One of the things we love at Inspirations HQ is receiving correspondence from our tribe as it helps us feel connected to the readers who are often on the other end of this very newsletter.

On Monday mornings, we regularly find our email inboxes overflowing with the correspondence that was generated from the previous week’s newsletter. Sometimes the emails contain simple questions about a product, order or project. At other times they are responses to a conversation that was started in All Stitched Up! Whilst sometimes we find within the emails details of someone’s journey with needle and thread that captures our attention immediately.

And so it was recently.

Although not in direct response to our newsletter, we read with sadness Mary Corbet’s update on her mother. Only just recently released from hospital, Mary now finds herself spending many an hour at her mother’s bedside as she has once again been admitted to care.

From Mary’s email, we then came across an Instagram post from one of Inspirations’ contributors who had just celebrated a milestone birthday.

From a season of sadness in Mary’s case through to the jubilation of celebrating a life well lived, a common denominator existed in each story - needle and thread.

To while away the hours spent in the hospital with her mother, Mary Corbet is accompanied by her ‘hexies’ who are helping her navigate a stressful situation. Requiring some 5,200-ish hexies to complete her quilt, Mary realised that where there’s stress there should also be handwork and so packed her needle and thread accordingly.

In the form of edible crewel icing, ‘needle and thread’ were used to decorate a milestone birthday cake that aptly celebrated the life of one very passionate stitcher who couldn’t contain her happiness as she posed behind the stitching that had inspired the truly unique cake.

Whilst each story sits on the opposite end of life’s emotional spectrum, we love that needle and thread are equally at home in each. It truly is a passion that accompanies us through both the ups and downs that life throws at us, and for that we can all be incredibly grateful.

As we mentioned last week, most stitchers are in love with their gadgets. For many of us, our stitching gadgets don’t just add to the pleasure of our stitching time, but they also provide a precious link with stitchers of the past. This week we continue to share more of your fantastic responses dedicated to this seemingly never-ending love affair:

‘I’m very sad to say that I no longer have my oldest gadget. It was a teeny tiny latch hook with a wooden handle. My mom got it in the 1930s or 1940s when it was sold to repair stockings.’

‘It was fabulous for fishing little ends under other stitches to secure them. The wooden handle split one day, and then I lost the tiny hook in a move. Clover makes a similar tool (shown here), but it is clunky by comparison.’

It sounds like it was a fantastic tool, specifically designed during a period when we would mend rather than throw away. What a shame that it is no longer made - a tool crafted perfectly to catch those pesky ends sounds ideal.

‘I still use my great grandmother’s 1904 James Swan sterling silver thimble made in Birmingham.’

‘Her name was Isobella Ross. She was widowed at age 49, then died aged 79 in 1950 after working hard all her life to raise her eight surviving children. She delivered babies, washed and mended the linens for the local hotels and in her spare time she embroidered, crocheted and made clothes for her children.’

This is the perfect story to show how the gadgets from the past form the connection with the stitchers of today. If only that thimble could talk – what lessons would it impart?!

‘This was a birthday present from my dad in 1951 or 1952 and as you can see, it still works!’

They don’t make them like they used to, do they? Your sewing machine looks like it has been very well cared for Penelope and what a lovely memento to have kept from your father.

‘I have too many favourite gadgets to choose just one but something that is never far from my working area is a pin cushion. I have many beautiful ones stitched by friends, functional ones that aren't much more than a fold of fabric, commercial ones, and the one shown below.’

‘This came from my husband's family farm. Unfortunately, the date and the maker's name are lost but we cherish this most unique piece of recycling created from a cow's hoof, some velvet, and some string art held in place with glass head pins. Who knows which of our treasures will be smile-inducing for our own decedents?’

Well Pat we have to admit, this unusual pincushion was probably the most surprising of all the gadgets our readers shared with us and we don’t think there’d be too many others like it in the world!

‘The photo below is of my awl, which is somewhere around 100 years old. It belonged to my grandmother, who was in her 80s when she died. I use it both as an awl and as a laying tool and think of both my granny and my mum every time I use it.’

‘The awl lives permanently in my embroidery kit so it’s always at hand. After Granny died my mum kept it, although I don’t ever remember seeing her using it, I spotted it one day amongst her crochet hooks, and remarked that I vaguely remembered Granny using it. Mum thought that as I embroidered, I probably had more use for it than she did. I really treasure my little gadget and enjoy the feel of it in my hand.’

Such a beautiful story Jo, we love that your awl is still in use today after faithfully serving three generations and counting…

‘When you asked us to relate the oldest object we had in our house I remembered my grandma’s dressmaking scissors. She was born in 1872 and was dressmaking before she was 20.’

Every time you pick up your favourite gadget, it is lovely to take a moment to imagine whether our great-grandchildren or even their children might be using it in years to come. What might they think of it? And will they feel that very same connecting thread that we feel to our forebears? We can only hope they will.

We’d all love our sewing rooms to look like Maison Sajou, wouldn’t we? Imagine a space filled with gorgeous vintage ephemera, with all our threads, tools and gadgets stored in perfect order and an overall delicious, aesthetic harmony.

