NeedleXChange

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Renan Estivan, a São Paulo-based contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for queer tapestries that put the male body at their centre.

In Part 1 we get into his mum's Arraíolos rugs and the embroidery tradition she passed on, choosing design at UNESP over art, how the pandemic in Salvador collided with a pixel-art drawing to spark his first erotic cross stitch, his shift onto the tufting gun, and the Brazilian tapestry lineage running from Kennedy Bahia and Tropicália through Leonilson.

Links:

Website: ren...

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Shea Wilkinson, a contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for switching mediums to protect their balance - and chasing the next beautiful pattern.

Shea talks candidly about quitting quilting “at the snap of a finger,” taking a two-year hiatus from art, and why felting became a healthier, slower practice - less addictive, less competition-driven, and more sustainable day to day.

We get into process and motivation (including using audiobooks to pull yourself into the studio), plus how parenthood sparked a new series idea: photographing soap bubbles up clos...

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Shea Wilkinson, a contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for turning big questions into fibre work - from the cosmic to the microscopic.

Shea’s practice moves between felt backgrounds, needle felting, hand embroidery, beading, and a research-led obsession with things like crystals, geometry, and the mystery of what we can’t quite explain.

Links:

Website: sheawilkinson.com

Intro music is Martyr by Nevin via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Host...

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Charlotte Wood, a mixed media artist known for exploring the beauty in ugliness through character-led, emotionally resonant work.

Charlotte trained through an MA in embroidery and works across hand, machine, and sculptural textile approaches - with a deep curiosity for how craft and experimentation collide.

We go deep on her making: learning the rules before breaking them, moving from perfectionism towards controlled chaos, what commercial embroidery taught her about speed and being “less precious”, and how her technician/teaching role (plus special effects + foam fabrication skills) are shaping what...

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Charlotte Wood, a mixed media artist known for exploring the beauty in ugliness through character-led, emotionally resonant work.

Charlotte’s recent practice includes a standout 3D textile sculpture, “the man on the chair”, alongside layered narrative pieces where colour, form, and surface stitch carry memory and mood.

We talk about her Hand & Lock journey, how she uses characters to hold sadness and introspection without losing joy, and the Leonard Cohen influence behind the work — plus how ideas like object constancy and “finding balance” show up in what she makes.

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Jessica Pile and Robert Ossant.

Jessica Pile and Robert Ossant are researchers and authors focused on couture embroidery, combining technical analysis with historical and creative context to better understand how and why these works are made.

In this second half of the conversation, we move beyond the garments themselves into the wider landscape of fashion. Topics include the economics of clothing, sustainability, and the tension between high fashion and everyday wear.

The discussion also turns to education, skill development, and the personal journeys that led Jessica...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Jessica Pile and Robert Ossant.

Jessica Pile and Robert Ossant are researchers and authors focused on couture embroidery, combining technical analysis with historical and creative context to better understand how and why these works are made.

In this conversation, we explore their approach to breaking down couture garments - examining not just the stitches, but the ideas behind them.

The discussion moves through fashion history, the role of inspiration versus technique, and how couture functions as both a creative laboratory and a cultural statement. Along the...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Helen Adams.

Helen is the Textile Curator who has been shining a light on contemporary textile art on her terrific blog since 2014. Her fantastic book, Textile Fine Art was published in September 2025.

In this second part of our XChange, Helen shares how she became the Textile Curator. We talk about starting a website to “wake up the world”, what it’s like building something as a team of one, and the practical realities of monetising a niche platform.

We also get into why social media can feel l...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Helen Adams.

Helen is the Textile Curator who has been shining a light on contemporary textile art on her terrific blog since 2014. Her fantastic book, Textile Fine Art was published in September 2025.

In this first part of our chat we talk about making a textile art book that lasts longer than algorithms, how you choose artists when everyone is good, and what kinds of work genuinely “buzz your buttons”.

We also get into exhibitions and the pressure of doing textile art justice in major spaces, including Saat...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Iskren Lozanov.

Iskren Lozanov is an embroidery artist living in Ibiza, originally from Bulgaria. He came third in the 3d Textiles category of The 2025 Mr X Stitch Contemporary Needlework Prize and 2nd in the Open Textile Art category in the 2024 Hand & Lock Prize.

We pick up with what’s next for Iskren Lozanov’s practice, including using everyday objects, collaboration hopes, and how this technique can be applied to almost anything. We also get practical about making a living, brand work vs artwork, staying well, and end on favo...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Iskren Lozanov.

Iskren Lozanov is an embroidery artist living in Ibiza, originally from Bulgaria. He came third in the 3d Textiles category of The 2025 Mr X Stitch Contemporary Needlework Prize and 2nd in the Open Textile Art category in the 2024 Hand & Lock Prize.

