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Studio Purge

These books, rooted primarily in English and Australian embroidery traditions, were major influences early in my work. Artists and teachers such as Jane Nicholas, Maggie Grey, and Valerie Campbell-Harding shaped how I think about surfaces, structure, and how materials behave when pushed beyond conventional use.

That way of thinking is now fully ingrained in my practice, and I no longer reach for these volumes as working references. They did exactly what they were meant to do. It’s time for them to move on and serve the same purpose for someone else.

Please note: colors may vary slightly depending on monitor settings and photography lighting.

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Valarie Campbell-Harding and Maggie Grey

Valerie Campbell-Harding and Maggie Grey are influential English authors whose work reshaped contemporary approaches to surface design, structure, and material exploration. Writing both independently and as collaborators, their books emphasize experimentation and pushing materials beyond traditional boundaries.

Several of these titles were published primarily in the UK and can be difficult to find in the United States. Edges and Finishes—a hardback edition included here—was the final book written by Valerie Campbell-Harding before her death.

While much of their work is framed around machine embroidery, the techniques are exploratory rather than traditional. The ideas presented in these books have been directly adapted into my own practice, which now relies heavily on handwork informed by their structural and conceptual approaches.

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The Australian Influence

These two books are published by Country Bumpkin Publications (Australia) and distributed in the United States by Quilter’s Resource. They are well known for their A–Z series, which focuses on traditional, highly instructional textile and embroidery techniques.

The books are methodical, clear, and rooted in established practices, offering strong foundational instruction. They served as technical references in my own early training and remain excellent resources for understanding traditional construction and finishing methods. Knowing the rules is essential before breaking them—these books provide that grounding.

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The American Authors

American authors also played an important role in shaping my work. While my path leaned toward embroidery rather than quilting, these books expanded how I approached traditional techniques and surface treatment.

Judith Baker Montano introduced ways of thinking beyond conventional embroidery structures and where experimentation could begin. Linda Kemshall and Laura Kemshall demonstrated that painted surfaces could be layered and altered after quilting—an idea that significantly shifted my early work. Kristal Wick brought a playful, accessible approach to constructed fabric beads and dimensional elements.

These books were retained for years as working references and represent the American influences that complemented my largely British and Australian reference library.