Journal With Thread: A practical guide to sewing seasonal stories in fabric & thread with iron-on transfers
Jessie Chorley
David & Charles
I have long since followed Jessie from early days, her shop in London was always a must visit, yet I never did. As a more niche artist, I looked on with pride as she carved her own path and eccentric style, more suited in another time or age? In my mind, her designs were always one off, never to be repeated. Yet within her teaching career she began to create repeated designs for others to follow…yet with one key factor, they were always from that original hand drawn hand sewn outline - this was not a stab at becoming universal, she was not selling herself and her artistry to the winder market - this was all her own plan, her own design….very much her trademark. As time has gone on, she has never lost that handmade approach and her authenticity is her superpower. She always chose to self publish, so imagine my surprise when she released the news on Instagram that D&C were about to publish her book. Oh no, I thought, have you sold yourself in order to create a name? I need not have worried. On reading this title I was reassured, soothed that her voice was not lost, it was found residing in a greater light…here is why…
The diagrams and drawings - all jessies hand, reprinted.
The content, has been chosen carefully, not to reveal all of her ways and wonders, she simply crafts a view - the rest is hers to keep.
The patterns are all ones she has chosen to show us, all carefully reprinted from her original drawings and printed at the back of this book.
There are several projects to work along with, yet the exact nature of them is ours to choose. She uses the words ‘prompt’ thats what I feel we are getting; enough guidance without losing the hand of ourselves, our own unique artistry.
This book will be a wonderful gift for those who have followed her work all along. It will also be exciting to see how other audiances connect with it. Its simple enough to gift even a younger reader, one who is journeying on the first steps of embroidery.
This is simply Jessie in a hardback, nothing lost - the only thing that can come from this book is a future….
I looked at this book and my first emotion was disappointment, yet I came away with the opposite view - Jessie this is wonderful, you have done it, you have managed what artists before you have lacked…you have kept you, no matter the learning, no matter the chances, thank you for not changing and instead giving us a way of having just a little part in your world - because you yourself, have your own as a treasure.