Here’s wishing you a healthy and peaceful year in 2025.
‘Life in Seasons’
A year ago my long-anticipated book ‘Life in Seasons’ Volume I - Winter/Spring was released, with the first few months of 2024 spent shipping books and kits all over the world. It was an extremely upbeat time and I received some wonderful reviews, cards and emails expressing huge enthusiasm and love for the publication. Sales have gone well and invitations to speak about the project and teach the designs continue, with bookings extending well into 2026.
So, I would like to take this opportunity to say a big ‘thank you’ to all of you who bought a book, a kit or both. I am very grateful for your continued loyalty.
‘Life in Seasons’ Volume Two - Summer/Autumn will be out in January 2026, and available for pre-order in October 2025 from my online boutique.
MOVING
Escape to the Country
2024 will always be remembered as the Year of the Move! After three years of searching, we finally found our dream cottage and fulfilled our long-held wish of escaping to the country.
The moving process took a nail-biting nine months, and at the end of October we took possession of our beloved ‘Quince Cottage’ (the same name of our Golden Retriever!), which is situated in a pretty village nestled below Edge Hill, Warwickshire.
I spent twelve happy and productive years in my elegant orangery-style studio in Leamington Spa, however I now have a large garden room at the back of the cottage where I am in the process of setting up a new studio. It’s a fantastic space in which to work, with a beamed ceiling and picture windows giving onto a lovely view of the Avon Dassett hills.
‘QUEENIE’
Needlepoint class in Windermere
October was a busy month and not only were we packing up our old house, but I also taught a canvas work version of my much-loved ‘Hill Top Queenie’ project in Windermere, Lake District for Jeremy Hamilton and his tour group Needlework Travel.
The ‘Queenie’ canvas project was developed to celebrate Beatrix Potter’s work as conservationist and champion livestock breeder in the Lakes during the later part of her life. She purchased and restored many neglected valley farms and improved the welfare of the Herdwick flocks.
‘Queenie’ is a needlepoint and canvas stitches celebration of this quaint and sturdy sheep breed that have become synonymous with the Lake District. Real Herdwick wool is used in the project to create her textured fleece with a woolly surface of densely worked French Knots!
The Hand Paints
Over the last two years I have been teaching on a number of residentials and retreats for Needlework Travel. The attendees are predominantly from America and devotees of canvas work and needlepoint.
This opportunity has reinvigorated my love of canvas painting, as I painted canvases for the sumptuous canvas work retailer Tapisserie in Knightsbridge for many years.
I have recently sold hand painted canvases to a number of clients and am now delighted to report that I have been approached to design a range of canvases for a specialist retailer. Once ‘Life in Seasons’ Volume Two - Summer/Autumn has been sent to the publisher in April, I will be working on a collection of beautiful hand painted canvases, available to order from the physical retail space and online - more information to follow in the Spring.
Group Exhibition - Rugby Open
A celebration of Contemporary Art in the Region
Art-making is definitely in focus at the moment, as I had one of my drawings accepted into the Rugby Open 2024. The bijou study of our ‘Greenhouse in Winter’ currently hangs amidst a very impressive display of contemporary art made by artists living and working in Warwickshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. The exhibition is on until 20th February at the Rugby Art Gallery and Library, Rugby, Warwickshire.
Date for your Diary
Jeremy Hamilton of Needlework Travel will be staging a ‘Stitching Extravaganza’ weekend in the Cotswolds, from 7th - 9th November 2025. There will be a number of exciting stitch classes taking place and beautiful textiles/stitching kit pop-up shops throughout the event. More details of the location, venue and itinerary to follow very soon. If you would like to register your interest, please email me nicola@nicolajarvisstudio.co.uk and you will be placed on Jeremy’s mailing list.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this article and look forward to being in touch again in the Spring. Until then I wish you a fulfilling year ahead.
