There’s something magical about watching a flat piece of fabric transform into a richly textured artwork with nothing more than a sewing machine, a steady hand and a selection of threads. Thread painting—also called free-motion thread work—is one of the most dynamic and expressive tools in a textile artist’s toolbox. It allows fabric to become a canvas and thread to become paint. The results are often painterly, always tactile and endlessly fascinating. 

PAINTING WITH THREAD 

Unlike traditional painting, where colour is brushed onto a surface, thread painting uses stitches to build layers of colour, texture and detail. It’s not about simply outlining shapes or filling in spaces—this technique gives the artist the freedom to sculpt, shade and highlight, one stitch at a time. Using a sewing machine with free-motion capability, the needle becomes the artist’s pen. The thread that she uses, blends, shadows and defines the picture like brushstrokes. 

Thread painting invites the viewer to come closer, to experience the surface with their eyes—and often their fingers. The illusion of depth, created by the interplay of colours and stitch direction, breathes life into the quilted surface. Of course, not all thread painted surfaces end up as quilts! I like to frame certain thread painted works whereas others, I am quite happy to leave as they are or to turn them into wall hangings. 

A GLIMPSE INTO A BOTANICAL MUSE 

One of my favourite pieces that illustrates the power of thread painting is my depiction of a strelitzia—commonly known as the bird of paradise. The structure and colour of this flower are already striking but capturing its sharp lines, fiery oranges and deep purples/blues in thread, give it a vibrancy and dimension that flat fabric alone couldn’t convey. 

In this work, thread was layered to create a natural transition between light and shadow. The overlapping petals shimmer with life and the dense stitching adds a sculptural quality that makes the bloom seem to lift from the background. The effect is not only visual but tactile—light plays differently on the stitched surface, enhancing the realism and drama. 

A similar sensation is created in the turaco. I purposefully didn’t stick to the realistic colours of this beautiful bird and I am very pleased with the outcome! One can even thread paint the smallest areas such as the eye of an animal or bird. 

WHY THREAD PAINTING? 

Thread painting allows for a level of detail that feels both intimate and powerful. It brings your subject into sharp focus and invites emotion into your work. Whether you’re interpreting botanicals, landscapes, animals, portraits or birds, this technique deepens the narrative and encourages storytelling through texture.  

Have a look at my three Grey Crowned Cranes! Here I combined thread painting with fabric collage and the background is quilted. What an interesting combination of techniques! 

LEFT: GREY CROWNED CRANES

RIGHT: CAPE ROBIN-CHAT 

What I particularly love is how thread painting, bridges the worlds of fine art and textile art. It celebrates both the technical skill of needlework and the freedom of artistic expression. It can be subtle or bold, monochrome or multi-coloured, delicate or intense. 

AN EVOLVING ARTFORM  

Thread painting continues to evolve, with artists around the world experimenting with fibres, colour blending and surface design. Some create entire artworks with nothing but stitched thread, while others combine it with fabric collage, quilting or mixed media. I have yet to try the mixed media combination but I have certainly experimented very successfully with entire artworks created with stitch only! 

What ties us all together is the joy of drawing with thread and the challenge of using a machine to capture the beauty of the natural or imagined world.  

I often get asked about the “how” behind my thread painting but the truth is, the process is as individual as the artist. What I can say is that patience, observation and a love of detail are essential. Mastery comes from practice, experimentation and the willingness to let the thread lead sometimes. 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

Thread painting is a form of storytelling. Whether you are creating a single leaf or an entire flower, the stitches you lay down speak of movement, emotion and depth. In the strelitzia piece, the combination of colour, texture and light brought the flower to life in a way that fabric alone could not. It reminded me again of why I return to this technique so often—because it allows me to say something with thread that can’t be said any other way. 

If you haven’t explored thread painting in your own work yet, let yourself be curious. Observe, imagine and stitch your way into a whole new layer of expression.