We were introduced to Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald’s work after hearing an interview she did with Jonathan Green during ‘Blueprint’ on Australia’s ABC Radio National.

Erin has recently published ‘Modern Mending’ which she wrote to guide even the most novice stitcher through the process of bringing new life to old clothes and fabrics through a range of mending techniques. Rather than the topic of mending itself, it was Erin’s approach to needle and thread that captured our attention.

She spoke of our first attempts at each new stitch being much like the first pancake of each batch cooked - you know the one that usually needs to be thrown out regardless?! - so our attempts at first-time perfection are somewhat futile.

She went on to explain that much of our success with needle and thread relies on muscle memory and that it’s not until our hands work at a particular stitch that our learning is complete as we have to teach our bodies the new skill as well our minds.

Erin has even coined the term ‘experimend’ as there’s rarely a single approach to stitching, as each piece we put our needles and threads to is unique and sometimes we just have to try a stitch and see what happens!

From a mending perspective, Erin recommends starting on a simple tea towel before moving on to a much-loved garment when our confidence increases, again reminding us that it’s practice that makes ‘perfect’ and we should always be willing to stitch and stitch again until our muscle memory sees us stitching with ease.

Listening to Erin’s interview reminded us that we can read, watch and study stitching to the nth degree, but it’s not until we find ourselves with needle and thread in hand that we truly teach ourselves to stitch.

Without needles, there would be no embroidery. They are the most important tool in our toolbox. This deceptively simple item has, over millennia, changed not just the world for needleworkers, but the world in general.

Some of the earliest examples of needles include ones made from bone, antlers and tusks. These were most likely used to sew animal hides together and create clothing which was key in enabling our ancestors to move to cooler regions after the last Ice Age and thereby begin their spread across the world.

The first needle to have an eye was believed to have been created in Europe during the Gravettian period, with metal needles first appearing in Armenia. But by then, the needle was essential for human survival thanks to its use in medical applications, not just as a tool for early textile production.

For many years leading up to the 16th Century, the secret of needle production was possessed mainly by the Islamic world which was then inherited by Spain during the Moorish period.

By the 1500s, the Spanish brought the skill to Britain. Once there, it didn’t take long for the industry to grow, particularly in the town of Redditch, Worcestershire, which achieved global recognition for its needle production.

Initially, needles were made by hand in a highly laborious process. This was why needles were so precious. There was no jabbing them into the arm of the sofa while you went to make tea! Needles at the time were carefully protected in special cases that women attached to their belts.

When the Industrial Revolution arrived, needle production was mechanized. Like most things, it meant large numbers of needles could be created for much lower cost, although the health cost was steep.

The sacrifice of these poor souls meant that needles became cheap enough to be able to lose frequently. Nowadays, this industrial automated process – which thankfully has improved since the 1850s – means most of us possess a great number of needles both in our kit and lost down the sofa.

Modern needles are made of hard carbon steel wire and coated with nickel, 18K gold plate or, for the best embroidery needles, a combination of platinum and titanium alloy. This means they are strong and durable and generally rust resistant. However, this doesn’t mean you can now leave your needle in your work for long periods of time! The risk of staining and corrosion is always there, particularly from cheaper needles.

There are multiple sources available online to tell you exactly which needle to use for what. However, there are some general rules.

Firstly, consider your fabric. If your fabric already has holes, i.e. linen, aida or evenweave, and you’re doing some form of counted embroidery, you should use a blunt needle. This ensures the needle will naturally find the hole rather than making its own. If you are working on fabric without holes, you’ll need a sharp needle.

Once you’ve determined that, the next question is size.

However, it can’t be so small that the hole it makes in the fabric is inadequate for the thread to pass through smoothly. Too much friction with the fabric will mean a shredded thread.

On the flip side, if you choose a needle too big – and this goes for both sharp and tapestry needles – it will create a larger hole in the fabric than you need, resulting in an unsightly gap or distortion.