We talk about language and identity, Ibiza as a place to make work, and how Iskren Lozanov’s practice moved from fashion into embroidery and sculptural pieces like “Rebirth” and “Veil of Transcendence”, including the research, planning, and labour behind them.

Timestamps:

00:00:00...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Katarina Orolinov.

Katarina is a Slovakian contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for laser-cut perspex panels built from lace and geometric pattern logic.

Katarina shares early making (drawing, sewing, textiles clubs) and a schooling route that builds serious technical range (embroidery, bobbin lace, weaving). We dig into heritage vs experimentation, studio life, what plays in the background while stitching, and the closing line: the dream upgrade is a laser cutting machine.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – The origin story: drawing, sewing, and deciding on art early

...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Katarina Orolinov.

Katarina is a Slovakian contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for laser-cut perspex panels built from lace and geometric pattern logic.

Katarina traces the work from a bobbin‑lace brief into bitmap squares, then laser cutting/engraving perspex and stitching into it. We talk architecture as a pattern engine (glass blocks, safety glass, reflection), and the practical reality of scale: thousands of holes, modular panels, and machine‑bed limits.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – “Come to the perspex…”: lace meets laser cutting

00:02:55 – Finding patterns in gl...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Charlie Reeder aka Stitchsperation.

Charlie is a cross stitch designer with an unashamedly joyful aesthetic.

In this first part of our NeedleXChange, we talk imposter syndrome, naming the inner critic (“Brenda”), and how stitching can be a safe, meditative place to build confidence.

Charlie shares ideas around stitched affirmations and repetition, plus the beginnings of Stitchsperation: bold typographic work, painted backgrounds, and designing what they couldn’t find.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - Art vs craft vs design (and getting put in box...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Charlie Reeder aka Stitchsperation.

Charlie is a cross stitch designer with an unashamedly joyful aesthetic.

In this first part of our NeedleXChange, we talk imposter syndrome, naming the inner critic (“Brenda”), and how stitching can be a safe, meditative place to build confidence.

Charlie shares ideas around stitched affirmations and repetition, plus the beginnings of Stitchsperation: bold typographic work, painted backgrounds, and designing what they couldn’t find.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:47 - Imposter syndrome and “Brenda” (naming the inner critic)

00:06...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Ruth O'Leary.

Ruth O'Leary is an award-winning embroiderer who’s been exploring AI image generation as a tool for design, iteration, and self-expression.

In part two, we move from the big AI conversation into the grounded maker reality: how Ruth learned needlework, what the Embroiderers’ Guild taught her, and why community still matters even in an online world.

Ruth also breaks down their process — using AI outputs as reference material, collaging and redrawing in Procreate, then translating it into applique and embroidery — plus a quick run through...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Ruth O'Leary.

Ruth O'Leary is an award-winning embroiderer who’s been exploring AI image generation as a tool for design, iteration, and self-expression.

We talk about AI as a “new medium” (and the early chaotic phase of it), parallels with the Jacquard loom and past industrial shifts, the difference between screen-based fakery and physical needlework, and how Ruth uses AI outputs as reference material that gets reimagined through applique + embroidery to speed up making without losing what Ruth loves about stitching.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

0...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Robert John Hodge.

Robert John Hodge makes cross-stitch work based on Renaissance sculptures, using a CMYK / screenprint-style layering approach and recurring Wingdings symbols.

In this half we jump into Robert’s newer series - smaller, quicker pieces that work like little stitched collages: videogames, screenshots, photos, culture… and, for reasons we absolutely get into, a whole run of nuclear weapons tests.

Part 2 is where we widen out into the stuff that feeds the work: horror films from the 70s and 80s, documentaries that stitch history into a co...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Robert John Hodge.

Robert John Hodge makes cross-stitch work based on Renaissance sculptures, using a CMYK / screenprint-style layering approach and recurring Wingdings symbols.

We talk about being a finalist in the Hand & Lock Embroidery Prize, how the work is technically constructed, and the bigger ideas underneath it: art vs craft, nostalgia, digital “glitch” language, and how slow, tactile making can transform images that started life as fast and disposable.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:10 – Hand & Lock finalist story + mentor + family cheer squad

00:03:56 – Renaissa...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Martha Hussey.

We talk fresh off the heels of Martha’s solo show in London and discuss DIY curation as well as Royal Academy highs and near-misses, Martha talks textiles’ growing place in contemporary art and why she’s already sketching the next body of work. We also hit the soundtracks, the films, the books, and the beauty in the mundane that fuels her studio.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - The Challenges of Curating an Exhibition

00:06:46 - The Royal Academy Experience

00:09:39 - The...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Martha Hussey.

