Be like a boomerang and make!

I know I've blogged about Jillian Tamaki's stitched covers for Penguin Threads before, and no doubt you've seen these amazing pieces on the interwebs, so fast forward to the launch party at Purl Soho....

It was packed! People were snatching up books and there was a line to see the original embroideries, which were INCREDIBLE to see in person. Damn me for forgetting my camera! The artist was in conversation with Elda Rotor, Associate Publisher and Editorial Director at Penguin. It was interesting to learn that the whole idea started when the Creative Director, Paul Buckley, saw this very embroidery piece by Erin Paisley on a little site called Etsy!

side note: this was Lost at Sea curated by Kristen Rask at Gallery Hanahou. I had a few pieces in this show too!

The most inspiring part of the talk was how Jillian, an illustrator, was found by Penguin - As a personal project she had made a quilt with stitched monsters that took forever. Just to share it she put it on her blog, and after seeing this amazing quilt Penguin's Creative Director sought her out. She said...

sometimes just putting something out in the world, you can have something come back to you

The take away for me was - Be weird. Be brave. Make something from you, of you, what ever it is that inspires you. Take risks and then share it! You never know what it may bring you....

via Jillian Tamaki

Check out this Penguin video for a very similar conversation to the one at Purl. 

Aren't those monsters rad?! 

Stories in Needle & Thread...

Check out the latest embroidered book covers from the Penguin Thread Series by Rachell Sumpter.... totally awe inspiring!







I just saw the first series by Jillian Tamaki at Purl Soho. They are truly impressive! The covers are embossed, so you can feel the stitches, AND the inside of the covers show the back of the embroideries. Seriously smart design + impressive stitchery.

I'm so curious about both these ladies embroidery work.  It's just so crazy good. So I'll definitely attend this event on Nov. 8th - a book release party at Purl Soho for the first of Penguins Thread series. The artist Jillian Tamaki + Penguin peeps will be there to talk about the book covers and the actual embroideries will be there too!

drop your jaw embroidery....

These Penguin book covers by Jillian Tamaki are stunning, so full of detail - just beautiful. There are so many different types of stitches and complex details! Even the little Penguin logo seems to be embroidered- ahh-maz-zing! I gush, I gush, but just look....

Right, see? amazing! My favorite has to be the Emma cover - that braided hair - or the Black Beauty back cover. Seeing the finished pieces you can tell so much time and work went into the pieces, and the above work-in-progress image give you an appreciation for the many, many hours of hand embroidery involved one stitch at a time - sore hands, sore neck, back aches and all.

find Jillian Tamaki here: website, (images via) Jillian Tamaki Sketchblog, etc.
found via: my love for you.