Case Study by Jackie du Plessis

There is a saying that we often use here at Inspirations and it goes like this:

Making the world more beautiful one stitch at a time.

It would be easy to just dismiss this as either a cliché or a marketing slogan, and yet it is neither of these, and something far more poignant.

Throughout history there has been a raging debate as to the importance of the ‘arts’ in society.

That debate is an old one. Plato worried that art was a dangerous imitation of reality, capable of stirring the emotions at the expense of reason, and for centuries philosophers and moralists echoed him - art was ornamental at best, frivolous or even corrupting at worst.

Utility was what mattered: food, shelter, industry, progress. Beauty was something you addressed once the real work was done, if there was time left over. And yet the tension persisted precisely because it could never be resolved so simply - every society that tried to strip art from daily life found something essential missing, some part of what makes us human quietly starved.

What we have since learned, through neuroscience, psychology and simply the accumulated experience of living, is that art is not decoration bolted onto necessity.

Art is a necessity in its own right.

It regulates mood, builds focus, connects us to community and to history, and gives shape and meaning to the ordinary hours of a life. Which is precisely why a needle, a length of thread, and an unhurried hour at a hoop is no small thing.

Which brings us to today’s stunning project Case Study by Jackie du Plessis from Inspirations magazine issue #131.

With a hidden message in its name, Case Study is a gorgeous linen case created using a variety of counted thread stitches featuring a clever, symmetrical floral design and a rich palette of antique reds and vibrant greens.

The name also signifies a case study in the very concept of making the world more beautiful one stitch at a time.The name also signifies a case study in the very concept of making the world more beautiful one stitch at a time.

Why use a mass produced, commercially available case or storage vessel when you can hand craft your very own remarkable piece of stitched art for all to admire when used?

Look closely at Case Study and no two panels are stitched quite the same. While the carnation motif returns again and again across the design, each one has a unique expression.

From mosaic stitch, Smyrna stitch, rice stitch to tent stitch, it’s as though Jackie couldn’t resist asking the same flower a different question each time. And yet from a distance it reads as one design, whole and unhurried, the way a good piece of music can vary its theme without ever losing the tune.

Worked in a single strand of silk throughout in six soft shades of antique rose, deep red and green, this combination of material and colour palette rises to the occasion to create a richly detailed and dramatic aesthetic.

Inside Case Study you’ll find dark red silk lining with a folded divider perfectly suited to house skeins of thread.

Alternatively, remove the divider and use Case Study to house any manner of treasures you might have that are begging for a glorious new home.

Thank you, Jackie, for creating a truly stunning piece of embroidered art that is both practical and beautiful, proof that the two were never meant to be separated.Thank you, Jackie, for creating a truly stunning piece of embroidered art that is both practical and beautiful, proof that the two were never meant to be separated.

Ready-to-Stitch kits for Case Study are now available to purchase using the link below.

Inspirations has partnered with Fiber Talk to bring you fascinating interviews with designers sharing further insights into their projects featured in Inspirations magazine issue #131.

This week you can join Gary & Beth as they catch up with Jackie du Plessis and discuss the project Case Study in detail including her inspiration behind the project, the stitches she selected and discuss the finishing and construction of the project where Jackie goes through the various steps and shows how to execute them.

This is an extremely helpful podcast for anyone interested in creating your own Case Study.

To listen to the podcast, click HERE.