Martha trained in fine art at St Martin’s and later dove into an art-therapy diploma during lockdown, discovering how stitch can quiet the mind and surface truth. In this first half we get into the meditative mechanics of embroidery, why the back of the work matters as much as the front, and how humour and the “Sexy Stitch” series emerged alongside tufted wall pieces and hairy latch-hook portraits. We also trace the evolution from painting to thread palettes and that pivotal “do something creative for 15 minutes a day” mom...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Loren Batt.

Loren is an American-born artist who’s made France home for decades. In this first half, we trace her path from linguistics and art history into printmaking, then the leap into layered, tapestry-like paintings and quilted figures inspired by guild traditions, street life in New York, and medieval folk energy.

In Part 2 we dive into Loren’s themed series: ex-voto boxes - small wishes hung en masse, guardian angels that gently hold everyday burdens like insomnia or being unheard and Sailing to a Better Place born from...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Loren Batt.

Loren is an American-born artist who’s made France home for decades. In this first half, we trace her path from linguistics and art history into printmaking, then the leap into layered, tapestry-like paintings and quilted figures inspired by guild traditions, street life in New York, and medieval folk energy.

We talk bilingual identity, raising globally mobile kids, and the moment canvas stopped being “invisible” support and became living textile - complete with stitched frames and characters stepping out into relief.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intr...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Chloe Savage.

Chloe is a conservation embroiderer, couture specialist, and educator whose studio practice spans everything from National Trust restorations to hands-on needlepoint kits.

In this second half of our conversation, we trace Chloe's creative upbringing through diamond mines, Paris couture, and the Royal School of Needlework.

She unpacks how life detours—from teen motherhood to science teaching—ultimately fueled her practice and how art became a lifeline through grief. Please note this episode briefly touches on emotional abuse.

Another artist who processed personal trau...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Chloe Savage.

Chloe is a conservation embroiderer, couture specialist, and educator whose studio practice spans everything from National Trust restorations to hands-on needlepoint kits.

In this first part of our conversation, we dive into the power of shared studio spaces, the value of peer critique, and how Chloe has built a collaborative practice that's both rigorous and restorative.

My recent NeedleXChanges with Kirstie McLeod, founder of the Red Dress project, also emphasised the benefits of collaborative projects and if you’ve not listened to those yet, yo...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Severina Seidl.

Severina is a German embroidery artist whose work blurs the line between thread, paint, and narrative abstraction.

In this second half, Severina shares her ambitions in fashion embroidery, reflects on the push-pull between creativity and career, and gets candid about what it means to pursue art without a roadmap. Plus, we get her picks on books, music, and life growing up without TV.

For another artist making mixed media with a hint of darkness, my NeedleXChanges with Ruth Norbury (NX 27 & 28) are definitely worth a...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Severina Seidl.

Severina is a German embroidery artist whose work blurs the line between thread, paint, and narrative abstraction.

We explore her journey from fashion school in Germany to the Royal School of Needlework, unpacking the nerves, transitions, and discovery of her personal style. From her early experiments in French knots to the impact of McQueen critiques, Severina charts an evolving, experimental path.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Introduction

00:01:30 – Moving from Germany to the RSN

00:09:11 – Developing a Unique Style

00:11:59 – Embracing Mess and Mistakes...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Manuela Caniato.

Manuela is an Italian-born textile artist and educator now based in Belgium, with a background in linguistics and fashion history.

In this episode of NeedleXChange I continue my conversation with Manuela Caniato.Manuela shares the thinking behind her embroidered portraits that explore themes of damage, decay, and beauty. We discuss her techniques with fine threads and beads, her playful sense of anarchy, and her upcoming exhibition in Leuven.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 – Artistic Expression and Personal Projects

00:05:15 – The Intersection of A...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Manuela Caniato.

Manuela is an Italian-born textile artist and educator now based in Belgium, with a background in linguistics and fashion history.

In this first half we talk about her journey from advertising to academia, her teaching in both Italy and Belgium, and how fashion functions as a language of identity. She reflects on the symbolic power of clothing, heirlooms, and shoes, as well as visible mending and the ongoing challenge of fast fashion.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 – The Intersection of Linguistics and Fa...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Kirstie McLeod.

Kirstie is a textile artist whose career has spanned performance installations, couture wedding dresses, and large-scale garments that test the limits of fabric and endurance.

Kirstie is the artist behind the Red Dress, a 13-year global collaboration of 380 embroiderers from 51 countries.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - The Stories Behind the Wearers

00:07:48 - The Calico Garment Initiative

00:18:13 - The Emotional Journey of Art and Connection

00:23:26 - Navigating Vulnerability: Holding Space for Others

00:31:11 - The...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Kirstie MacLeod.

