stitch technique and enthusiastically started to work... All my enthusiasm went away the next day :) I absolutely hated the process! It was too slow and too boring for me. That unfinished work is still somewhere at my parents’ home. After that experience I was so sure that embroidering was absolutely not for me and it was a big surprise when I fell in love with it 15 years later. What fires your imagination? Nature, art in all forms and talented people. I like sketchy drawing, ink and black colour - that's why my works are all made in this style. I mostly use two techniques - satin-stitch and ordinary stitching, especially the second one. I use stitch for fabric like it's ink or pencil on paper. Munira's embroidery is exquisitely detailed and intricate so make sure to pop along to her Etsy shop and add it to your favourites! Before I bid you all adieu a massive congrats is in order for Mr X for not only reaching but doubling his Kickstarter goal, can't wait to see the finished magazine! See you all next month for more hoopy adventures. ----- Jessica Taylor aka Loadofolbobbins is a Textile Artist and Illustrator based by the sea in Portsmouth. At her happiest with a needle and thread, with a passion for genealogy she often explores old photographs in her Textile art. With her fingers in many creative pies she loves to experiment with new techniques, creating illustrated and stitched goodies for her Etsy shop.