Think of Goldilocks – not too big, not too small.

Other than these two rules, there are guidelines about when to use a crewel or embroidery needle, or when to use a chenille or quilting needle, but probably the best suggestion is to simply use the needle you are most comfortable with.

If you like doing embroidery with a quilting or between needle, as long as it adheres to the first two rules, that’s fine. If you are comfortable working bullion knots with a crewel needle rather than a milliner’s needle, then that is fine too.

Loving your needle is an essential part of gaining joy from your embroidery. Think of the wonderful Japanese tradition of Hari-Kuyō or the Festival of the Broken Needle. This 400-year-old annual festival allows stitchers to take the time to acknowledge their work and respect their tools. The Japanese place importance in ‘paying honour to small things’ and regard all objects, including needles, as having souls.

We don’t know about you, but there’s something lovely about the idea of our needle possessing a soul. We work so closely with it, and through it we pour our passion and love onto the fabric, so it seems appropriate to imagine that it works in harmony with us, just like a trusted friend.

If you are interested in some further reading on the history of needles, you might like to check out the following articles:

History of Needles of Sewing

The Sewing Needle: A History Through 16-19th Centuries

After reading all about the life and times of the humble needle, hopefully by now we all have a renewed appreciation for this most essential tool.

Working with the best needles possible ensures our stitching is a true pleasure.

Tulip was founded in Hiroshima in 1948 and has since been producing the highest quality needles with unparalleled smoothness and sharpness.

Packaged in an elegant glass tube with a cork stopper, once you’ve tried Tulip needles you will never want to stitch with anything else. Choose from our range of four types of needles, with each packet containing an assortment of sizes.

>Chenille

Chenille needles, with a large eye and sharp point, are perfect for crewel embroidery or other heavy surface embroidery. The package contains sizes #18 to #24.

>Embroidery (crewel)

Embroidery needles are much finer but also have a large, easily threaded eye. They are ideal for all kind of surface embroidery and include sizes #7 to #10.

>Milliner’s

Milliner’s needles are perfect for bullion knots, with an even shaft width that allows your needle to pass through the wraps of thread like butter. They are presented in a package containing sizes #8, #9 and #10.

>Tapestry

For cross stitchers and counted stitchers, tapestry needles are second to none, with sizes #17 to #23 included.

We know there is at least one member of the Inspirations team who is in love with these needles and very excited about this range, so don’t delay… get in quick and purchase some Tulip needles now before she’s tempted to buy them all!

Our Ready-to-Stitch kits for the last two issues of Inspirations magazine have been SO POPULAR the majority of them from #105 and #106 have been snapped up and are now sold out.

For anyone who missed out – we are so sorry! At present, sourcing materials for kits is proving to be quite challenging so keeping up with demand is almost impossible. For those still waiting for kits you’ve already ordered, thank you for your patience!

The good news is we still have a few kits in stock from issue #105 & #106 so if you were contemplating stitching any of these projects, we’d suggest you order your kit today.

The other good news is that we have just been able to secure the supplies to produce some more kits for ‘Pane di Casa’, ‘Delicate Stitches’ and ‘Field of Flowers’ from issue #106.

The not so good news is that due to the sourcing and delivery lead times the wait is expected to be a number of months… but if you would like to secure a kit from this allocation you can browse the range and place your order using the link below:

In the meantime, while we’re all eagerly awaiting the release of Inspirations issue #107 due out in July, you can check out our back-catalogue of Ready-To-Stitch kits still in stock by clicking the link below:

A new issue of Inspirations magazine comes out every three months. That seemed like a long time for our loyal fans to wait, so we created our newsletter ‘All Stitched Up!’ for you to enjoy every week.

Well, you can. Both our Facebook and Instagram posts act as community boards, gathering together exciting, inspirational and beautiful needlework from all over the internet for you to enjoy.

Updated daily, make sure you like/follow us to ensure you never run out of inspiration. We can’t wait to socialise with you!

