Copy
ISSUE 259, NOVEMBER 6, 2020
No images? View online
INSPIRATIONS. ALL Stitched Up!
Click to enable images
Hi There,
It goes without saying that we’re nearing the end of what has been a particularly uncertain year. COVID-19 has presented changes and challenges none of us could have predicted at the onset of 2020.

For each of us, these changes and challenges have been unique. However, a common thread for many has been the way we’ve experienced personal connection. Sure, there are some connections that have been strengthened, but for many of us, social distancing and travel restrictions have meant that we’ve missed connecting with the people we’d usually do life with and that’s left a gap we haven’t always been sure how to fill.

After reading an article penned by Maggie Mackellar in Australia’s Country Style magazine, we realised she had a remedy that hadn’t been front of mind, but one that would absolutely help fill the gaps many of us had been experiencing!
‘Without her here, I find myself treasuring the things she’s made over the years.’
Referring to her aunt who was unable to make her usual annual visit, Maggie found herself appreciating, more so then ever before, the things that been crafted by the work of her aunt’s hands and gifted to her.

From a hand spun, hand-dyed, knitted woollen blanket she sleeps under each night, a favourite work jumper her aunt had taken the time to mend, frozen mulberries that get her through winter, right through to a simple pot of thyme, Maggie was struck by the usefulness of the things she had been given over the years and was more acutely aware of their presence than ever before.

We love the simplicity of Maggie’s approach. As she took the time to notice what was around her, remembering not only the work that had gone into each item, but also who the work was done by, she found that ‘these physical things made by loving hands’ invited her to make a connection that spanned time and distance.

No doubt many of our lives are filled with items that were hand wrought by someone important to us and if we just take the time to remember them each time we see or use the object, that feeling of connection will help fill some of the gaps COVID has created until we can finally be together again.

Do you have something made by loving hands that allows you to make a connection regardless of physical distance? We’d love to know what it is. Email news@inspirationsstudios.com
 
Have Your Say
Seasons and Lifetime Projects | Your Responses
We’re watching the seasons change here at Inspirations HQ. Less than a week ago, we were huddled up in the cold and rain and now the sun is shining and we’re enjoying a deliciously warm day. It is spring for us, which is both unpredictable and exciting, although knowing when to put the winter wardrobe away and get the summer one out can be difficult!
After writing about seasons back in All Stitched Up! issue #253, several of you wrote in telling us how you like to mark the seasons with your stitching.
Frances Tornese from the USA described her love for Fall/Autumn, with the rich oranges, yellows and reds of the trees appearing in her needlework. However, like many of us, Christmas is always on her mind, so she starts her Christmas stitching in June to avoid running the risk of not finishing on time.
Similarly, Roberta Kenney is inspired by seasons. She has a preference for wool based projects such as crewel work, during winter, but she too gives Christmas projects precedence to ensure they are completed on time. She also loves making things for birthdays, with these two delightful ornaments by Giulia Manfredini doubling as Christmas decorations and birthday gifts for her children and grandchildren.
In that same issue of All Stitched Up!, we also discussed projects that are so significant in scale that they become lifetime projects and highlighted the cross-stitched periodic table worked by Brother Martin.

In response we received a wonderfully heart-warming story of a ‘lifetime project’ from Helen Martyres. Helen’s mother had started a tapestry but didn’t manage to finish it before she passed away in 1997. It sat in a cupboard for several years before Helen’s daughter discovered it and asked Helen whether she would complete it.
Rather than finishing it entirely, Helen did a little and then handed it to her daughter to complete, although not hopeful of the outcome as, to the best of her knowledge, Helen’s daughter was not much of an embroiderer.
But you can imagine Helen’s joy when her daughter delivered it to her, completed, for her 80th birthday.
Not only had her daughter put stitches in, but her granddaughter had too, making it a project that stretched over four generations of her family.

