Those of you who follow me on Instagram will probably already know that after months of work I am releasing the first in a series of Textile Art Boxes by Mother Eagle. Yes they are embroidery kits, but they’re hopefully offering you a little bit more than that, hence why I’m calling them Art Boxes.

Because embroidery is art. Because the kits are about technique focus. And because first and foremost I am an artist and I’m bringing you the same art, in kit form, as I do for galleries and shows in my art practice.

How so? Well, several months ago I put a shout out on Instagram to anyone who was up for helping me with some market research so I could really dig into what you would want in a Mother Eagle version.What I learned is what I’ve produced here, so read on for more details, and how you can buy one!

Why the Stag Beetle?

It was important to me that this project line up with my artistic voice in my normal practice. To wit,  that I would be telling stories of lost and endangered species. The stag beetle is a beautiful and iconic beetle that is now extinct in most parts of Britain and Europe, and is certainly endangered elsewhere.

This design invites you to experiment with embellishment, with the added challenge of some basic goldwork (using coloured metal threads). With a little patience and care, I believe everyone can create this design, no matter their embroidery experience.

The first key point I want to highlight about these boxes is that there is no plastic packaging included whatsoever. Sequins are plastic, so I will make that distinction! But as far as throwaway or single use elements in this design, it is 100% plastic free. 

The other key aspect of these boxes is that I have included a charity donation with each purchase. As I hope these kits will make my art and design more accessible to a wider audience than my main practice does, I felt strongly that they should support the real work going on to support endangered species. With this design, £1 from every box sold will go to The People’s Trust for Endangered Species, a small UK charity with a specific stag beetle campaign. Future designs will make similar pledges to appropriate causes.

What do you get in the kit?

• 6″ Embroidery hoop
• 10″ square piece of cotton fabric
• Black felt
• 2 needles
• Gutermann black cotton thread
• All the professional-quality beads, sequins and special threads you’ll need
• 30-page fully-illustrated instruction booklet, full of my Pro-Tips for getting that extra polish
• Full colour Stag Beetle trading card with info on this amazing and endangered species

But wait there’s more!

You’ll also get my illustrated guide to mounting your work like a pro – FREE!

The only thing you don’t get are embroidery scissors, and I also *highly* recommend a seat frame or barrel clamp to hold your provided frame, or to use instead. If you don’t have one, or can’t source one, working at a table where you can set your hoop down will work okay.

The Textile Art Box costs £30 and can be bought here in my new Big Cartel store. Pre-sale opens on 1st September.

What does pre-sale mean?

Orders placed at pre-sale won’t be shipped until mid-October (I’m going on holiday!) BUT in return for your patience, I’m giving you FREE worldwide shipping AND doubling the donation to charity. After the pre-sale ends, shipping will be charged and the donation returns to normal.

So don’t wait!