In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Iskren Lozanov.

Iskren Lozanov is an embroidery artist living in Ibiza, originally from Bulgaria. He came third in the 3d Textiles category of The 2025 Mr X Stitch Contemporary Needlework Prize and 2nd in the Open Textile Art category in the 2024 Hand & Lock Prize.

We talk about language and identity, Ibiza as a place to make work, and how Iskren Lozanov’s practice moved from fashion into embroidery and sculptural pieces like “Rebirth” and “Veil of Transcendence”, including the research, planning, and labour behind them.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Introduction

00:01:20 - Growing up in Bulgaria and cultural influences

00:05:42 - Moving to Ibiza and what draws him to the island

00:08:56 - Lozanov’s artistic journey from fashion to sculpture and embroidery

00:11:55 - Primitiveness and beauty in Lozanov’s work, blending ancient symbols with contemporary techniques

00:18:27 - The 'Veil of Transcendence' and exploring cultural afterlife symbols

00:23:05 - His experience in art competitions and building confidence

00:24:59 - Navigating social media and creating sustainable art practices

00:34:26 - The impact of learning and personal beliefs on his views of the afterlife

00:37:46 - Techniques inspired by Orthodox and Catholic iconography

Links:

Instagram: iskrenlozano

Website: iskrenlozanov.com

Intro music is Cyber Bazaar by HATAMITSUNAMI via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Support on Patreon

Join the Green Room for weekly aftershows, monthly Q&As, and searchable transcripts.

Become an Executive Producer to join quarterly roundtables and shape the show's future.

patreon.com/c/xstitch/membership

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Katarina Orolinov.

Katarina is a Slovakian contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for laser-cut perspex panels built from lace and geometric pattern logic.

Katarina shares early making (drawing, sewing, textiles clubs) and a schooling route that builds serious technical range (embroidery, bobbin lace, weaving). We dig into heritage vs experimentation, studio life, what plays in the background while stitching, and the closing line: the dream upgrade is a laser cutting machine.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – The origin story: drawing, sewing, and deciding on art early

00:01:25 – Learning the fundamentals: embroidery, lace, weaving (the whole toolbox)

00:03:50 – Choosing your path young: how the Slovak system works

00:09:00 – Getting into art university: tests, live models, and creative tasks

00:13:00 – Heritage, but make it future: what belongs in the work (and what doesn’t)

00:19:00 – Studio life: making for work, making for fun

00:20:10 – What’s on in the background while stitching

00:27:50 – Books and blackwork (Jane Goodwin)

00:32:20 – A personal note: summers with Katarina’s grandmother in a foster-care community

00:35:25 – The closer: “I don’t want that ring. I want a laser cutting machine.”

Links:

Instagram: katarina_orolinova_art

Intro music is Below Horizon by Luwaks via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Support on Patreon

Join the Green Room for weekly aftershows, monthly Q&As, and searchable transcripts.

Become an Executive Producer to join quarterly roundtables and shape the show's future.

patreon.com/c/xstitch/membership

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Katarina Orolinov.

Katarina is a Slovakian contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for laser-cut perspex panels built from lace and geometric pattern logic.

Katarina traces the work from a bobbin‑lace brief into bitmap squares, then laser cutting/engraving perspex and stitching into it. We talk architecture as a pattern engine (glass blocks, safety glass, reflection), and the practical reality of scale: thousands of holes, modular panels, and machine‑bed limits.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – “Come to the perspex…”: lace meets laser cutting

00:02:55 – Finding patterns in glass blocks and safety glass

00:04:31 – Reflection, infinity, and letting structure do the talking

00:06:10 – Close your eyes: what the work feels like in space

00:14:45 – The jump from small pieces to a wall

00:15:52 – 2000 holes: laser cut, but every hole placed by hand (digitally)

00:18:09 – Building it as 22 panels (and why that matters)

00:21:38 – The hard limits: machine beds and human arms

00:26:13 – One pattern, many techniques: knitting/weaving/needlepoint logic

Links:

Instagram: katarina_orolinova_art

Intro music is Below Horizon by Luwaks via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Support on Patreon

Join the Green Room for weekly aftershows, monthly Q&As, and searchable transcripts.

