When we hold a completed piece of stitching in our hands, it represents a lot more than just threads on fabric.

For one, it embodies time. From choosing the pattern, gathering the just-right supplies, right through to the countless moments taken to lay each stitch, the completed piece holds within it immeasurable hours.

Beyond time, the work completed with needle and thread is also a symbol of talent. Each stitch laid is a reminder of what we’re capable of and how far we’ve come since first picking up needle and thread. In this way, each completed piece is somewhat of a time capsule that acts as a record of what we were creating at any given time throughout our stitching journey.

The wonder of stitching is that when we allow ourselves to be lost in the meditative push and pull of needle and thread, we somehow find a truer version of ourselves and that is what is captured with each stitch we lay.

So next time we look at what we’ve created with needle and thread and find the end result falls short of our expectations, we need to take a moment to see that our stitching also holds within it our time, talent and passion and that way we’ll always be pleased with what lays before us.

There has been a renewed passion for antique samplers over the past decades. In terms of stitching, a casual survey suggests that when it comes to cross stitch, reproduction antique samplers are a favourite subject, with many people collecting chart after chart in the hope that they might one day get the chance to stitch them all.

This passion also extends to collecting originals. There are a huge number of needlework lovers who dream of discovering that historic gem one day in an attic or junk shop. They anticipate the joy of brushing away the dust and revealing a perfect slice of embroidery history, stitched painstakingly by young hands and revealing the forgotten story of a little girl or a young lady who laboured over each and every stitch.

From at least the seventeenth century, but probably much earlier, young girls in many parts of the UK and Europe were expected to learn to embroider. The sampler was her learning tool – a project designed to embed the technique into the mind of the stitcher.

Some included an edifying verse or saying. Others provided a study tool for letters and numbers. No matter what motifs were chosen, once complete, the sampler stood as a demonstration of the young lady’s achievements, a reminder of her life as well as a reference for the stitches she would likely use again and again.

Kathleen Weston from Albuquerque, New Mexico, happened to be hunting for antiques – a passion of hers – after a visit to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England. Perhaps it was serendipity but on leaving the museum she spotted an antique store just across the road, and behind the door discovered a beautifully preserved, antique sampler.

The proprietor of the store explained that the sampler had come to him through his aunt, but having no date recorded on it, was difficult to value.

What was known was that the sampler was stitched by a young lady called Sarah Howell, and that the proprietor, David, was connected to Sarah in some way via his aunt. However, exactly when Sarah would have threaded her needle to begin was, at that stage, a matter of guesswork.

Kathleen’s initial assessment of the sampler convinced her that it had been precious to the family. It had been well framed under glass and kept out of the sun, so it was not faded and remained in excellent condition with only a few broken threads.

Starting from the name of the aunt who had donated the sampler, Kathleen put on her detective hat and, through research, a number of well-informed assumptions and a smattering of heartfelt intuition, she finally dated the piece to the 1830s and worked out the story of the sampler and a little of Sarah Howell herself.

Kathleen felt that it was important for the sampler to retain its ‘story’, so she recorded the details she had discovered on the backing paper of the frame for future generations. In this way, not only did she ensure the sampler was preserved physically, but she made sure it was also preserved historically.

Kathleen’s experience is one which has been reproduced over and over as lovers of embroidery have gone out of their way to track down these little slices of textile history.

Whether you have collected an original or stitched a reproduction, you are also becoming a part of that larger history. We’ve spoken before about the threads which travel from stitchers of the past through to the stitchers of the present. Each antique sampler forms one of those threads, weaving in and out of history and ultimately connecting us all.

If you have had any experiences with discovering the origins of antique needlework, we’d love to hear about them. Email us at news@inspirationsstudios.com

You don’t normally associate rough skin and calloused fingers with a gentle art such as needlework, but most of us know that they are par for the course.

How annoying is it when that beautiful silk thread catches on the rough patches of your fingers, or you pick up your fabric and find you’ve snagged a thread without even realising it?

So, what do you do? Snag everything on the rough patches, or risk greasy patches for the sake of smooth skin? Fortunately, you no longer have to make that choice.

Udderly Smooth Moisturising Cream appears to have almost been specially made with embroiderers in mind. It smooths out your skin beautifully without leaving any greasy residue.

Available in a convenient 4 oz (144g) tube which fits perfectly in your stitching bag, or a generous 12oz (340g) jar for that spot beside your favourite chair, Udderly Smooth helps make rough skin a thing of the past.

You might think that the name suggests it was originally formulated for cows – well, you’d be absolutely right! But it turns out that what’s good for the cows is just perfect for the stitcher.