Caitlin Doyle was also inspired to write in after seeing the same article, however she wanted to ask a question. Like many of us, Caitlin appreciates the journey involved in embroidery perhaps more than the destination, however she wondered how people maintained their enthusiasm over the course of a very long project?
She admitted that she often found herself ‘wandering’. Her latest project, Betsy Morgan’s Virgin Queen's Stitching Wallet, was one she fell in love with. However, like many of Betsy’s projects, it is very much a labour of love which can take a great deal of time to complete. Caitlin has found herself at times feeling frustrated with her slow progress and, although she knows it isn’t going to help, has found herself putting it down, discouraged by how long it is taking.
Do any of our readers have some inspiration for Caitlin, or some tips or advice for sticking with a project even if the end seems a long way off? Have you ever felt like Caitlin does? And how do you overcome a mental roadblock with your stitching?

It will be wonderful to hear from you with your advice, suggestions and ideas. That is what the Inspirations community is all about – sharing our passion with our closest friends from all over the world.
 
Needlework News
Honouring Remembrance Day | In Flanders Fields Kits
Every year on 11th November, people pause and observe a minute’s silence at 11.00am to remember those who lost their lives in wars over the past century.
The symbol of the poppy, representing the flowers that grew across Belgium and France in the wake of the devastation of World War I, has become the universal symbol of Remembrance Day and is as poignant today as it was early in the twentieth century.
In honour of Remembrance Day, we’ve brought back one of our most popular and relevant projects.
‘In Flanders Fields’ by Jo Butcher first appeared in Inspirations issue #99 and has been requested over and over since then. The stunningly simple design worked on a subtly painted ground fabric, provides a sense of dignity and tranquillity which is perfectly suited to the subject and the moment.
We’re proud to be able to bring you this kit again, although in limited numbers, so that you can take the time while you stitch to remember all of those who sacrificed their lives in the past.
Stitching Essentials Gift Pack
What do you buy for that stitching friend who already has every kit and book under the sun? How about for the family member who wants to try needlework again after many years? Or what about for the colleague who has admired your work from afar, but who, you suspect, has been too afraid to try embroidery themselves?
To help resolve this dilemma we have created the ‘Stitching Essentials Gift Pack’.
This ideal gift contains everything you need to start stitching immediately.
The Stitching Essentials Gift Pack is bursting with useful and necessary stitching goodies, including:

1 x Size 3 (6") Nurge Hoop
1 x Bohin Needlebook
1 x Milanese Embroidery Scissors
1 x Tube of Udderly Smooth Moisturising Cream
1 x Pack of Sue Spargo Threads
1 x Book | A-Z of Embroidery Stitches
1 x Piece of Fabric (.5m or 19.5” square)
1 x Pack of Sajou Mini Thread Winders
1 x Hummingbird Needle Threader
If you were to buy these items separately, they would cost over AU$180 however as a special offer we have a limited number of packs for only AU$130.

Help your lucky recipient be ready for any stitching opportunity and get your Christmas shopping all sewn up with the ‘Stitching Essentials Gift Pack’, out now.
New Digital Pattern | Minaudière
With the festive season on the horizon, now is the perfect time to be thinking about gorgeous, handmade accessories to accompany your Christmas outfit.
Minaudière is a breathtaking embroidered evening bag which would go perfectly with any outfit to suit any occasion.
You’ll be fending off the compliments wherever you go with this magnificent piece.
Minaudière is a heart shaped evening bag adorned with bold, spectacular threadpainted pansies. Designed by Susan O’Connor and first published in Inspirations issue #80, we’re thrilled to be able to offer you this amazing project as a digital download.
And being able to download it straight away means you’ll have time to get it finished before the festive season really hits its stride. Click below to purchase the Minaudière digital pattern today.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Minaudière
 
Stitching the Weather
While the weather changes rapidly around us, Vancouver based artist, Bettina Matzkuhn, uses a needle and thread to slow down and deepen her understanding of the meteorological forces surrounding her.
Her most recent work, entitled Schmetterlinge, consists of 12 butterfly-shaped, hand-dyed panels, each carefully stitched with running stitch. Each panel represents the contours, swirls, colours and changes the artist has seen in the world’s weather patterns.
‘The glacial pace of embroidery suits me,’ Matzkuhn says. ‘It’s like thinking with your hands.’
Much of Bettina Matzkuhn’s work reflects this understanding, although using embroidery to meditate on the world is something we’re sure many of you can relate to.
If you would like to read more about Bettina’s latest project, you can do so at The Walrus. You can also view her other work at her Instagram account @matzkuhn
 