Kirstie is a textile artist whose career has spanned performance installations, couture wedding dresses, and large-scale garments that test the limits of fabric and endurance. In 2009 Kirstie launched The Red Dress embroidery project, something that has become far greater than anyone could have anticipated.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:07:00 - The Evolution of the Red Dress Project

00:12:23 - The Impact of Collaboration

00:18:08 - The Challenges of Performance Art

00:24:55 - The Magic of Performance Art

00:30:56 - Life...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I welcome back Dr Jack Roberts AKA JPR Stitch.

Jack is a textile artist known for his bold, abstract stitchings and his dedication to daily practice.

This episode dives into the quiet and public sides of creative work. Jack talks about the unglamorous tasks behind the scenes, how he decides what to share, and the realities of having 90,000 followers who don’t necessarily buy your art.

We explore artistic visibility, validation, audience relationships, and why not everything in your practice needs to be seen.

For another gr...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I welcome back Dr Jack Roberts AKA JPR Stitch.

Jack is a textile artist known for his bold, abstract stitchings and his dedication to daily practice.

In this first half of our conversation, Jack shares the origins of his daily stitching habit, how a holiday doodle grew into a years-long discipline, and the making of his first book.

We explore the discipline of showing up every day, how practice can transform creative work, and the balance between big projects and small daily wins..

For another artist...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Lesley Wheeler.

Lesley is a poet, quilter, and textile artist whose work merges narrative, symbolism, and stitch.

In this second half we discuss her development as a maker — from trusting her intuition with complex textile projects to learning embroidery, lace, and machine techniques. Lesley talks about fabric collecting, playful side projects that keep her creativity flowing, and how pop culture and music filter into her practice, from Busta Rhymes back patches to Beatles-inspired tarot cards. We also cover her favorite books, films, and poets, and the broader inspirations th...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Lesley Wheeler.

Lesley is a poet, quilter, and textile artist who brings tarot symbolism to life through fabric and thread.

In this first half of our conversation we explore how she approaches tarot as both a meditative tool and a form of visual storytelling, her PhD in confessional poetry, and the ways writing and textiles draw from the same creative well. Lesley shares how quilting became a sustaining practice during lockdown, the historical tarot decks that inspire her, and her ideas about liminality, accessibility, and making art that...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I continue my interview with Tal Fitzpatrick.

Tal is a socially engaged artist and craftivist whose practice explores how making can give people agency and foster connection.

We explore the philosophy underpinning her work, from dissensus and the importance of tension in activism to the pitfalls of toxic positivity. Tal reflects on the ripple effects of collaborative projects, how making can empower people to find their voices, and the role of connection in socially engaged textile practice.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 – Navigating Opposing Viewpoints

...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Tal Fitzpatrick.

Tal is a socially engaged artist and craftivist whose quilts and textile projects blend creativity with activism.

We talk about her artistic journey from early influences, including her grandmother’s politically charged textile works, through to her PhD in craftivism as DIY citizenship. Tal shares stories of working in disaster recovery communities, how that shaped her understanding of art’s power, and the origins of major projects like the PM Please Quilt and the global Universal Declaration of Human Rights Quilt Project.

Timestamps:

00...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Melissa English Campbell.

Melissa is a textile artist known for her experimental weaving practice that pushes the boundaries of pattern, structure, and meaning.

In this second half of our conversation, Melissa shares how her signature style emerged—from weaving mirrored fabrics and incorporating sticks to reflecting on cultural history and appropriation. We also explore her teaching experience, her influences, and how music and podcasts keep her company in the studio.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 – Embracing Artistic Freedom: Risk and Exploration

00:05:20 – The Role o...

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Melissa English Campbell.

Melissa is a textile artist whose weaving combines painting, double-layer structures, and found objects to create works that shift between glitch-like distortion and serene beauty.

In this first half of our conversation, Melissa talks about her upbringing across Europe and the US, how dyslexia shaped her way of thinking, and how she discovered weaving as a language of memory, disruption, and resilience.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 – Introduction to Melissa's Artistry

00:04:14 – The Weaving Process Explained

00:07:10 – Complex Dimensional Thinki...

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Claire Voelkel-Sedlmeir.

Claire is a textile storyteller whose work transforms scraps of family life - old clothes, baby socks, even diaper cloth - into intimate quilts and stitched offerings.

We explore the second phase of her practice: community, upcycling, and the emotional weight textiles can carry. Claire shares how she’s embraced memory quilting, involved her children in the process, and honoured personal history through fabric. We also talk about the online communities that have shaped her artistic journey and the joy of letting go - by giving he...