We have not choice: dedicating a whole post to a man who has turned his love for stitching into his job, though still keeping it as a passion to cherish day by day, is a must! Well, behind this brand Ship's Manorin fact, there's Erik Shipley, a nice American guy. His art was definitely born all of a sudden: at first just for fun. But then, step by step and thanks to his connections with the designers from Shepherd's Bush, to show how men can live on needlework, too! And, as a matter of fact, Erik has also found a sort of relief valve in cross stitch, meaning to him a way to relax, somehow, as well as to imprint on canvases the most beautiful moments of his life. Just as it happens with painters, Erik impresses on fabric everything that catches his attention and strikes his heart, always firmly bearing in mind the precious technical tips he was given by his mother, about embroidery on the whole and cross stitch in particular. The brand Ship's Manor stands out mainly for its typical small houses and Victorian buildings, such as A Wink and a Smile and A Nod and a Glance. But colored patterns and decorations, too, make Erik's range unique! A snowman in patchwork style, a sampler with the key or anegg-shaped house. They're just a few examples of Ship's Manor showing that needlework isn't just a world made by women for women: not at all!