Become an Executive Producer to join quarterly roundtables and shape the show's future.

patreon.com/c/xstitch/membership

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Charlie Reeder aka Stitchsperation.

Charlie is a cross stitch designer with an unashamedly joyful aesthetic.

In this first part of our NeedleXChange, we talk imposter syndrome, naming the inner critic (“Brenda”), and how stitching can be a safe, meditative place to build confidence.

Charlie shares ideas around stitched affirmations and repetition, plus the beginnings of Stitchsperation: bold typographic work, painted backgrounds, and designing what they couldn’t find.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - Art vs craft vs design (and getting put in boxes)

00:05:33 - What Charlie actually likes: clean lines, bright colour, CMYK

00:10:20 - The “very Charlie” look (home, colour palette, recognisable style)

00:13:43 - Brand boundaries + the “teddy bear in an igloo” problem

00:17:30 - Losing the mojo, then finding it again (and managing overwhelm)

00:24:30 - Quick-fire culture picks: books, films/TV, music

00:35:20 - Plot twist: pole dancing is the other happy place

00:38:45 - Injury, depression, and realising what matters

Links:

Website: stitchsperation.com

Instagram: stitchsperation

Intro music is Easy Breezy by Boogie Wheel via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Support on Patreon

Join the Green Room for weekly aftershows, monthly Q&As, and searchable transcripts.

Become an Executive Producer to join quarterly roundtables and shape the show's future.

patreon.com/c/xstitch/membership

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Charlie Reeder aka Stitchsperation.

Charlie is a cross stitch designer with an unashamedly joyful aesthetic.

In this first part of our NeedleXChange, we talk imposter syndrome, naming the inner critic (“Brenda”), and how stitching can be a safe, meditative place to build confidence.

Charlie shares ideas around stitched affirmations and repetition, plus the beginnings of Stitchsperation: bold typographic work, painted backgrounds, and designing what they couldn’t find.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:47 - Imposter syndrome and “Brenda” (naming the inner critic)

00:06:07 - Stitching affirmations (repetition as reprogramming)

00:10:28 - Back from Canada, broke, and making a Sweden wedding gift

00:12:00 - Painting the fabric, then stitching the words

00:14:42 - Aesthetic in one phrase: “Typographic bright shit?”

00:15:41 - Positivity without going “toxic”

00:17:25 - Cross stitch as TV-time sanity (not doom scrolling)

Links:

Website: stitchsperation.com

Instagram: stitchsperation

Intro music is Easy Breezy by Boogie Wheel via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Support on Patreon

Join the Green Room for weekly aftershows, monthly Q&As, and searchable transcripts.

Become an Executive Producer to join quarterly roundtables and shape the show's future.

patreon.com/c/xstitch/membership

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Ruth O'Leary.

Ruth O'Leary is an award-winning embroiderer who’s been exploring AI image generation as a tool for design, iteration, and self-expression.

In part two, we move from the big AI conversation into the grounded maker reality: how Ruth learned needlework, what the Embroiderers’ Guild taught her, and why community still matters even in an online world.

Ruth also breaks down their process — using AI outputs as reference material, collaging and redrawing in Procreate, then translating it into applique and embroidery — plus a quick run through favourite sci‑fi and a brilliant family‑history curveball.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - The Crafting Landscape: A Need for More Exposure

00:02:46 - Roots of Creativity: Personal Journeys in Needlework

00:04:47 - Community and Learning: The Value of Guilds

00:07:51 - Bridging Generations: Attracting Youth to Craft Guilds

00:11:07 - Digital vs. Physical: The Evolution of Craft Communities

00:12:58 - Exploring Techniques: The Art of Stitching

00:14:32 - Cultural Reflections: The Influence of Music and Film

00:25:12 - Heritage and Legacy: Stitching Poetry into Art

Links:

Website: rostara.co.uk

Instagram: rostara.handmade

Intro music is Far Enough by Shiver Disk via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Support on Patreon

Join the Green Room for weekly aftershows, monthly Q&As, and searchable transcripts.

