As I have mentioned before, I do have a bit of a thing for vintage embroidery.

And sometimes, I have a bit of a problem knowing what to do with it when I find myself “rescuing” it, having been unable to let all that intricate work go unappreciated.

Now I don’t know, but I do wonder whether the same feelings ever crossed Australian artist Louise Saxton’s mind.

We certainly share a love of and passion for these disappearing materials and traditions.

I came across Louise’s work recently online and at first, as I imagine most people do, I thought it was all hand-stitched.

In a way it is, though not by Louise herself.

Instead she assembles her works from reclaimed vintage embroideries and textile fragments. They are held together precariously by lace pins on a backing of nylon tulle.

The lack of any stitching or glue adds to the sense of fragility, one of the themes of her work.

In salvaging the discarded, Louise’s work pays homage to the hand of other makers, both known and unknown.

She reclaims and preserves the forgotten past, whilst respecting its ephemerality.

Which of course chimes with my own passion for reclaiming vintage fabrics and using them to make something new.

I find the delicate and ethereal beauty of Louise’s work just astonishing.

Visit her website to see more. ♥