Weekend Review: Narrative Textiles

 

Narrative Textiles / Ailish Henderson
London: Batsford, c2024.
128 p.

Another book I picked up through my library, this one looks at stitching and mixed media work from the viewpoint of storytelling. It's by a UK author, and has that particular UK sensibility to it - lots of distressed, vintage fabrics, a kind of "messy" style, and in this case, a lot of focus on family history and stories. 

It's not a project book, per se, more of an inspirational one. While the author shares many of her projects and how-tos are included, it feels like more of a study of how to incorporate physical family textiles and materials into a more idea driven project focused on communicating a narrative. So, lots of info on preparation - which materials to use, where to find them, WHY you're using them and what you are trying to share. Whether you're focusing on family, travels, pets, personal identity/self-portraits, or similar themes, there's a technique that you'll be able to use, or at least be inspired by. 

It's a beautiful book, as Batsford publications so often are. There are full page, detailed photos of projects and lots of lovely studio shots too. Henderson incorporates her own family story and her poetry into the book, and it makes it feel quite relatable. The projects/techniques are also accessible, as they don't require specialist studio equipment, just things that stitchers might have already, or which are easily sources. 

I'm not sure it's inspired any immediate work for me, but I did enjoy it, and some of the concepts were things I want to remember. If you are interested in stitching family stories or investigating identity through textile work, this is one you would really enjoy as well. 

You can find an interview with Ailish Henderson on the podcast Stitchery Stories to hear more about her work.