Fourteen women.
Five villages. One craft.
Cross-stitch came into these hills with the mission schools a century ago and never left. It was taught mother to daughter, in the hours between the field and the fire. These are the women who still know how.
Placeholder portrait — not a photograph of her You have met Kamla
Kamla Devi
“My mother stitched for the house. I stitch for the world, and the world sends something back to the house.”
“Namaskar. Mera naam Kamla. Aap hamare ghar aaye, achha laga.”
“Hello. My name is Kamla. I am glad you came to our house.”
Satoli, 6:40am · whistling thrush, water line, a neighbour's radio
Audio file drops in here at build
On her hoop now · Clematis cushion, ruby
Placeholder portrait — not a photograph of her You have met Bhagirathi
Bhagirathi Bisht
“I count in my head all day. Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen. Then the bus goes past and I have to start again.”
“Bhagirathi bol rahi hoon. Yeh kaam mujhe shanti deta hai.”
“This is Bhagirathi speaking. This work gives me quiet.”
Peora, 5:15pm · wind in the deodar, goats returning
Audio file drops in here at build
On her hoop now · Ridgeline wall hanging
Placeholder portrait — not a photograph of her You have met Pushpa
Pushpa Joshi
“The first money I earned from this, I did not tell anyone. I kept it three weeks just to look at it.”
“Pushpa. Mukteshwar se. Dhanyavaad, aapne dekha.”
“Pushpa. From Mukteshwar. Thank you for looking.”
Mukteshwar, 7:05am · barbets, a cow, someone sweeping stone
Audio file drops in here at build
On her hoop now · Table runner, deep ruby
Placeholder portrait — not a photograph of her You have met Radha
Radha Arya
“My daughter is at college in Haldwani. She thinks this is an old woman's work. She will come back to it.”
“Radha. Gagar gaon se. Aap swasth rahiye.”
“Radha. From Gagar village. May you stay well.”
Gagar, 4:50pm · pine needles, children on the road
Audio file drops in here at build
On her hoop now · Framed hoop, small
Placeholder portrait — not a photograph of her You have met Saraswati
Saraswati Devi
“I check every piece before it leaves. If I would not put it in my own room, it does not go.”
“Saraswati. Main sab kuch dekhti hoon jaane se pehle.”
“Saraswati. I look at everything before it goes.”
Satoli workshop, 11:20am · scissors, cloth, six women talking
Audio file drops in here at build
On her hoop now · Teaching two new hands
Placeholder portrait — not a photograph of her You have met Meena
Meena Rawat
“I learned in six months what my grandmother took six years to learn. She was not pleased about that.”
“Meena. Nathuakhan. Naya seekha hai, par mann lagta hai.”
“Meena. Nathuakhan. I have only just learned, but I love it.”
Nathuakhan, 8:30am · apple orchard, bees
Audio file drops in here at build
On her hoop now · Clematis cushion, moss
Eight more women join the workshop through the winter months, when there is less to do in the fields. Their profiles go up as they choose to be listed — some prefer not to be.