“Fabric junkie, feminist and globetrotter” – who can say that about themselves? Have you ranked this description in order of importance on your Instagram profile?
If these attributes were really ranked in order of importance, they would be feminist, globetrotter, and fabric junkie - but since this is my professional textile art account, I put fabric junkie first. There is so much value in art, and I have a bit of a weakness for pretty, patterned textiles even though my priority is feminism. For me, the old adage about the political nature of the private holds true - and that is one of the foundations of my work.
How do you prefer to travel?
Budget! I have always loved backpacking and camping - it connects you with people and experiences you would never have otherwise. Some of my most memorable travel experiences were in India in 2010, travelling by train at night and sleeping here and there. The friendships I made there six years ago are still the most important of my life.
The next question I simply have to ask is: Can hand embroidery, as a traditional women’s craft, have a feminist message?
She can and she must. Weaving a traditional women's craft with feminist messages is subversive. It creates a space where femininity and resistance meet.
What inspires you?
I am always most inspired when I am embroidering a feminist piece. Sometimes a quick glance at a passage from bell hooks or Ivan Coyote or Dean Spade is enough to feel inspired. Often I am also inspired by the incredible feminist work of numerous organizations. Sometimes documentaries or even tweets. "Riots not Diets", "Fuck your Gender Norms" and "Feminist as Fuck" have been odes in my ears since I was a student.
Is working with needle and thread a family tradition or how did it start for you?
No, not at all, I don't come from a creative family. My love for thread began in 1999 when a friend of my mother gave me a book of stitch patterns. The rest is history.
Where do you live and what does your workplace look like?
I live in Calgary, Canada. My workspace is a small desk that oscillates between extreme order and complete chaos, so covered in thread that you would hardly suspect a desk underneath. It stands by a large window that opens onto the hills and clouds. There I can embroider in peace.
I have to admit, I like your embroidered fucks the most 
What other strategies do you have to breathe new life into the world of embroidery?
I love to surprise, to scold and to challenge people to debate or to think. I think a lot of people react to the fuck because it combines the obscene with the tender and beautiful. I like to think up messages that combine opposites. The more extreme the better.
If you had the chance to create a major work for a museum, what would you like to produce?
I think it would be a collection of vaginas. We women are often drowned in images of what vaginas should look like and the only acceptable representatives are shaved and reshaped. The number of women and young girls who have labiaplasty because of this speaks volumes about our cultural obsession with the female genitalia and I would like to create a work that points to this trend.
What are your favorite accounts on Instagram?
I like other embroidery accounts @eradura , @threadhoney and @marigoldandmars . For her printmaking, I admire @richellebergen .