It is time to stop dreaming and start doing it! But where to begin? Well, we’re here to help. Your first step might be to get rid of all of those scrappy cardboard thread winders and the handmade thread cards that you mocked up using a blunt hole-punch and the back of a cornflake packet.

Sajou Thread Cards

Enter the Sajou thread cards. Able to store a good-sized hank of thread in each hole, these sturdy thread cards with holes punched with precision down each side have the added bonus of being simply gorgeous.

Printed with vintage fabric patterns and the Sajou name, there are two designs to choose from - but frankly, why choose? Just have both!

Sajou Thread Winders

Your loose threads are also crying out for the Sajou thread winders. Perfectly laser cut from carboard strong enough to hold even your thickest threads, each mini-thread winder is printed with a fabulous vintage design.

With each pack containing six winders in a rainbow of colours, just imagine how glorious your thread drawers are going to look with rows of these winders snugly wrapped with all your cottons. You’ll never get tired of looking at them!

Get ready to transform your sewing room into a paradise of Parisienne perfection with these Sajou thread cards and thread winders. Merci bien!

Recently we announced the upcoming release of our third ‘A Passion for Needlework’ book titled ‘Blakiston Creamery’.

This new title is not out until 18th Sep but you know how it feels when you’re stitching a project that you just love SO much that it totally consumes you to the point it’s all you can think about? Well, that’s how we feel about our ‘A Passion for Needlework’ books!

So, as we count down to its release, we wanted to share some of our passion with you and hopefully get you excited about what you can expect.

When some people buy a book, the first thing they do is turn to the last page to see how the story ends. Spoiler Alert – this is what that last page in ‘A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery’ says:

‘This book is not about superb photography, spectacular settings, talented designers or teaching you how to stitch. Although all these things are included. This book is about a passion for needlework. It has been made by passionate people for passionate people – just like you.

If this book creates the slightest urge in you to pick up a needle and thread, it has all been worth it.’

Now most people who are reading this newsletter have seen an issue or two of Inspirations magazine, and it you haven’t, firstly where have you been? And secondly, my oh my, you are missing out BIG TIME!

If you enjoy our magazine and appreciate the luxe, the love and the dedication that goes into every issue, just wait until you see ‘A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery’.

So, for anyone out there who enjoys beautiful needlework presented in the most beautiful way possible, you’ll love ‘A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery’.

But please be warned – passion is contagious, and there is a high probability this book will compel you to pick up a needle and thread and start stitching!

Any day of celebration in 2020 was always going to be… well… a little bit different to previous years. But the beauty of World Embroidery Day is that, regardless of our circumstances, we always have our needles and threads.

We received some great feedback on our Facebook page when we asked what you were doing for World Embroidery Day 2020.

Renai shared her love of satin stitch and wool felt appliqué.

Lindsay (left) showed us her amazing forays into blackwork. And Gillian (right) shared the projects she was working on, stating that it was, ‘a beautiful day in Tasmania for stitching.’ Gillian also wisely commented that:

The San Francisco School of Needlework and Design, who are famous for their World Embroidery Day celebrations, embraced the moment and the technology pertinent to 2020 by having a Zoom ‘stitch-in.’ That allowed anyone, from anywhere in the world, to virtually join other, like-minded stitchers and share their passion.

Who knows where we’ll be by 30th July 2021, however one thing we can be sure of is that stitchers around the world will still be finding ways to share their love for all things needle and thread with others and discovering new friends in the global, needlework community.

When we think of love, the first image which pops into our minds is the shape of a heart.

For decades, this simple, symmetrical shape has symbolised love and there is no denying that it is universal (both the symbol and the feeling!).

It is a strange thing though because, as most of us are probably aware, the actual human heart doesn’t really look like the classic heart shape. So how did that most common of shapes come to represent the most wonderful of emotions?

Unfortunately, no-one really knows for sure. There is plenty of conjecture. Some say the shape was drawn from the leaves of the ivy, a plant that once represented fidelity.

Others suggest that it was a simplified and amended representation of Aristotle’s written description of the human heart. Aristotle had suggested the heart had three cavities, unequal in size, positioned from largest to smallest. Later illustrators amended this to represent two large chambers with a smaller one in the middle – hence the shape.

Still others indicate that early ‘hearts’ were shaped more like pinecones and were usually drawn in a way that we would now see as upside-down, with the point at the top.

What is agreed is that prior to the 13th Century, the symbol was not associated with love. It was only as the idea of romantic love began to develop in medieval times that the link between the symbol and the emotion began.

Whatever the history, there is no doubt that today the heart symbol is the simplest and clearest expression of how strongly we feel about something. With that in mind, Fiona Hibbett’s sublime stumpwork project can be put into context. Her design ‘Tranquil Thoughts’ isn’t just a picture of pansies and daisies– it is a heartfelt expression of love towards these particular flowers and the beauty of nature that they represent.

Tranquil Thoughts from Inspirations issue #107 is worked in subtle, pastel colours, with raised elements that burst out of the confines of the heart shape which frames it.