What do you do if the knees on your favourite jeans have worn through or that hole in your jumper just keeps growing? For many people, the answer has been ‘throw it away’. Clothes are so cheap, why would you bother doing otherwise?

But mending clothes has had a long history. Cheap, throwaway items of clothing have only been a part of our lives for a few decades.

There are environmental, ethical and even economic reasons to revive the art of mending. Fortunately, people are mending more, with groups on social media to encourage one another and workshops appearing to teach darning, mending and altering.

Perhaps it’s time to rethink those worn through woollen socks?

You can read more about the revival of mending HERE.

Regardless of all the creative developments in modern embroidery, there will always be a deep love and lasting popularity for traditional techniques and styles. One of the most popular traditional styles of all time is Hardanger embroidery from Norway.

Hardanger has a long and fascinating history and is a fabulous demonstration of how styles of embroidery were shared, developed and then adopted into specific cultures across Europe.

Hardanger-style embroidery, based on the basic shapes of squares and diamonds, was believed to have come from Ancient Persia. Thanks to the increase of trade through Byzantium, by the Renaissance period embroidery employing the drawn thread techniques characteristic of Hardanger was flourishing across Italy and other parts of Europe.

In Italy, the style developed into the intricate patterns of reticella and the Punto Aria patterns of Venetian Lace. Coupled with motifs such as the star from India as well as Assyrian and Egyptian patterns and shapes, the trend spread northward.

Soon, Norwegian drawn thread work, as well as Danish and Dutch Hedebo were being practiced, with the embroidery we now know as Hardanger flourishing in the western part of Norway between 1650 and 1850.

Traditional Hardanger appeared on Norwegian costumes, being incorporated into aprons, head dresses and bodices.

In a nod to these incredibly talented forbears, Di Kirchner has designed the piece ‘Delicate Stitches’ featured in Inspirations issue #106, which is an exquisite Hardanger mat so lacy that you wonder how it holds together.

Using 38ct linen and employing a range of traditional Hardanger stitches, Di has created a wonderful project which will challenge the beginner, as well as satisfy and delight the expert.

The airiness of ‘Delicate Stitches’ is achieved through alternating bands of picots and dove’s eyes within lines of Kloster blocks and wrapped bars. This variation means that wherever the eye lands, it is captivated by the many different textures and amazed by the level of minute detail.

It is difficult to believe that this cobweb-fine mat has a linen structure, so cleverly have the voids been cut and filled. But Di has expertly achieved precisely what traditional Hardanger set out to do – create something which appears ethereal, but has all the strength needed to last.

To successfully complete ‘Delicate Stitches’, it important to work the stitches in the order specified. Kloster blocks need to be worked in a specific way to hold the linen threads and the surface details should be worked before cutting.

Cutting is best left until you have good light, fine, sharp scissors and you’re not too tired as many an embroiderer has experienced that sinking feeling you get the instant after you’ve cut the wrong thread.

Nevertheless, the wonderful meditative quality of this technique and the exquisite results make it all worthwhile.

You will very quickly understand why this style of embroidery swept across Europe during the middle ages and Renaissance. And you’ll also learn why it is so popular still today. Sometimes, traditional is best and ‘Delicate Stitches’ is the perfect demonstration of that.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Delicate Stitches by Di Kirchner is a dainty Hardanger embroidery worked on fine linen.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Delicate Stitches includes everything* you need to re-create this dainty mat: Fabric (unprinted), embroidery threads and needles.

*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 magazine/digital pattern.

Threads of Time by Yvette Stanton from Inspirations issue #38 is a crisp, neat doily that combines the Hardanger techniques of cutwork and counted thread work with surface embroidery.

Bianca by Patricia Girolami from Inspirations #66 is a stunning Hardanger mat with delicate lacy borders and an intricate Maltese cross design surrounding the central motif.

Resting Place by Kim Beamish from Inspirations issue #90 is a graceful Hardanger table mat.

