Ruby Root

80 x 57 cm. Hand embroidered appliqué on table linen. Private collection.

This first piece in the Allotment Series was inspired by the paintings of Yuko Kurihara. When I posted it on Illustrious Botanical Illustrations in February 2023, it went viral, and the encouragement I received is what set me on my new path.

I have used scraps of vintage sari, denim, chenille, velvet, Venetian brocade etc from stashes inherited from my grandmothers and added to over my own lifetime. The stitching is worked in a mix of Anchor soft embroidery and DMC pearl cottons.

Following a few initial pencil sketches, all the embroidery is performed free-hand, with no design being traced onto the background. I like the way the design evolves organically, rather than being fixed to a pattern from the outset.

Mounted and framed in solid ash by yacht-builder Tony Williams, my father.