Stories in Thread
I get asked a lot about my transition from Tattoo Artist to Machine Embroidery. They are actually remarkably similar. When I create bespoke embroidery, like tattooing, there is always an interesting story that weaves its way into the piece. I’d like to share two of those stories, one because it involves embroidery and the other as it was a real challenge but involves another love of mine, motorcycles!
So grab yourself a cuppy as this is a long one.
Comparing Tattooing and Embroidery
Like tattooing, I do an initial design for my client based on their ideas and like tattooing, there is then a process to prepare it for it’s final application, in embroidery, this process is called digitising.
Digitising translates the artwork, into stitches, this can be quite a complex and time consuming process but also very rewarding, when you get it spot on, this can take a few rounds of test stitching and like tattooing, the final application has to be perfect.
After a wee feature in The Courier newspaper a couple of weeks ago, I got contacted by quite a few people who were looking for a bit of bespoke embroidery. Most had reached out to several companies to no avail, as most embroidery companies offer workwear logos etc, so bespoke pieces tend to get ignored. I can totally understand as nothing in embroidery comes cheap, so it mainly boils down to where the high profit margins are.
My 25 years in the tattoo industry however, has given me a different perspective. People really do want bespoke design and something very personal that they can cherish forever, so i’m hoping my creative skills I’ve gained can fill that weeniche.
Denis with a wedding party of ladies of Oaxaca and there fabulous dresses.
Denis from Perth, contacted me, with this request after recently visiting Mexico….
“I have a friend in Mexico who runs a charity for a Mayan community in Yucatan and they make a living embroidering clothes and other things like IPad and phone covers. My friend took me there on a previous trip last year and I’m sure you would have found it fascinating to see their work”
The hand embroidered handkerchief
“The village is in a place called Kanxoc and, as a memento, they gave me this embroidered handkerchief”
Denis went on to explain that he had purchased some rectangle pieces of fabric from the village, to use as protectors for his suite but would really like them embroidered with a similar motif to the handkerchief to remind him of this incredible trip. Denis added,
“Kanxoc is a Mayan community in Yucatan, Mexico. At the peak of their civilisation the Maya people built pyramids which still exist today and have been classified by UNESCO as one of “The Seven Wonders of The World”. Their love of colour can be traced back to their pyramids which were once brightly coloured. Today, they live a very traditional life growing crops of corn and pumpkins”
Now being completely fascinated with the story I was very excited to create something for Denis. Using the motif, I mirrored it and tried to replicate some of the textures within the leaves, after Denis’s approval on the design and a couple of test stich outs, I went onto do the final pieces. Again like tattooing, I only had one chance at these as the fabric already held great sentimental value. The final stitch outs came out perfectly.
The Final Embroideries
We are both delighted with the end result
I’m now finding lots of inspiration looking through the beautiful bright artistry and i’m sure some of these influences will be creeping into future pieces.
You can learn more about the Yukatan embroiderers here.
The Bum Clencher!
Late last year, I was contacted by another Deniss. This time a biker from Fort William. After being knocked back by several embroidery companies, Deniss asked if I could embroider directly onto leather for a customised seat for his cruiser and provided me with some artwork.
My initial thoughts were, OMG, that’s not going to be an easy one but curiosity got the better of me and I found myself agreeing to the challenge! Also being part of the biker community, I know how important it is to put those individual touches onto your bike and leathers. We do love a good conversation starter and any opportunity to chat about our bikes!
I had embroidered leather before but making upcycled coasters from my mums old sofa wasn’t quite comparable to this. The artwork is extremely detailed and lots of layers of colour, something that is a challenge to successfully digitise at the best of times but add thick, buttery soft leather, with a mind of it’s own into the mix, definitely tipped the balance here.
I approached it layer by layer, really trying to imagine were every stitch would land, to avoid it becoming really dense and unmanageable and after 5 hours, I had a design ready to stitch out.
Normally I would do several test stich outs before the final piece but on this occasion, I only had one shot at it as a test on anything else but the leather would have given me different results. Again my tattooing background helped me hold my nerve and I might add, I’d already explained to Deniss, that I was happy to give it a bash but it may be a disaster, so he was aware that it may be just too ambitious.
After another 4 hours of bum clenching moments and a broken needle drama, I got there and it was looking way better than i’d anticipated!
The final proof would be in the end results, whether the upholsterer could work with it. From the photos I just received from Deniss, they absolutely nailed it and it really does compliment the rest of the bespoke art on his custom cruiser.
Bespoke embroidery is a time consuming affair, it’s a difficult thing to put a price on as there are so many anomalies, so i can absolutely see why the majority of embroiderers give it a wide birth! But taking on these jobs makes me really try to perfect the process and learn as much as i can to achieve great results on whatever comes my way and like my years in tattooing, i find it enriching to know, i’ve created something really special for that person, a one off piece that they can cherish forever.
Huge thanks to Denis and Deniss for making me use the old grey matter! and for allowing me to tell their stories and share their photos.