Sitting right in the centre is a fat, fluffy bumblebee, busily exploring the floral bounty surrounding it. Her gorgeous eyes have fixed on one of the pansies and seem to be shining with excitement at the possibility of nectar within it.

There can be layers of meaning in any shape, but what is true is that the heart shape is one that never ceases to bring joy. Tranquil Thoughts combines the joy of the shape with the delicate beauty of the raised pansy petals, the fascinating texture of the English daisies with their French knot centres, and the fluffy Ghiordes knot body and sparkling gossamer wings of the bee.

We have no doubt that from beginning to end, the overarching feeling you will have while you work Tranquil Thoughts will be love – for your craft, for the nature it represents and for the feeling you will get every time you see this piece hanging on your wall.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Tranquil Thoughts by Fiona Hibbett from Inspirations issue #107 is a floral heart design using foundation stumpwork techniques.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Tranquil Thoughts includes everything* you need to re-create this charming design: Fabrics (unprinted), wool felt, fusible webbing, wires, embroidery threads, beads and needles.

Tranquil Thoughts kits are currently on back order. The good news is that stock is on its way. The not so good news is that due to sourcing lead times and current delivery delays, there is an expected wait of 4-6 weeks. We appreciate your patience.

*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.

Two Hearts by Jo Butcher from Inspirations issue #85 is two dainty heart designs for you to stitch with ease.

Highland Beauty by Jenny Adin-Christie from Inspirations issue #77 is an exquisite fine whitework lavender sachet.

My Fair Lady by Glenda Semple from Inspirations issue #54 is a sumptuous special occasion bag.

Heart of Mine by Céline Girouard from AS&E issue #95 is a dainty silk keepsake with lattice smocking and silk ribbon embroidery.

Insects are a vital part of the world’s ecosystem. However, as well as being important to all aspects of life, they can also be incredibly beautiful. This is why we so often find insects as the subject of our needlework. From butterflies to bees, there are endless varieties both in life and in thread so this week we’re bringing you a collection of just a few stitched by our community.

‘I stitched this little stumpwork bee for International Day of the Bee but didn’t quite get it finished on time. I was inspired to create her after reading an article about the loss of bees due to the use of chemicals. For all of our technology, it’s amazing how dependent we still are upon this small creature to feed the world.’

Indeed we are, Nina. We love how you’ve represented this little lady as she’s carrying the world - we wouldn’t have life as we know it without her.

‘This is the Tiger Swallow Butterfly by Michele Roberts. I completed this piece after taking Michele’s class during the American Needlepoint Guild Seminar in 2019. This is my second goldwork piece. I loved working the butterfly and plan to do more goldwork.’

‘I began stitching as a child, but only became serious in the early ‘90s. I have done needlepoint exclusively until two years ago when I began to branch out into other embroidery forms. I enjoy crewel, threadpainting, and surface embroidery but there are so many other techniques I hope to learn.’

‘I stitch every day - it is one of the great pleasures of my life. I have recently become familiar with flowers, plants and techniques from other parts of the world that I had not encountered here in the USA. It’s wonderful to be part of the world of needlework.’

There is always so much to learn and discover from one another, isn’t there? Your butterfly is beautiful, Jenay, and we’re looking forward to seeing more.

‘This is a photo of my grandson with his book cover that I embroidered for him. It covers his sketch book that he draws all the insects that he finds. It is a great treasure of his.’

‘He helped me choose the insects for the cover from Jane Nicholas’s book on insect embroideries. I loved doing it for him.’

He looks very pleased, Jill. This is a gift which I am sure he will treasure forever – perhaps he’ll still be carrying it when he graduates with a degree in entomology?!

‘This was my first attempt to make a composite design. The iris I copied from a photo on the cover of the ‘Royal School of Needlework Embroidery Techniques’. The butterfly was a blackwork design by Tanja Berlin from Inspirations issue #52 that I did in silver.’

‘I am only now beginning to have the courage to design more from my photographs. There are so many exciting designs available that I feel rather inadequate in that field, but I enjoy it so much anyway!’

You’ve done a marvellous job, Mavis. And enjoyment is 99.9% of the process, that’s why we love stitching so much!

Do you love insects? Have you stitched up a swarm, but continue to hunt for more? Or do insects make you shudder a little, so you prefer other subjects to stitch? Whatever it is you love, we’d love to see it. Send a picture of your work and a little bit of information about the project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com

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Poppy by Hazel Blomkamp is an elegant candle screen featuring a flamboyant bird with engaging stitches and techniques.

Clive the Chameleon by Hazel Blomkamp from Inspirations issue #100 is a fabulous chameleon with opulent beaded camouflage.

Winter Sunset by Hazel Blomkamp from A Passion for Needlework | Factoria VII features a magical palette of gentle pastels and intricate stitch techniques to create the fascinating surface on this square footstool.

Papermate by Hazel Blomkamp from Inspirations issue #84 is a beautiful paperweight with floral Jacobean design.

Sweet Savour by Hazel Blomkamp from Inspirations issue #78 is a beautiful, beaded pomander with Jacobean inspired embroidery.

~ Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel ~

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.