A local Islington community organisation has reached more than 400 people through hand embroidery courses designed to bring people together, support wellbeing and reduce social isolation.
Lady Stitch Embroidery, founded in 2024, is using the traditional craft of hand embroidery to create welcoming spaces where local people can learn a new skill, meet others and take time away from the pressures of everyday life.
Since launching in November 2024, Lady Stitch has delivered 30 courses and workshops, benefiting more than 400 people. The organisation now works with community centres, housing organisations, charities and other local groups to bring embroidery opportunities into neighbourhoods across Islington and surrounding areas.
While participants come to learn embroidery, the sessions often become about much more than stitching.
Small groups sit together around a table, learning at their own pace, chatting, sharing stories and helping one another. For some participants, the sessions provide an opportunity to reconnect with others after periods of loneliness or isolation. For others, they offer a chance to slow down, put away their phones and spend time doing something creative with other people.
We see people arrive to our sessions not knowing anyone and, over the course of a few weeks, become more confident, start talking to each other and form friendships. The shared experience makes socialising feel less daunting because you have something to do with your hands and something to talk about. People can simply sit, stitch and chat at their own pace, which makes it much easier to connect with others.
Lady Stitch courses are designed to be accessible to beginners as well as people who already have experience with needlework. Participants can choose from different techniques and learn traditional hand embroidery, raised embroidery or Japanese Sashiko, with projects progressing gradually from simple techniques to more challenging stitches.
The organisation has been supported by Islington Council via micro grants, and worked with a range of local community organisations, including housing groups, community centres and charities. Its courses have attracted people from different generations and backgrounds, creating opportunities for people who might not otherwise meet to share a common interest.
Lady Stitch is now looking to expand its work further across Islington, bringing affordable and accessible creative activities into more local communities.
Juliana says:
Modern technology has made everything in our lives faster. We are constantly connected, constantly doing and constantly moving on to the next thing. But that isnβt how human beings have evolved. We need time to pause, to simply be present. Embroidery offers the perfect outlet to bring this most needed pause to people's lives. And when you share that experience around a table with others, youβre not only creating something with your hands but also creating connections and building community.