Queen of Hearts by Kim Beamish from Inspirations #86 is an elegant Hardanger mat ideal for beginners.

The purity of white on white is something almost every embroiderer adores. Whitework in all its forms has been incredibly popular for years and remains so to this day, whether it is Hardanger, Schwalm, or even filet crochet. The range of beautiful whitework pieces our readers have sent us is so dazzling, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this week’s selection.

‘After renewing our bathroom with a claw foot bath and pedestal basin, it just begged to have towels with Victorian crocheted or knitted lace edgings. So, I decided to have a go. I didn’t know how they would turn out but must say I amazed myself and am so proud of the result.’

‘Much encouraged, I decided to crochet a table topper for the dining room. It was from a graph in a magazine from some years ago. The graph had me quite alarmed as I had never worked from one before. It took some months to figure it out but I am thrilled at the result.

And what an achievement, Kerry. Your crochet is wonderfully fine and fits so well with the style of your new bathroom. It’s lovely to see this once popular craft still being practiced.

You’ll remember that we’ve showcased Anna’s work before, but she’s prolific! So, here’s another one of her finished projects:

‘This Hardanger piece is a Judy Dixon design.’

This magnificent piece is just further evidence of your skill and versatility, Anna. Keep them coming!

‘When I inherited several vintage crocheted and embroidered pieces, I felt they needed to be celebrated instead of being saved in a drawer. So began a journey of designing many wall hangings, pieced and quilted; each with an antique handmade item as the focus.’

‘For several years I have taken a trunk show of my wall quilts, titled ‘Displaying Our Grandmothers’ Handwork’ to various groups throughout Maine, USA.

Currently I am designing smaller pieces which combine a vintage crocheted or tatted work with my own embroidery and tatting.

What a wonderful idea, Carolee. It always seems such a shame that the hard work of our mothers and grandmothers is often lost or forgotten. Your approach is a really special way to preserve and enjoy it.

‘I have just finished stitching the project ‘Hidden Delights’ by Deborah Love from Inspirations issue #93. It was lovely to do and I am really pleased with my results.’

‘I thought the filling work would be difficult because I had done a little before without much success, but this was quite simple with really good stitching instructions.’

‘The detail on the outside folded edge of the antique hem just sets it off nicely.’

You’ve done a great job with this project, Gaye. We hope you’ll now be encouraged to try more.

‘My name is Piera and I live in Italy.’

‘Embroidery is really important for me, and I have embroidered since my early years (I am now 60).

About ten years ago, I met Elisabetta Holzer and became a student in her group. With her guidance, I became a better embroiderer.’

‘My favourite technique is pulled thread embroidery although I also love Estense embroidery (of course), and needle painting.’

How lucky you are, Piera, to have Elisabetta for a teacher. Your embroidery is beautiful. We’re sure it is as much a result of skilled hands as good teaching.

Are you drawn in by white on white? Or does a white surface just say ‘colour me!’? Whether you like the crispness of the former or the excitement of the latter, we’d love to see your work. Send us pictures of your projects along with a bit of background about the project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com

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Dawn Chorus by Anna Scott is a handy tote showcasing a pretty songbird in engrossing crewel embroidery.

Pomegranate & Rose by Anna Scott from Inspirations issue #100 is a superb silk and goldwork design of flowing stems laden with fruit and flowers.

Fragrant Dreams by Anna Scott from Inspirations issue #74 is a delicate heart-shaped sachet, filled with sweetly scented lavender - perfect for hanging in a wardrobe or popping into a drawer.

Spring Sonnet by Anna Scott from Inspirations issue #68 is a cosy throw and matching hot water bottle cover, with a superb profusion of vibrant blooms in glorious shades of marigold, hot pink and cranberry.

Garnet by Anna Scott from Inspirations issue #71 is an elegant bag decorated in striking dark red flowers and leaves.

~ Louise Doughty ~

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.