The power of simple hand stitch

It’s so easy to have your head turned by every new, exciting textile technique that comes your way. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It can be great fun to try out new processes and incorporate them into your textile art.

But using too many techniques can also become overwhelming. And as we’ve previously explored in the articles Are you a textile technique addict? and Diagnosis: Artistic paralysis, the result is often a chaotic creative process, a confused visual vocabulary and an indistinct brand of textile art.

Going back to basics doesn’t mean stepping backwards creatively. In fact, going deep with simple stitch techniques and learning how to speak through them in your own unique way can push your practice and your artistic identity forward.

In this article, we explore  simple stitch techniques and showcase how they’re being used by some of the world’s most inventive and inspiring textile artists.