Become an Executive Producer to join quarterly roundtables and shape the show's future.

patreon.com/c/xstitch/membership

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

Social: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Ruth O'Leary.

Ruth O'Leary is an award-winning embroiderer who’s been exploring AI image generation as a tool for design, iteration, and self-expression.

We talk about AI as a “new medium” (and the early chaotic phase of it), parallels with the Jacquard loom and past industrial shifts, the difference between screen-based fakery and physical needlework, and how Ruth uses AI outputs as reference material that gets reimagined through applique + embroidery to speed up making without losing what Ruth loves about stitching.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - Exploring AI Art and Personal Journey

00:04:20 - The Evolution of Artistic Expression through AI

00:07:03 - The Unexpected Outcomes of AI in Art

00:12:46 - The Impact of Technology on Traditional Crafts

00:15:35 - Navigating the Challenges of AI and Authenticity

00:18:34 - The Balance of Speed and Craftsmanship in Art

00:22:17 - The Role of AI in Realizing Artistic Visions

00:25:07 - The Process of Creation and Inspiration

Links:

Website: rostara.co.uk

Instagram: rostara.handmade

Intro music is Far Enough by Shiver Disk via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange:

NeedleXChange is a conversation podcast with embroidery and textile artists, exploring their process and practice.

Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers, it is an in-depth showcase of the best needlework artists on the planet.

Visit the NeedleXChange website: needl.exchange

Sign up for the NeedleXChange Newsletter here: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

If you want embroidery inspiration and regular doses of textile art, visit the Mr X Stitch site here: mrxstitch.com

If you're looking for modern cross stitch designs, then XStitch is the magazine you need!

Find out more here: xstitchmag.com

And follow Mr X Stitch on all the usual social media channels!

• Facebook: mrxstitch
• Instagram: mrxstitch
• Pinterest: mrxstitch
• YouTube: mrxstitch
• LinkedIn: mrjamiechalmers

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Robert John Hodge.

Robert John Hodge makes cross-stitch work based on Renaissance sculptures, using a CMYK / screenprint-style layering approach and recurring Wingdings symbols.

In this half we jump into Robert’s newer series - smaller, quicker pieces that work like little stitched collages: videogames, screenshots, photos, culture… and, for reasons we absolutely get into, a whole run of nuclear weapons tests.

Part 2 is where we widen out into the stuff that feeds the work: horror films from the 70s and 80s, documentaries that stitch history into a continuum, Kate Bush and Wagner, and even T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land as a kind of cultural collage blueprint.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 – Cross stitch as a serious art medium

00:05:44 – Challenging the “serious art” prejudice

00:07:50 – Balancing making work and making money

00:09:02 – Art-world reality: logistics + day job

00:11:22 – Film influences + nostalgia threads

00:18:16 – A wide media diet (and why it matters)

00:24:53 – Literary influences: T.S. Eliot and collage thinking

00:26:52 – Looping + obsession as the creative engine

Links:

Website: robertjohnhodge.com

Instagram: robertjohnhodge

Intro music is Cotton Candy by Cospe via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange:

NeedleXChange is a conversation podcast with embroidery and textile artists, exploring their process and practice.

Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers, it is an in-depth showcase of the best needlework artists on the planet.

Visit the NeedleXChange website: needl.exchange

Sign up for the NeedleXChange Newsletter here: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

If you're looking for modern cross stitch designs, then XStitch is the magazine you need!

Find out more here: xstitchmag.com

And follow Mr X Stitch on all the usual social media channels!

• Facebook: mrxstitch
• Instagram: mrxstitch
• Pinterest: mrxstitch
• YouTube: mrxstitch
• LinkedIn: mrjamiechalmers