We have tested it many times over right here at Inspirations HQ and we can safely say it’s fabulous – and with no cows required! Just gorgeously soft skin and smooth stitching with threads gliding through your fingers like butter.

OK, we’re milking it now so we’ll moove on…

We thought it was high time for some cuteness overload, so when we spotted this book from Corinne Lapierre, we knew we had hit the jackpot. Felt Animal Families brings you page after page of handmade gorgeousness, with patterns for you to create six charming animal families along with some of the most adorable little clothes and accessories you could possibly imagine.

Included in the book are the Rabbit family, the Mouse family, the Deer and Fox families, the cheeky Racoon family and our personal favourite, the family of nature loving Bears. All hand-sewn in ready-made craft felt that is easy to work and soft to the touch, each animal will simply come alive in your hands.

You won’t be able to stop at just one – seriously, how could you choose between fishing with the Foxes, having tea and snacks with the Rabbits or gathering firewood with the Deer?! The myriad accessories are perfectly selected and each outfit is carefully created to bring maximum cuteness to the entire set.

What do you mean we should make these for the children or the grandchildren? I think we’d all be hard pressed to give them away that easily!

Inspirations has been publishing beautiful needlework projects for quite a while, but it’s not often that we get asked for patterns from way back in 1995. It just goes to show that some designs are simply timeless, still loved after 25 years.

Little Kisses, from Inspirations issue #9, is one of those favourites.

One of our readers requested Little Kisses as she had to sadly move her mother to a care facility and, when sorting through her mother’s stitching collection, found a kit for this gorgeous little felt teddy bear.

Although she had some instructions, she didn’t have them all so, in honour of her mum, she wanted to help her complete this little treasure.

Little Kisses is a jointed teddy bear, made from creamy felt and embroidered with ribbons, flowers and beads. It’s sure to be loved by adults and children alike and would make the perfect gift.

We did promise back in All Stitched Up! issue #189 that we would bring you the whole Alla Akselrod animal menagerie, and Little Kisses is the next adorable creature in the collection.

Little Kisses has now been added to our website as a digital pattern and is available to purchase and download straight away.

Associating hip-hop music and streetwear with cross stitch seems somewhat incongruous, but Chicago based artist Emma McKee, also known as ‘Stitch-Gawd’ didn’t see any kind of disconnect.

When Emma realised she not only enjoyed cross stitch but was actually really good at it, she decided that it was the perfect medium for her art. She began making unique jackets with cross stitched designs for rappers and performers from her home city. It wasn’t long before her work took off.

However, Emma was not in it to make money – in fact, the idea of trading her art for money was anathema to her. She prefers to ‘barter’ her designs for time and this is what has driven her success.

Emma says:

Using such a traditional medium in such a contemporary arena, Emma is certainly making a statement. And, we would suggest, she’s also proudly taking on the world.

You can read the full interview with Emma at uproxx.com or follow her on Instagram @thestitchgawd

It is difficult to imagine what would have been going through the mind of 14-year-old Catherine de’ Medici on the eve of her wedding to Henry, second son of King Francis I of France.

Her young life before the wedding had been filled with loss, death and uncertainty as she’d been moved around Italy, her life constantly at risk as a member of a family which had all but fallen from grace.

Thanks to luck, fate and a lot of political machinations, Catherine was finally wedded to Henry, although at the time it seemed unlikely he was ever to ascend to the French throne. Yet back in the sixteenth century nothing was ever certain and the death of his brother meant that Henry became king of France in 1547.

By that time, Catherine had already been sidelined and marginalised by Henry’s favoured mistress. However, having given birth to ten children, three of whom were to go on to become kings of France with Catherine’s guidance, her position remained strong.

The stories about Catherine ascribe to her intelligence and Machiavellian ruthlessness, but under the circumstances she lived in, it is little wonder that she found any way she could to survive.

It is in this context that we can enjoy Maria Rita Faleri’s project ‘Caterina’ from Inspirations issue #107, stitched in Catherine de’ Medici stitch also known as punto madama. It is said that this technique was one of Catherine’s favourites which she brought with her from Italy to France when she married Henry. Fortunately, we are still able to enjoy it today.

Catherine de’ Medici stitch is a wonderfully simple stitch to master with exquisite results. Maria Rita Faleri’s table mat is made up of a repeating, geometric pattern worked in a specific form of running stitch on a gorgeously rustic 6-count Buratto unbleached linen.

Using a heavy ivory cotton, the first pass of the design is worked in standard running stitch. However, the beautiful twisted effect is achieved by ensuring that on the return journey, the needle passes behind each existing stitch as the second pass is worked.

