Diary of an Intern: Julia at Hand and Lock, week 2

Hello fellow stitchers, I'm back with my latest update about my work experience at Hand and Lock. As it draws near to a month since I started my internship, it feels I've reached a milestone. Reflecting back on the last two weeks, I recognise I am currently on the steep rise of the 'learning curve'. As tasks have become more complicated it sometimes feels I am taking one step forward and two steps back.

However, through this hindsight I notice how much I am absorbing and learning from watching, listening and through my own practice. I suppose this process can be likened to any newly learnt skill. Working with such outstanding and talented embroiderers and designers can be overwhelming and it has amplified how much more I wish to grow. This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop my skills as much as I possibly can.

Spring is in the air in London and Hand and Lock are currently sampling for their Spring Summer 2016 collection. It’s really exciting as we are also able to contribute ideas. As interns we are generating embellishment samples and this week I have been given the creative freedom to create some fabric origami samples.

I had explored this technique with the dress that I made for the Hand and Lock Prize. It has been a lot of fun to experiment further with new patterns and concepts. I have been working on a shell motif which may be layered to give detail. Where the paper is normally folded in regular origami, here we have applied a pleat. I could happily while away many hours doing fabric origami.

Another real joy during the last two weeks has been becoming familiar with the different applications of embroidery depending upon its purpose. For example embellishment on a shoe, sash, scarf or military uniform can require a different approach. To begin with the obvious, different needles and threads should be used depending upon the material and expected result. Some tasks are better to work in an embroidery hoop and others in a frame. When applying a stitch, account needs to be taken into the precise angle of the needle along with careful manipulation of the thread as it travels through the material.

At the moment I am stitching hand embroidered badges onto leather, which will eventually be made into slippers. They are adorable 'coats of arms' framed by two bunny rabbits. However these two harmless emblems have proved quite a challenge for me. Understandably they should be attached with an 'invisible' stitch and they are to be edged in gold. The most challenging aspect for me was anchoring these delicate badges so that they remained precisely in position whilst sewing through a tough fabric. This may sound straight forward but it is a little trickier than it seems as you can't simply pin them because it will damage the handwork.

Following a traditional and meticulous method has been my solution to the task and now it is well underway. The best part about it nearing the end of the month is that I feel I have learnt so much already and there are still two more months left.

Hi, I'm Julia! Based in Amsterdam, I am an embroidery enthusiast with a life long passion for textiles. I will be contributing during my work placement at the prestigious Hand and Lock a London based, embroidery and embellishment company with 250 years of heritage.

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