NeedleXChange | Podcast on RSS.com

NeedleXChange

by Jamie Chalmers

Sean Alistair - Nothing Ever Really Ends Part 2 [NX145]

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Sean Alistair, a Germany-based contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for work that mixes beauty, chaos, identity and emotional honesty. In this part, we move from the studio into parenthood. Sean talks about becoming a dad, the strange way men are praised for basic childcare, how having a baby interrupts and reshapes a creative life, and the difference between Sean Alistair the artist and Sean the dad. We also spin through Sean's cultural touchpoints, but the conversation was so good that I omitted to dig into Sean's artistic practice. So tune in next week for that part of the chat! Links: Website: seanalistair.com Instagram: sean.alistair Intro music is Main Line (Instrumental Version) by Torii Wolf via Epidemic Sound. About NeedleXChange An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers. Stay Connected needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

Sean Alistair - Nothing Ever Really Ends [NX144]

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Sean Alistair, a Germany-based contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for work that mixes beauty, chaos, identity and emotional honesty. In this first part we focus on Into the Wild, the exhibition Sean curated to build community rather than simply put work on walls. We talk about diversity without tokenism, what it means to be an outsider artist, labels like queer, bipolar and textile artist, and how Sean thinks about making, destroying and remaking work as part of the same creative life. Links: Website: seanalistair.com Instagram: sean.alistair Intro music is Main Line (Instrumental Version) by Torii Wolf via Epidemic Sound. About NeedleXChange An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers. Stay Connected needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

Renan Estivan - Bodies at Rest Part 2 [NX143]

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Renan Estivan, a São Paulo-based contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for queer tapestries that put the male body at their centre. In this part we get into Maressia and Bataille's idea that the post-industrial body isn't allowed to rest, what slow work has taught Renan about his own queerness, why textile slips past the censors in ways photography doesn't, his current Marseille solo show L'Homme Renommé, and his cultural touchpoints. Links: Website: renanestivan.com Instagram: renan.estivan Intro music is Ordinary Love by Vicki Vox via Epidemic Sound. About NeedleXChange An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers. Stay Connected needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

Renan Estivan - Bodies at Rest [NX142]

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Renan Estivan, a São Paulo-based contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for queer tapestries that put the male body at their centre. In Part 1 we get into his mum's Arraíolos rugs and the embroidery tradition she passed on, choosing design at UNESP over art, how the pandemic in Salvador collided with a pixel-art drawing to spark his first erotic cross stitch, his shift onto the tufting gun, and the Brazilian tapestry lineage running from Kennedy Bahia and Tropicália through Leonilson. Links: Website: renanestivan.com Instagram: renan.estivan Intro music is Ordinary Love by Vicki Vox via Epidemic Sound. About NeedleXChange An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers. Stay Connected needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

Shea Wilkinson - Mystery is the Method Part 2 [NX141]

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Shea Wilkinson, a contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for switching mediums to protect their balance - and chasing the next beautiful pattern. Shea talks candidly about quitting quilting “at the snap of a finger,” taking a two-year hiatus from art, and why felting became a healthier, slower practice - less addictive, less competition-driven, and more sustainable day to day. We get into process and motivation (including using audiobooks to pull yourself into the studio), plus how parenthood sparked a new series idea: photographing soap bubbles up close as bifurcation/fractal landscapes. And yes - we end on sequins, shiny things, and the weirdly deep joy of sparkle. Links: Website: sheawilkinson.com Intro music is Martyr by Nevin via Epidemic Sound. About NeedleXChange An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers. Stay Connected needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

Shea Wilkinson - Mystery is the Method [NX140]

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Shea Wilkinson, a contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for turning big questions into fibre work - from the cosmic to the microscopic. Shea’s practice moves between felt backgrounds, needle felting, hand embroidery, beading, and a research-led obsession with things like crystals, geometry, and the mystery of what we can’t quite explain. Links: Website: sheawilkinson.com Intro music is Martyr by Nevin via Epidemic Sound. About NeedleXChange An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers. Stay Connected needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

