nosleepnewyorkEmbroidery Artist Jessica Long
We interviewed embroidery Artist Jessica Long, better known on Instagram and the web as Namaste Embroidery. Jessica embroiders her way through life, sharing her craft with her followers through her own personal designs she creates, some which you can find in kits that she creates and sells online. We spoke to her about topics such as tips for beginner embroiders, charity causes she has helped benefit, and even what her favorite type of stitch is. Read on to learn more about this Artist and her amazing craft!
Who are you and what do you do?
Jessica Long: Hello! I am Jessica Long and I love hand embroidery. I design patterns and kits, create embroidery tutorials and try to make time for my own fiber art.
Are you a full-time embroidery Artist?
Jessica Long: Yes, but that feels weird to say! It doesn’t mean that I get to sit around creating art all day, but I wish it did.
What have been your favorite pieces you have made thus far?
Jessica Long: My personal projects are my favorite! I am stitching female portraits, embellished with embroidered details from nature. One woman has flowers for hair, another has a bonsai tree in place of her ponytail. My newest is Queen Bee, with a crown of honeycomb and a royal guard of honey bees (seen below).
We see that you’re involved with charity work. Can you tell us a little more about the causes you have worked with?
Jessica Long: I have done a couple of online auctions with the help of some other artists to aid with a number of efforts. A dear friend lost her husband to stage IV glioblastoma so one of the auctions was to raise money for the National Brain Tumor Society. A group of us also did an auction to benefit a local food bank when Texas was hit with Hurricane Harvey. It’s easy to feel so powerless with so many big, tragic things happening in the world every single day. It feels good to do something, even if it is small.
Is there a certain type of stitch that you love doing the most?
Jessica Long: I love satin stitch! It used to be my nemesis but now it shows up in all of my designs. Like anything, it just takes patience and practice.
Give us some tips for beginner embroiders looking to break into the art.
Jessica Long: Just grab the basic supplies and get cozy! I love that embroidery is very portable (just stash it in your backpack or purse and you have your art on the go!) and that the supplies are generally inexpensive. Find a kit or pattern to download to get started but it’s important to develop your own designs and style.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Jessica Long: Mornings are for emails and packing up kits for shipping. I try to spread my actual hand embroidery out throughout the week to avoid any repetitive motion injuries to my hands. So some days I don’t stitch at all! I fill in the gaps with prepping kits, working on new designs, writing up new listings and pattern directions, planning and filming tutorials, ordering supplies, balancing the books, website updates and going to yoga class.
Tell us more about your handcrafted embroidered jewelry.
Jessica Long: I use really lovely, high quality findings from a local jewelry company. I think having quality settings really helps the embroidery work stand out. I actually prefer working on a larger scale, but it’s fun to create wearable art.
What was the biggest obstacle you faced when you first began learning how to embroider?
I had my own preconceptions I had to get over. I think I originally got caught up in using the “right” fabric and doing the stitches the “right” way. But there is no embroidery police. Learn some basics but then have fun with it. It’s like any art. There are traditions, but those boundaries can be pushed. Why not? That’s what we do art for, right?
To keep up with her latest embroidery work check out Namaste Embroidery’s Instagram.