Mr X Stitch

Mr X Stitch - Jamie Chalmers

His fresh and sometimes subversive work proves that this humble craft is alive and kicking and not limited to images of cute kittens and country cottages.

In a powerful video, Jamie tells the story of two of his cross stitch pieces ‘anger’ and ‘denial’ which are on display in the Billiard Room.

" Anger and denial are the first two parts of a short series of hand embroideries that I made in 2016. I started stitching them as a sort of therapy to help me process something that had happened. My wife and I had been struggling to start a family and I discovered that I was infertile. It had been a really big blow, something really hard for me to deal with."
- Mr X Stitch
Mr X Stitch - Jamie Chalmers
Mr X Stitch - Jamie Chalmers
Mr X Stitch - Jamie Chalmers

He used stitching as a form of therapy and started stitching the five stages of grief; denial, anger, negotiation, depression and acceptance. The first two pieces are ones that he completed. And after that "I kinda felt ok. So I didn’t really do the other ones".

Kaffe Fassett brings his colourful textiles to Standen
Standen House and Garden   West Sussex

The Joy is in the Making

From Saturday 29 May - Sunday 31 October 2021, 10am - 4.30pm well known makers demonstrate their creative craft. Featuring The Great Pottery Throw Down judge and ceramicist Keith Brymer Jones, world-renowned knitting, needlepoint and patchwork expert Kaffe Fassett, embroidery artist Niamh Wimperis, recently seen on The Victorian House of Arts and Crafts, internationally exhibited textile artist Mr X Stitch plus well-known presenter turned photographer Edith Bowman.

Visit the exhibition