Charlotte Woods - Beauty in Ugliness Part 2 [NX139]

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Charlotte Wood, a mixed media artist known for exploring the beauty in ugliness through character-led, emotionally resonant work. Charlotte trained through an MA in embroidery and works across hand, machine, and sculptural textile approaches - with a deep curiosity for how craft and experimentation collide. We go deep on her making: learning the rules before breaking them, moving from perfectionism towards controlled chaos, what commercial embroidery taught her about speed and being “less precious”, and how her technician/teaching role (plus special effects + foam fabrication skills) are shaping what she wants to build next. Links: Instagram: woodsembroidery Website: woodsembroidery.weebly.com Intro music is Ever So Blue by Hearth via Epidemic Sound. About NeedleXChange An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers. Stay Connected needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

Charlotte Woods - Beauty in Ugliness [NX138]

In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Charlotte Wood, a mixed media artist known for exploring the beauty in ugliness through character-led, emotionally resonant work. Charlotte’s recent practice includes a standout 3D textile sculpture, “the man on the chair”, alongside layered narrative pieces where colour, form, and surface stitch carry memory and mood. We talk about her Hand & Lock journey, how she uses characters to hold sadness and introspection without losing joy, and the Leonard Cohen influence behind the work — plus how ideas like object constancy and “finding balance” show up in what she makes. Links: Instagram: woodsembroidery Website: woodsembroidery.weebly.com Intro music is Ever So Blue by Hearth via Epidemic Sound. About NeedleXChange An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers. Stay Connected needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

Robert Ossant & Jessica Pile - The Art of Couture Embroidery Part 2 [NX137]

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Jessica Pile and Robert Ossant. Jessica Pile and Robert Ossant are researchers and authors focused on couture embroidery, combining technical analysis with historical and creative context to better understand how and why these works are made. In this second half of the conversation, we move beyond the garments themselves into the wider landscape of fashion. Topics include the economics of clothing, sustainability, and the tension between high fashion and everyday wear. The discussion also turns to education, skill development, and the personal journeys that led Jessica and Robert into embroidery and fashion history, offering insight into what it takes to build a creative career in this field. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:15 - Historical Influences: Icons of Fashion 00:06:06 - The Business of Fashion: Balancing Art and Commerce 00:12:03 - Personal Journeys: From Passion to Profession 00:25:43 - Exploring Emotional Literature 00:27:42 - Musical Favorites and Nostalgia 00:30:20 - Cinematic Classics and Personal Connections 00:32:40 - Parenting and Children's Entertainment 00:39:06 - Unexpected Insights and Future Projects Links: Instagram: houseofossant & jessicajane_pile Intro music is Lost Lover Undercover by Ryan James Carr via Epidemic Sound. About NeedleXChange An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers. Stay Connected needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

Robert Ossant & Jessica Pile - The Art of Couture Embroidery [NX136]

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Jessica Pile and Robert Ossant. Jessica Pile and Robert Ossant are researchers and authors focused on couture embroidery, combining technical analysis with historical and creative context to better understand how and why these works are made. In this conversation, we explore their approach to breaking down couture garments - examining not just the stitches, but the ideas behind them. The discussion moves through fashion history, the role of inspiration versus technique, and how couture functions as both a creative laboratory and a cultural statement. Along the way, we consider the relationship between fashion and art, and how embroidery sits at the centre of that dialogue. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:15 - Introduction to Fashion Embroidery 00:02:31 - Overview of the Book's Purpose 00:04:19 - Deep Dives into Designers 00:09:36 - Selecting Designers for the Book 00:11:18 - Gaining Respect for Italian Designers 00:19:17 - Inspiration vs. Intimidation in Embroidery 00:27:16 - The Disconnect Between Runway and Reality 00:35:10 - Economic Disparities in Fashion 00:37:02 - The Art of Fashion: A Complex Relationship 00:38:25 - Sustainability in Couture: A New Era Links: Instagram: houseofossant & jessicajane_pile Intro music is Lost Lover Undercover by Ryan James Carr via Epidemic Sound. About NeedleXChange An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers. Stay Connected needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

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