Modern & Historical Crafts
I’m currently working on a project that combines two of my long-term interests – typography and embroidery. Inspired by traditional embroidered monograms, I thought it would be interesting to put together some designs for small wall hanging pieces using punctuation and typographic ligatures instead of initials. Whilst I’m inspired and informed by traditional embroidery techniques, I like to use bright colours and to adapt the work into a modern style.
Through my interest in embroidery I have been inspired to find out more about other traditional crafts, particularly in the area of needlework. As part of this research I have become interested in localised crafts, such as Dorset buttons and Suffolk puffs, and this is something that I’m very keen to pursue further. I’ve already begun to incorporate some of these crafts into my current work.
In summer 2009 I spent some time volunteering at the Museum of English Rural Life, working with their collection of nineteenth century smocks and developing my own smocking workshop.
If you'd like me to teach the smocking workshop, or any of my other craft techniques, please send an email to claire@designbyclaire.co.uk.