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At the beginning of a new year, it’s not uncommon to find many of us finalising our resolutions, goals and dreams for the year that lies ahead.
But if we’re honest with ourselves, there are probably some, if not many, of these intentions that have already fallen by the wayside even though we’re only a month into the new year!
David Hieatt from Do Lectures recently unpacked some thoughts that might just help us get back on track with what we’d originally set out to achieve in 2020.
Whilst he acknowledges that our desire for change is honest, the ‘tool’ of willpower we use to achieve the change is somewhat lacking. In fact, like a muscle not often used, it can tire just at the point we need it the most!
He suggests we make use of a simple habit calendar that can be downloaded HERE. |
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Why a habit calendar? It works on the theory of loss aversion, that when teamed with our willpower, increases the odds of us accomplishing our resolutions.
What is loss aversion you may ask? Well, most simply it’s encapsulated by the term ‘losses loom larger than gains’, as it’s been shown that the pain of losing is psychologically twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining.
Therefore, if we decide upon the habit we’re trying to incorporate into our daily life (stitching anyone?!), hang the calendar in a visible place and mark an ‘X’ on the calendar each day we practice the habit, we won’t want to risk leaving a square blank and will therefore find the motivation to keep going no matter our how weary our willpower may be.
We think it might just be worth a shot and would love you to email news@inspirationsstudios.com and share the New Year’s resolutions your habit calendar is helping you achieve. We can’t wait to see photos of your habit calendars filling with x’s and hear about the habits you’re marking off day by day! |
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In last week’s All Stitched Up! HERE we revealed the first instalment of people sharing their ideal stitching retreats and encouraged you to do a little blue sky dreaming of your own as you contemplated how you’d retreat with needle and thread in 2020. Before settling on your final ‘Stitcherspringa’ itinerary, however, be sure to read on as we inspire you with some more ideas from the Inspirations Community as they share their idyllic stitching sanctuary… |
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‘My retreat would be to go somewhere where I no longer had a frozen shoulder and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Just to be able to stitch pain free would be lovely. In this retreat I would have all different threads, wires and fabrics. Not asking for much am I?! But this is my fantasy.’
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‘Stitching is my passion. Sitting in my comfortable chair with a magnifier light and an audiobook playing is heaven to me while I stitch - what more could one ask for?! Especially on a warm day out on my back porch with the birds singing.
I am, however, really excited to be taking my granddaughter on a ‘real’ Stitcherspringa - a Stitcher’s Escape Cruise around the British Isles next July with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.’
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‘The perfect stitching retreat for me is a quiet afternoon with a cup of my favorite tea and my most recent stitching project in hand. I find that as I am growing older, although I love the exchange of ideas and sharing projects with others, I need quiet time to myself as it grounds me.’
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‘My ideal stitching sanctuary would involve peaceful music and hands that go twice as fast as the ones that I have now! As I write this, I am in the middle of stitching Hazel Blomkamp’s ‘Roger the Rhino’ for my six-year-old granddaughter and am running out of time - the background hasn’t yet been started and it’s a Christmas present.
I have been subscribing to your magazine for many years but have never actually attempted much before this project and as my embroidery skill leaves a lot to be desired, I think I had better throw in a couple of tutors as well! Hazel had better look away now – it’s nothing like her beautiful piece but it’s been made with love.’
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Lana, Mary, Nancy and Jill, we thank you for taking the time to share your ideal stitching retreats with us - you’ve inspired us to rethink how we’re going to retreat with needle and thread this year and we can’t wait to hear what comes of everyone’s blue sky dreaming as they contemplate a Stitcherspringa or two of their own for the coming year!
Once you’ve decided how you’re going to retreat with needle and thread throughout 2020, make sure you email news@inspirationsstudios.com, we always love hearing from you. |
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Inspirations Calendar | February Project
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When you turn to February’s featured project in the Inspirations calendar, you are transported, Alice in Wonderland style, into the brilliant petals of Ana Mallah’s Rose Pot. This piece is part of Ana’s design ‘Flower Pots’ from the book ‘A Passion for Needlework | Factoria VII’ which consists of a hydrangea pot and a rose pot, both filled with a stunning array of stumpwork petals, leaves and buds atop a delicate little embroidered trinket pot.
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The calendar photograph beautifully highlights the cheeky little ladybird which has found a home amongst the rose petals, a tiny detail which just makes this piece.
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Now available for the very first time as a digital pattern, ‘Flower Pots’ includes the Rose Pot featured in the calendar plus the equally stunning Hydrangea Pot bursting with colourful hydrangea petals in pinks, blues and violets.
Purchase and download it now to capture a colourful piece of spring for your dressing table.
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DIGITAL PATTERN
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Flower Pots
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Plus, we still have a small quantity of Ready-to-Stitch kits available for the rose pot design, however due to the extreme popularity of this kit, stock won’t last long, so get in quick to avoid missing out.
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READY-TO-STITCH KITS
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Flower Pots | Rose Pot
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Reminder | Registration for BATB Opens this Monday
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Get ready… there’s a special button about to appear on the Beating Around the Bush website and it’s calling your name!
