Materials, Meaning and Care: Looking After Your Embroidered Pieces

Caring for What Is Made Slowly

When you choose one of my pieces, you are not simply buying an object. You are taking guardianship of a small, patiently made work that carries time, touch and attention within it.

Every brooch, earring, beaded jewel or embroidered shell begins life far from speed or automation. These works are built stitch by stitch, bead by bead, often over many hours, using materials selected not only for their beauty, but for their integrity and longevity.

Caring for your piece is not about rigid rules, but about understanding and honouring the materials and processes that brought it into being.

Materials with a Story

I work exclusively with the highest quality materials, sourced from trusted suppliers who share a commitment to craft.

Silk threads are dyed by hand, resulting in nuanced colour, depth and tonal variation that cannot be replicated through industrial processes. These silks respond to light and movement, lending each piece a quiet sense of life.

Foundational elements are constructed using 100 percent wool felt, chosen for its strength, softness and natural resilience. Wool provides a stable yet breathable surface for embroidery, supporting intricate stitching while allowing the work to age gracefully.

Beadwork is created using Japanese glass beads from Miyuki and Toho, renowned worldwide for their precision, consistency and luminous finish. These beads allow for detailed, controlled work and ensure that the structure of each piece remains strong over time.

Many pieces also incorporate traditional goldwork techniques. Goldwork purls are fine, hollow metal wires, coiled like tiny springs. They are available in different finishes, including smooth purl with a high shine, rough purl with a softer, matte surface, and pearl purl, which has a delicate beaded texture. These wires are cut into small sections, often referred to as chips, and carefully couched onto the surface of the work, sometimes over padding, to create raised, sculptural detail.

Goldwork purls are inherently delicate. Their beauty lies in their softness and flexibility, but this also means they respond best to gentle handling and thoughtful care. Over time, and with proper treatment, they will develop a subtle patina rather than wear.

Shell pieces incorporate carefully selected natural shells, each one chosen for its unique form and surface. Embroidery is applied in conversation with the shell rather than imposed upon it, allowing the natural character of the material to remain present.

Because these materials are refined, natural and often traditional, they benefit from a slower, more considered approach to care.

Wearing Your Art

Wearable embroidery and beadwork should be treated much like fine textiles or heirloom jewellery. These pieces are designed to be worn, loved and lived with, but not hurried through the harsher moments of daily life.

To preserve their beauty, keep your wearable art away from liquids, humidity and moisture, which may tarnish metal elements and weaken threads over time. Always remove your piece before bathing, swimming or sleeping. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can soften colours, particularly hand-dyed silks, so allow your jewellery to rest away from strong light when not being worn.

Apply perfumes, sprays and lotions before wearing your piece, not after. Direct contact with chemicals can dull finishes and compromise fibres and metalwork. Handle each piece gently and mindfully, remembering that embroidery, beadwork and goldwork are intentionally intricate and finely balanced.

When not in use, store your jewellery in a cool, dark place, ideally in a jewellery box, where it can rest without pressure, friction or tangling. Treated this way, your piece will continue to age with quiet elegance.

Caring for Your Embroidered Shell

An embroidered shell is a small sculptural artwork. It is inspired by the ocean, but it is not meant to return to it.

Each shell has been stitched entirely by hand, responding to its natural curves and imperfections. To preserve its surface and detail, keep your shell away from liquids and humidity, including household products such as furniture polish, as moisture may tarnish metal elements and affect the embroidery.

Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight to prevent fading, and handle gently whenever moving or repositioning the piece. These works are best displayed or stored where they can be appreciated without frequent disturbance.

A Shared Responsibility

Handmade work invites a different kind of relationship. It rewards attentiveness and patience, and in return offers depth, individuality and longevity. By caring for your piece thoughtfully, you become part of its story, ensuring it remains something to be worn, displayed and cherished for years to come.

If you ever have questions about caring for a specific piece, I am always happy to help.

These works may leave my hands, but they never leave the care with which they were made.