Caterina is a wonderfully meditative project which, although requiring careful counting, can be completed comparatively quickly. Once you’ve done the design, the edge of the mat is finished with double backstitch. The corners are then completed with four traditionally knotted tassels which hold the mat square and complete the project perfectly.

As you stitch, picture the fierce Catherine, born into a world of intrigue, deception and danger, stilling her mind and formulating her ideas while she carefully stitches intricate, reversible designs onto collars, cuffs, linens and clothing.

No matter how her name has gone down in history, and no matter whether you see her as ruthless and power-hungry, or determined to come out on top despite all of the circumstances pitted against her, the legacy of her embroidery is one we should rightly admire.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Caterina by Maria Rita Faleri is an Italian linen cloth embellished with Catherine de’ Medici stitch and hand-knotted tassels.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Caterina includes everything* you need to re-create this elegant design: Fabric (unprinted), embroidery thread and needle.

Due to popular demand Caterina kits are currently on back-order. The good news is that more 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. Thank you for 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.

Bellissimo by Paola Matteucci from Inspirations issue #102 is a beautiful cushion topper in Italian tulle embroidery with a flowing design of roses and leaves.

Tuscan Lace by Maria Elide Melani from Inspirations issue #103 is a cushion cover worked with Deruta Sfilato embroidery, perfect for a contemporary setting.

Stitches from the Heart by Maria Elide Melani from Inspirations issue #97 is a charming little sachet, in shades of blue and white - the perfect introduction to the technique of Deruta Sfilato, drawn thread work from the heart of Italy.

With This Ring by Patricia Girolami from Inspirations issue #74 is a beautiful ring cushion featuring a Punto Antico white work design.

The pace of modern life means that it isn’t often we get out a tablecloth to have a meal or put out the hand embroidered cloth serviettes. Many of us have even dispensed with using doilies and table mats all together, which seems such a tragedy as these items are wonderful ways to display our needlework.

Fortunately, there are stitchers out there who still see the value in exquisitely embroidered table linens, so this week not only are we celebrating the tradition they are helping to uphold, we bring you a gorgeous selection of these projects to help whet your appetite in case you want to join the cause.

‘These napkins are the latest embroidery pieces that I have finished.’

‘They are to commemorate my youngest son and daughter-in-law for their wedding.’

We trust your son and daughter-in-law loved these unique table napkins, Susan. They’re absolutely beautiful and we’re honoured that you chose so many designs from Inspirations magazine to stitch on them.

‘Antique Society Silk embroidery holds a special place in my heart. I love the designs, the materials, well, everything! I have always wished I could stitch my own piece.’

‘A few years ago, I bought a couple of antique stamped centrepieces with violet sprays. I think they're from around 1900, but could be older.’

‘I gathered some antique silk for the violets and found a modern washable white filament silk floss for the border and started stitching. It was so much fun. I even used a vintage needle for the embroidery.’

‘The little centrepiece turned out beautifully. The nearly flat filament silks glow and dance in the light which makes them a bit tricky to photograph’

The silk thread really brings out the design, Margaret. There’s a richness in the colour which you just can’t get from cotton thread and you’ve done a marvellous job creating these, well done.

‘I’m sending a picture of my recently finished project. It took a year and a half to complete.’

‘I'm a porcelain lover and I've had this crockery for a long time. I love it so much that I've always imagined making a matching embroidered tablecloth. The images were difficult to reproduce because of the detailed subjects. However, I managed to achieve what I had in mind. I think it is beautiful!’

So do we, Manuela! You’ve reproduced the design beautifully. The crockery and the embroidery are perfectly matched. We hope you enjoy many happy cups of tea on this beautiful piece.

Do you love using hand embroidered table linens whenever you have a meal? Or are you still passionate about table runners and doilies? Perhaps you’ve recently discovered how practical and beautiful these projects can be? If so, we’d love to see your work. Send us some images of your stitching and a little bit about your project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com

Become part of the Inspirations family by subscribing to the magazine... we'd love to have you join us!

Sweet Repose by Anna Scott is a beautiful crewel cushion with coordinating print cotton panels.

Fantasia by Hazel Blomkamp from Inspirations issue #98 is a delightful cushion adorned with ornate Jacobean embroidery.

The Little Nut Tree by Susan O'Connor from Inspirations issue #11 is a superb silk cushion reminiscent of medieval embroideries.

Twitter by Sue Spargo from Inspirations issue #102 is a cheerful cushion with bright, appliquéd birds embellished with a great range of embroidery stitches.

April Showers by Beverley Sheldrick from Inspirations Issue #9 is a magnificent cream cushion embroidered with silk ribbons.

~ Garth Brooks ~

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.