In our age of machines, where IKEA rules and one-of-a-kind is a descriptor more often used for children’s refrigerator artwork than for home deco, it’s interesting to see that there is always an undercurrent of resistance. The insistence on handicraft in its truest sense, where every stitch really was made by a human…like the olden days.
But don’t call handicraft old fashioned! Hand-stitched is all the rage! Check out these artists, who have used their creativity to make a living, as our artisans do – one stitch at a time.
This pillow was hand-embroidered by Christine Dinsmore, of Plumed (who has been a guest on my column here). Because each pillow is handmade, Christine can replace the word “love” with a person’s name, or even the outline of your own children’s hands – you just have to send her a photo file to work with. $49 on Etsy.
Sam Gibson, from Northamptonshire, England, makes a variety of handmade “hangables,” including this wall plaque. “A lovely gift for the pretty thing in your life.” $45 on Etsy.
Check out this detail from “Empire State Building” by Peter Crawley! Crawley is another U K-based artist who has become known for creating hand-stitched illustrations with impeccable detail. And you’ll have to pay a pretty penny (er, pound) for it too: this one goes for £675.
The work of 25 year-old artist Inge Jacobsen focuses on the transformation of found images through embroidery, cutting and collage. “I started collecting fashion magazines knowing that I wanted to work with that sort of imagery, I just needed a way to intervene into them. I had found some embroidery pieces from my school days in Denmark when I was moving to university and thought that that would be a great method to use,” she says in an interview on her site. Prices vary but are also worth a pretty penny.
-Emily
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