Reading · The Thread of Her Tale

A large stitched portrait of Thomas Cromwell hangs on a wall behind a rack of colourful thread. A large quilted piece showing sixteenth century handwriting is next to Cromwell. Some desk space is showing beneath that. — Thomas Cromwell: keeping a vigilant eye on my creative practice

I moved studio a couple of months ago and - as of yesterday - have finally got the new space set up ready for stitchery. It’s been a lot of work but now it’s finally ready, I can relax a little, and reflect on the move.

I have rented studio space for Stitching Cromwell since August 2022 - for four years now. Home is very small, with no space to spare, and finding that my ambitions had outgrown my living room, I decided to invest in a place to stitch (and was lucky enough to be in a position to do so). I had a couple of basic needs: somewhere quiet, and a place to which I didn’t have to commute.

Ideally, I would have been able to build a dedicated cabin in my garden - I love looking at outdoor studios - but, like the house, the garden is very small, and there’s simply no space. (Even so, I do keep looking for a tiny cabin.) Instead, I started looking for space online but couldn’t find a “proper” artist studio within walking distance. However, there was an empty office to rent in a storage facility about 6 minutes from home. Would they mind if I used it as a sewing room? No, they wouldn’t mind as long as I didn’t disturb anyone else.

I remember moving in - the excitement of choosing furniture (cabinets, an easy chair, a proper quilting chair, and - most thrilling of all - a proper extendable sewing table). With more space, I was able to work on a larger, more ambitious scale, and keep my threads and tools to hand.

Alongside building companies, heating manufacturers, drinks distributors, office services, social care agencies, and solicitors, I worked in my office-turned-studio and minded my own business. And all was well.

Last year, I realised that I wasn’t really using the studio; I seemed to be just popping in every now and then to water the plants. I started to feel that the place had served its purpose and worried that I was paying rent for no good reason. What was stopping me using the space?

Stairs. My studio was on the first floor, there was no lift, and I had developed osteoarthritis in my knee, which made a short flight of stairs a barrier. I’d get myself over to the building - the 6 minute walk now taking twice as long - and then heave myself up the stairs. And then feel overwhelmed by mess.

I started looking for an alternative space. There were other places available but getting to any of them would involve a tube or bus journey (which I knew I wouldn’t want to make) or paying yet more taxi fares (osteoarthritis is proving expensive enough as it is) and the rents were higher. What to do?

One day, I called into the reception of my current building and asked whether there was any office space available on the ground floor. Not at the moment, but there might be soon, came the reply. A few weeks later, I asked again. And then again. And suddenly, they were showing me an empty ground floor office.

And here I am, a couple of months after my moving in day - finally unpacked and pretty much sorted. Work is hanging up, images and books provide endless inspiration, my armchair isn’t piled with work in progress, the light is fantastic. I’m using the space often. This morning, I walked in to my new ground floor studio, and felt a sense of deep joy.

Yesterday I posted some images online to celebrate my new workspace. One correspondent said “it looks wonderful - literally full of wonder”. So I am sharing some of the wonders in the new home of Stitching Cromwell.