Angela Daymond is a textile artist, quilter and teacher who just loves to stitch.

Angela was taught to sew by her mum and worked tirelessly on her children’s Holly Hobby sewing machine growing up. Today, she is rarely found without a needle in her hand and enjoys being driven to places so she can sit back and stitch.

As a qualified teacher, Angela loves to share her passion by teaching anyone from beginner to advanced. Her specialisms are hand stitching (particularly kantha stitching), and natural dyeing. Two very traditional techniques that are increasingly popular with today’s stitchers.

She notes that the simplicity of kantha work is one of the reasons that she is so fond of this technique – – “where you can take needle, thread and fabric and with just one stitch, the running stitch, create abstract and representational images with lots of texture.”

Her first foray into natural dyeing came over 40 years ago when she deliberately squashed elderberries onto the bottom of a white dress. Now, Angela uses many plants native to the UK for her dyeing and specialises in using woad, the oldest blue plant dye in Northern Europe. She says it’s a real thrill to use a plant that was grown so far back in time and when she is dyeing with woad she is a part of history, walking with Robin Hood in his Lincoln Green or with Boudicca and her warriors .

Angela has published three kantha books and a DVD on natural dyeing. She also has put out a range of hand sewing Kantha kits which are suitable for all levels. Stitching happiness and relaxation in a box!

Signature Technique:

Kantha running stitch and natural dyeing.

Top Tips:

– The consistency of your stitch is more important than the size.
– Enjoy the unpredictability and uniqueness of natural dyeing.
– HB pencil can be used to transfer a pattern and then washed out easily.