Saima Kaur X FARLY

Earlier this month, I took the train to Hebden Bridge, a misty, magical town nestled in the Yorkshire hills, to visit the home of textile artist Saima Kaur. It’s the kind of place where time slows down and stepping into Saima’s world of hand embroidery felt like entering another universe entirely.

Saima’s work is steeped in Indian folk traditions, particularly the vibrant storytelling embroidery of Punjab, her cultural heritage. Born in Yorkshire but raised partly in India, Saima draws from both landscapes—internal and external—to create richly symbolic, emotionally resonant textiles.

We all Sing the Same Song (47.5 x 39.5cm) £650

Saima first learned embroidery at the age of 12 while at an army boarding school, but it wasn’t until years later—after becoming a parent carer to her autistic daughter—that she returned to it in a meaningful way. What began as a therapeutic outlet to cope with the stress and grief of caregiving gradually transformed into something far deeper.

“I wanted to tell the story of what it was like to be a parent carer of an autistic child,” she shared. “So I created a small exhibition, exploring the themes of disability, love, isolation, and resilience. That process became a way of processing my grief. And once I started, I couldn’t stop.”

Having previously worked in museums as a community outreach officer, Saima eventually stepped into a dual role: full-time carer and full-time artist. What began as an emotional outlet has become a kind of divine calling: storytelling through stitch. Each colour thread is guided by instinct, each composition an unfolding of imagination and creation woven into cloth.

Flower and Fire (46.5 x 45.5 cm) £650

Embroidery, for Saima, has been a way to heal and reclaim strength through creativity. Armed with just a needle, thread, and cloth, she builds entire dreamworlds. Her compositions celebrate women as creators of magical universes. They breathe moons into being with their breath, summon spring from their bellies, and cast birds into flight while balancing on spinning tops. True multi-taskers and agents of transformation and creativity. The women in her work often float, unbound by gravity or expectation. Their hair coils like snakes, wild and alive, framing them with power. They hold the sun in one hand and the moon in the other, their breath quite literally creating and moving universes.

Moon Song (45.5 x 54.5 cm) £650

Saima’s Process
Saima says she never really knows how a composition will turn out—each piece is a surprise, unfolding stitch by stitch. She lets her imagination lead, allowing colour and story to weave themselves together organically.