Time Stands Still 

Time Stands Still is about the grief and heartache of losing a dear loved one.

It’s a very personal and emotional piece of hand embroidery that was difficult to design, compose and stitch. It captures the visceral moments of an emotional trauma. This kind of experience leaves you completely numb, your world comes to a complete halt, and time stands still.

Time Stands Still - close up
Close up

These are moments which I now reflect on as an observer, feeling unable to reconcile the harrowing pain experienced by all.

The work has taken a year to design and stitch and was designed whilst I was mourning a loved one. Creating the piece helped me through my own grieving process.

Time Stands Still 
Time Stands Still 

Size 21 x 21 cm (40 x 40cm framed), hand embroidered vintage dark grey Sylko thread on cotton cloth. 

Created as a companion piece for ‘Numb‘.

Update:

This artwork has been jury selected for the Prism Textiles ‘Any Other Business’ 2025 exhibition, The Art Pavilion, Mile End Park, Clinton Road, London E3 4QY from 4th-14th April 2025.

Any Other Business
Any Other Business

National Embroidery Awards 2025

I’m pleased to announce that Lancashire Rich Jam Cake is part of the National Embroidery Awards 2025 at the Fashion & Embroidery Show, NEC Birmingham, England.

This exhibition of machine and hand embroidery features around a 100 stunning artworks from across the UK. The Fashion & Embroidery Show is hosted by the Creative Craft Show in Hall 20 at the NEC centre, Birmingham, England, 13th – 16th March 2025.

National Embroidery Awards 2025

I visited on day two of the show, busy with visitors from both stitching and mixed media backgrounds.

As I popped into the exhibition I snapped the image below – a visitor totally absorbed with my hand embroidered recipe.

Visitor reading the recipe.
National Embroidery Awards 2025
Visitor reading the recipe

Towards the end of the day I took these images showcasing the diverse work on show.

Images from the show.
National Embroidery Awards 2025
Images from the show.
Images from the show.
National Embroidery Awards 2025
Images from the show.

There could only be one overall winner.

The Best in Show was awarded to my dear friend and textile artist Aran Illingworth. Congratulations Aran.

Best in Show at the National Embroidery Awards
Best in Show at the National Embroidery Awards

Lancashire Rich Jam Cake

Lancashire Rich Jam Cake is a new piece of work I’ve created about my love of food. The embroidery is based around one of my late mother’s recipes and celebrates a Lancashire version of a jam pasty or a jam slice.

The completed artwork - Lancashire Rich Jam Cake
The completed artwork

The words and original design are my own.

Lancashire Rich Jam Cake

Good food and good memories form the foundation to this artwork.

Work in progress
Lancashire Rich Jam Cake
Work in progress

“This cake were a firm favourite at every school or church event I went to as a kid. Folk would make it to sell or cut it up and share it with a hot brew. This crowd pleaser were perfect to cut into little squares; or as my aunt used to do – cut it into pie slice wedges and arrange it on a big flowery china plate for an afternoon treat.” ~ Catherine Hill.

Close up of the work
Lancashire Rich Jam Cake
Close up of the work
Vintage Sylko threads used in Lancashire Rich Jam Cake
Vintage Sylko threads

Hand embroidered cotton cloth, vintage Sylko threads. Size 23.5 x 11.5cm  

This piece forms part of a body of work celebrating Lancashire food.

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