Stitch Life Magazine Issue 1
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meet the designer...<br />
Cathy Eliot<br />
@cathyeliot<br />
About me<br />
I live in Cambridge, England, and have been doing<br />
embroidery since my aunt taught me when I was very<br />
little. Textiles was my favourite subject at school, and<br />
I got back into it about five years ago. The first thing<br />
that I made when I started stitching again was a little<br />
purse for a Secret Santa present, embroidered with<br />
some grasses and flowers.<br />
I’m lucky enough to now have my own studio space,<br />
but I also like to sit on the sofa in the evenings with the<br />
television on in the background while I work. I also<br />
really like illustrating, so I’m trying to sketch more<br />
especially outdoors, although in cold or bad weather<br />
this does become more tricky!<br />
About my work<br />
I like to create quite detailed designs. I would describe<br />
my work as botanical and delicate. People have also kindly<br />
said that I use beautiful colour palettes. Embroidery can<br />
be very calming and meditative. Freestyle embroidery<br />
allows you to draw with the thread, so you can be really<br />
creative with it.<br />
I usually sketch out my design first onto paper, using<br />
photos for reference. The design usually changes as I’m<br />
stitching, depending on how the stitches are behaving,<br />
or what colour threads I have or how the shapes are<br />
fitting together.<br />
Nature inspires me most – plants, flowers and gardens<br />
are endlessly changing and full of a variety of colour,<br />
texture and pattern. I would love to visit Forde Abbey and<br />
gardens on the borders of Devon, Dorset and Somerset.<br />
Their Instagram is so magical: @fordeabbey.<br />
Cathy<br />
www.cathyeliot.com<br />
96 <strong>Stitch</strong> <strong>Life</strong>
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