Italian cross stitch designer Tania Santarelli is a book writer, blogger and exhibition organiser! She gives us a peek into her busy stitching life
Interview by Julian Odessa
Tania Santarelli’s work will be familiar to readers, as we included her cute ‘lavender lady’ cushion in issue 400! We chatted to her about her cross stitch origins and writing her new book Cross Stitch My Home…
What do you think drew you initially to cross stitch?
As a little girl, I had the opportunity to play with yarns and fabrics thanks to my family’s knitwear business. I had yarns at my disposal and a mother who was ready to teach me the secrets on how to use them. Later, growing up, I would embroider easy wool samplers – this led me to discover cross stitch at a very early age.
Did you study textile arts or are you self-taught?
I’m entirely self-taught. As mentioned earlier, I was always playing in the family tailor’s shop, sitting among fabrics with my dolls and lots of balls of yarn! Because I grew up among fine threads, linens, fabrics and wools, I learnt a lot of my skills from my family, from wonderful afternoons spent in the shop, and via my own curiosity and interest.
How would you describe your style? How did you discover that this style suited you?
I would define my style as romantic and a little retro. My grandmother was French, and I loved spending time with her so much! I think she may have passed much of her French style and her love of home and of fine details to me. The connection I had with her hugely influences me even now. Her passions have now become my passions and it’s wonderful to put a little of the love I have for her into each piece I create.
How do find your inspiration?
I love reading old and new children’s books, storybooks, tales and imaginary stories; I get a few pages in and I already can imagine myself amongst the characters in the book! Most of the time the characters in my work – my girls in their colourful dresses, my fields of flowers and ducks strolling through mountain villages – spring right from those pages.
Your book, ‘Cross Stitch My Home’, is full of gorgeous patterns! What was the inspiration behind it?
My book absolutely fulfilled a dream – a wish I’d had tucked away in my drawer. It was a wonderful experience and filled me with so many huge, positive emotions! I am so happy and so grateful to have had this opportunity – knowing that my book is in stores for sale is surreal. As for the inspiration, my love of fairytales comes strongly into play. Each morning while the city was still asleep, I’d take a cup of coffee into my study and create my pa
