I’m Kelly Fletcher, an embroidery artist and author. I work from home in the coastal village of Wilderness, South Africa, where I live with my husband. And you’ll usually find me listening to podcasts, audio books or with the tennis on while stitching.

I fell in love with embroidery in my mid-20s and began designing early on, when I couldn’t find patterns for the things I wanted to embroider. I like fresh, modern designs stitched in beautiful colours. And I find the detail you can get with hand embroidery hugely appealing, things like insect feet or recreating a Fair Isle knitting pattern in embroidery stitches. I enjoy figuring out how to use different stitches to build up a design, rather than sticking with one or two and simply stitching over an outline.

I also like embroidering more unusual things, like insects and jellyfish, keys and alphabets, books and snails.

I soon realised – when blogs were just starting to become a thing – that there were others like me out there and online. Embroiderers who appreciated the stitches and techniques in traditional embroidery but wanted to stitch more modern designs in fresh colours. And so I combined the skills I’d picked up working in media and publishing with my love for hand embroidery to turn my designs into patterns and make them available online for anyone, anywhere in the world to stitch.

Then, I was simply offering other modern embroiderers designs that they felt excited to stitch. Now, my aim is not only to come up with fresh and original designs but also to make it as interesting and easy as possible for you to enjoy doing embroidery too.

“So many stitches are beautiful and interesting to work that the embroideress who is prepared to abandon the unimaginative use of stem, chain, satin and petit point will soon find how richly she is rewarded.” – Barbara Snook, author of Embroidery Stitches (Batsford, 1963)

EDITORIAL COMMISSIONS

I’ve worked in various creative roles in media and publishing over the years, combining these skills with a love for needlework to create content for magazines, books and kits as well as my own patterns. I know the editorial process well and can follow a brief or brainstorm ideas, create original designs, write copy and comprehensive instructions, embroider samples for photography and stick to a schedule.

I’ve created content for magazines with a focus on needlecraft and creativity, authored and contributed to books on stitching and embroidery, and designed a range of kits for Quarto. This work includes:

Ideas Embroidery standalone magazine supplement (South Africa)

Embroidered Home (Kyle Books, UK) / Kirjottu Kissa (Makela, Finland)

Embroidery Designs range of kits (Quarto, US)

Stitch! The Complete Guide to Handstitching & Embellishing Techniques by Margaret Rowan (UK) / Handsewn by Margaret Rowan (US)

Stitch It Yourself by Petra Harms (Droemer Knaur, Germany)

If you’d like to chat about your idea or any other project involving needle and thread, please get in touch on kellyfletcherdesigns@gmail.com.

TESTIMONIALS

“We were just talking about how rare it is that you have someone who can design well and has great stitch technique – your work is certainly up there." – Anna Scott, former editor of Inspirations magazine, Australia

“It was such a pleasure working with you – great projects, on deadline, clean copy and and and…” – Terena le Roux, editor of Ideas magazine, South Africa

"You work so neatly!" – Dala Watts, creative director of Ideas magazine, South Africa

"It's been a pleasure working with you on another one of these beautiful kits! Your work is lovely, and you're such a pro." – Leah Jenness, editor for becker&mayer! (Quarto), United States

"Thank you for the high quality of material that you supplied us, it is always a joy to work with such a professional! Your work is exquisite." – Lenna Green, co-creator of Kindred Stitches magazine, Australia

“Love this designer! In my opinion Kelly Fletcher is the best contemporary designer.” – Paula Marcondes (RIP), embroidery teacher, Sao Paulo, Brazil