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As at 9am Australian CDT this coming Monday 3rd Feb you can visit the website www.beatingaroundthebush.com.au and look for the REGISTER button.
With just one click you can start your journey to register and be where you belong… with us, your needlework tribe, at Beating Around the Bush 2020.
**STOP PRESS – ACCOMMODATION UPDATE**
For those looking to stay onsite at Westminster School, or close by, we have some last-minute additional information for you.
Westminster Units – Just yesterday we received news that Westminster now have 10 onsite units available. Featuring a self-contained kitchen, lounge/dining, laundry facilities and a shared bathroom, these units each sleep 4 people (2 x single rooms plus 1 x twin room) and are located within a 5-10 minute walk from both the dining hall and classrooms.
These units will be available to book online when registration opens Monday. |
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Marion Holiday Park - The Marion Holiday Park has accommodation reserved for the exclusive use of BATB attendees. This accommodation will not appear on their website and can only be booked by contacting the Holiday Park direct. For pricing and availability please email them HERE or call +61 8 8276 6695 and advise them you’ll be attending Beating Around the Bush.
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HOT TIP - The complete list of Student Stitching Supplies required to bring for each class on offer at BATB 2020 is now available to download HERE. This is a large file so may take several minutes to download before opening in your browser.
Items listed in red can be ordered from us online when you register or added afterwards and will be ready for you to collect at the event.
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When the book ‘Botanica | The Three-Dimensional Embroidery of Julie Kniedl’ was released, the stunning creativity and realism of Julie’s work captured the imagination of stitchers the world over.
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A masterclass in stitched realism…
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The popularity of her work is undeniable – we’re continually receiving photos from readers proudly showing us their bowls full of stitched fruit and amazing displays of floral arrangements, all created with needle and thread thanks to Julie’s easy to follow step-by-step book.
If you’re wondering what design to stitch next or are yet to try one of these remarkable projects, we still have a range of Ready-to-Stitch kits from the book available to purchase from our website.
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READY-TO-STITCH KIT
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Browse Botanica Kits
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Oh, and if you are yet to feast your eyes upon the beauty and wonder of this amazing book firsthand, deny yourself no longer… purchase your copy below today!
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Although it is likely subtle, you may have noticed the predominance of a particular colour surrounding you from one year to the next. In fashion, interiors or product packaging, some years seem awash with pinks or greens, others with taupes or greys.
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The reason for this may be the selection of the Pantone colour of the year. The leading Colour Institute of the world, Pantone selects a colour from its extensive range through careful consideration of trends to represent the year.
2020, a new year and a new decade is represented by Pantone 19-4052, Classic Blue.
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Classic Blue is the colour of 2020 (source)
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“Instilling calm, confidence and connection this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.”
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So there you go – whether you love it or whether it leaves you feeling a little blue, you’re sure to see a lot more of the colour Classic Blue as the year goes on!
To learn more about the science behind how the colour of the year is selected and the virtues of Pantone 19-4052, Classic Blue, you can check out the Pantone website HERE. |
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Autumn Harvest by Ana Mallah
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Back in All Stitched Up! issue #208, we introduced you to the gorgeous slice of European autumn that Ana Mallah had cleverly captured in her stumpwork project ‘Autumn Flowers’. In it, Ana had utilised the vibrant variegations of Cottage Garden Threads and jewel tones of DMC to display all that is wonderful about the changing of the seasons.
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Today, our view out of the window is different. In the Northern Hemisphere, those rich reds, oranges and yellows are merely a memory as you march through the grey, bare winter. In Australia, we are experiencing one of the hottest summers in memory, and every tree looks parched in the unforgiving heat and stark, powerful sunlight.
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So, we felt it was the perfect time to bring you the companion piece to Ana’s original project – Autumn Harvest.
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Autumn Flowers is from Inspirations issue #104 and Autumn Harvest has been released exclusively as a Handpicked project available in print, digital and as a Ready-to-Stitch kit. You will notice how perfectly these two projects fit together.
For Autumn Harvest Ana has decided to include the fruits and nuts that characterise the autumn – blackberries, which burst off the bushes in late summer; acorns, which pop out in abundance as autumn begins and cotoneaster berries, shining like rubies in amongst the turning leaves.
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The leaves themselves will be familiar to you if you have already worked Ana’s first piece. If not, you’ll discover the joy that comes from using the strongly variegated threads. Just like in nature, the variegation will mean that no two leaves will be absolutely identical, but it is still important for you to be mindful of your stitch direction and how the colours within the thread and between the different threads sit together.
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To further challenge you, the leaves are worked in long and short blanket stitch, so you are creating the edge at the same time as the colour. Keep the stitches close and don’t be afraid to unpick if your angle starts to go awry.
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Autumn Harvest will teach you some new skills while allowing you to practise some you have already learnt from the previous piece. Specifically, the two types of berries in this piece both require different techniques. The wonderful texture of the blackberries is achieved by working rows of bullion loops, while the tiny cotoneaster berries are formed by wrapping small beads until completely covered.
