Utterly, utterly inspiring!

One of the speakers at the recent Art of the Stitch study day at the V&A was Karen Nicol. I was blown away by her work. She's been working in the fashion industry (Clements Ribiero, John Rochas, Betty Jackson, etc etc) for 20 years, anonymously because the big designers don't credit their workers - "they keep me as their precious secret" she said.

In November Karen had a show at Rebecca Hossack gallery in Charlotte Street. She said that, freed of a brief, able to do whatever she wanted, she didn't know where to start - for a moment. But in the fashion world "design innovation and speed is what keeps me in business" - so it didn't take her long to get going, and she came up with stunning designs presented in the form of wrap-around skirts. Her flea market finds were incorporated in them -- unpainted farm animals, bra elastic, striped ribbons, laces -- all with amazing results.

They were spread out at the front of the room before and after the talk, and were mobbed by curious, appreciative, and delighted textile lovers.
The lacy effect is made on tulle with bra elastic, embellished with the type of ribbon you might hang war medals from --
This next one is called Black Forest and has, along with the dancing bears, silhouettes reminiscent of those "cows going up the mountain" pictures -- and two long black stockings to act as pockets! See the whole thing, and better pix of the others, at http://www.r-h-g.co.uk/ under "western artists" then "Karen Nicol".
"Spot the Dog" was once a linen tablecloth. Karen made the cutwork on her Irish machine (it has a wide satin stitch, controlled by a knee lever -- and you can work very close to the needle to add in fringe, fabric, etc) -- she used a tighter tension so some of the black bobbin thread would show. The dog is at the front of the wrap skirt, and there are other motifs among the cutwork. Karen's birds are delightful.
Another bird, among some amazing 3D flowers, embroidered on the Irish machine.Karen said she trusts in luck and draws with confidence. "I always carry a little notebook with me -- and I get inspiration from everything -- it's something I think of all the time -- it's my big pleasure."

I loved the witty titles of her pieces, too. One called "Shot Silk" had embroidered birds taken out of those paintings of still lives with dead game -- beautiful irridescent feathers, but the birds were hanging upside down. In between, cut-out circles of various sizes. First the gorgeousness of the piece hits you, then you look more closely and there's something rather subversive.


Addendum, 2017:
Ten years on, Karen has gone from strength to strength. Her website is www.karennicol.com and at the bottom of her web pages you'll find a link to her instagram account.