The material history of textile is inherently linked to the feminine and though it is a highly skilled medium steeped in ancestral knowledge, subversive storytelling and cultural heritage, stitch has long been undervalued as a serious art form. ‘Sugar and spice’ is a collection of sculptural cast glass that explores the interplay between the materiality of textiles and glass, reimagining the role of decorative stitch within the contemporary landscape. During the various stages of the making process, the pieces undergo many transformations of form, from the waxed fabric, to the mould, to the eventual glass piece – each preceding form being destroyed in the process. The journey from positive, to negative, to positive again draws parallels with the ever-changing nature of women’s bodies, roles and societal expectations, with the resulting glass sculptures having an abstracted and distorted resemblance to bodily forms. Research into the material connotations of vintage underwear, interiors, makeup and upholstery has informed a nostalgic colour palette of dusty nudes, chartreuse and pink, inspired by the tactile satins, silks and velvets of times gone by. The material of glass gives a new perspective to stitched textiles that would otherwise go unseen, as the polished facets offer a view into the negative space of the folds from the inside out.