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The acorns are consistent across both projects and, we think, the most delightful part of this colourful duo. We’re sure that if a squirrel happened by, it would be tempted to grab at these nuts, they’re so realistic!
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Wherever you are in the world, working these companion projects will guarantee to brighten up your winter, or remind yourself of cooler days to come. Hanging together in a room, Autumn Flowers and Autumn Harvest provide the perfect reminder of one of the most beautiful times of the year.
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Make Your Own Autumn Harvest
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Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions
Autumn Harvest by Ana Mallah is a glorious stumpwork garland celebrating autumn’s spectacular bounty.
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PRINTED PATTERN
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Autumn Harvest
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DIGITAL PATTERN
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Autumn Harvest
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Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit
The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Autumn Harvest includes everything you need to re-create this delightful stumpwork study: Fabric (unprinted), felt, webbing, wire, beads, embroidery threads and needles.
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READY-TO-STITCH KIT
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Autumn Harvest
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Please Note: To cater for flexibility of purchase, instructions are not included with our kits. For step-by-step directions on how to create this project, please refer to the printed/digital pattern.
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Looking for More Handpicked Projects?
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Fruit of the Vine by Maria Rita Faleri is two bunches of luscious grapes, formed with clever knots to create these fun tassels.
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PRTINED PATTERN
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Fruit of the Vine
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DIGITAL PATTERN
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Fruit of the Vine
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READY-TO-STITCH KIT
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Fruit of the Vine | White Grapes Tassel
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READY-TO-STITCH KIT
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Fruit of the Vine | Red Grapes Tassel
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Upon hearing of a harvest, many of us will find our thoughts wandering to the idea of growth and abundance. This week we’re sharing projects from the Inspirations Community that speak to the idea of harvest as they’re rich in both growth and abundance!
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Flowers | Roseli Veroneze Becker
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‘I would like to share the stitching I’ve started of the project featured on the front cover of Lorna Bateman's new Book Embroidered Country Gardens.’
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Roseli, we love the start you’ve made with needle and thread and can’t wait to see the finished result when the flowers are ready for harvesting!
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‘I bought both the kits for Portraits of Fruit by Trish Burr from Inspirations Magazine issue #47 in 2005. One was the Nectarine, the other the Pear. I put both kits away as I thought these were beyond my capabilities and also because I already had projects on the go. I finally got both kits out and decided to put them both on the same canvas.’
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‘I started them on 13 August and finished them on 1 December, so once started, they came together beautifully! My interpretation, and thread placement may be different from the original, but I enjoyed the journey.’
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Kim, your interpretation of Portraits of Fruit came together beautifully indeed! We love that you enjoyed the journey, because as we’ve all heard, life – and stitching – are not just about the destination, they’re about the journey.
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Succulents | Janet Burgess
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‘While stitching my mind wanders to the wonderful legacy that Julie Kniedl has left us. What an inspiring body of work she created - such talent! I am ever grateful to her and her husband for sharing her gift.
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My stitching fills countless meditative hours which leaves me with a beautiful inner peace as the needle’s rhythm moves through the cloth.
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Needles are another of my passions! To find a needle that works tirelessly on a project is a thing of joy - some just glide and leave behind them a stitch to rejoice in. Perhaps an article in honour of the needle would be something to consider?!’
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Janet, it is a truly incredible legacy Julie and her husband have entrusted us with and you’ve absolutely done them proud with your harvest of succulents.
We would have loved Julie to see how she’s inspired the needles and threads of so many the world over. And who knows, maybe having heard your suggestion about an article in honour of the humble needle, one of the All Stitched Up! team will be inspired to pen a little tribute of their own? Make sure you stay tuned to future issues of the newsletter just in case!
Have you stitched something ripe for harvest? We’d love to see your ‘crop’! Email photos of what you’ve grown with needle and thread along with a few details about your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com
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Subscribe to Inspirations Magazine
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Not a Subscriber? Join Today!
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Become part of the Inspirations family by subscribing to the magazine... we'd love to have you join us!
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The Swan’s Bower Etui by Betsy Morgan is an elegant, folding etui accessorised with a needle holder and pockets to contain a scissor sheath, scissor fob and thread minder.
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PRINTED BOOK
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Willing Hands
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Christmas Spirit by Betsy Morgan from Inspirations issue #104 is a delightful counted thread etui with festive motifs in the colours of Christmas.
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READY-TO-STITCH KIT
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Christmas Spirit
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Maria Katarin’s Reticule by Betsy Morgan from Inspirations issue #103 is a counted work pouch with matching scissor fob, thread winder and ruler stitched with gorgeous colours and motifs.
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READY-TO-STITCH KIT
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Maria Katarin’s Reticule
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Something to brighten your day
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Parking your embroidery thread
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‘Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.’
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~ Jim Ryun ~
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Stay informed of upcoming needlework events taking place all around the world in our new What’s On page on the Inspirations Studios Website HERE.
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If you’re holding an event or would like to suggest one to be added, we’d love to hear about it. Email us the details at news@inspirationsstudios.com
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© 2019 Inspirations Studios
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