Featured Project
Christmas Robin by Nicola Jarvis
The iconic symbolism for Christmas the world over consists of images of snow-covered cottages and cosy, warm hearths, with stockings hanging on a mantle adorned with holly and a tiny robin perched on the windowsill.
As incongruous as this scene is for many due to the climatic, flora and fauna realities of where we live, Christmas is as much about traditions as anything else and so these types of images firmly remain part of our love of the season.
When you consider that it was during the 19th Century when many of our modern Christmas traditions were crystallised, snow was almost guaranteed for most of the Northern Hemisphere. With snow and the winter cold came the need for warm fires and welcoming hearths, but also the ubiquitous presence of that boldest of little birds, the robin.
Unlike many other British birds, the robin has always remained throughout the colder months, defying the need to migrate to warmer climates.
As a result, the robin would help to lift spirits by joyfully singing its little heart out during snow-covered mornings and bitterly cold afternoons.
But the robin’s role as a symbol of Christmas did not just come from the fact that they regularly appear in winter gardens. It is believed that the robin's association with Christmas was something brought about yet again by those sentimental Victorians.
During the 19th Century, the writing and sending of Christmas cards became very popular. People would eagerly await the postman who arrived laden with Christmas cards bringing news and greetings from friends and family near and far. At the time, the Royal Mail postmen wore bright red coats and soon became known as ‘robins’ or ‘redbreasts’.

As Christmas card artists created new designs to meet demand, the image of the postman morphed into an image of the common bird from which he gained his nickname, and the link between the robin and Christmas was forged.
This is why Nicola Jarvis’s project Christmas Robin from Inspirations issue #108 is so clearly an image of Christmas. Everyone will be familiar with Nicola’s love of birds and her incredible ability to design gorgeous, unique and stunning avian projects. It seems perfectly logical that, when it came to Christmas, she’d produce a glorious robin, sporting a golden crown and wing covert with an ostentatious white flower sitting right at the centre of its scarlet breast.
Nicola always delights us with the range of stitches and materials she uses.
Silks, beads, metallic threads, goldwork, pearls and even ribbons and felt are all brought together in perfect harmony to create this magnificent fellow. Any stitcher, whether beginner or advanced, will experience all the joy of experimenting with the variety of stitches, materials and techniques required to complete this project.
The Christmas Robin heralds the festive season in such glittering style, the fact that this delightful bird in real life is only seen in its British and European home, is transcended by its role in our global, modern day Christmas landscape.
So much so that today, no matter where you live, you can invite the robin into your home to act as a reminder that Christmas will soon be here.
Make Your Own Christmas Robin
Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Christmas Robin by Nicola Jarvis is a royal robin resplendent in his sequin-studded Yuletide robes.
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 108
 
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Christmas Robin
 
Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Christmas Robin includes everything* you need to re-create this charming little bird: Fabrics (unprinted), wool felt, fusible webbing, embroidery threads, beads, sequins and needles.
 
READY-TO-STITCH KIT
Christmas Robin
 
Due to popular demand Christmas Robin kits are currently sold out. 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 2-3 months. 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.
Looking for More Christmas Robins?
Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells by Jenny McWhinney from Inspirations issue #60 is a joyful Christmas stocking featuring a luscious plum pudding topped with sprigs of holly and a sweetly singing robin.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Jingle Bells
 
Winter’s Song
Winter's Song by Trish Burr from Inspirations issue #88 is a sweet threadpainted robin resting on a sprig of holly.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Winter’s Song
 
Deck the Halls
Deck the Halls by Jenny McWhinney from Inspirations issue #56 is a delightful Christmas table runner featuring two little robins perched among ivy leaves.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Deck the Halls
 
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 56
 
Hanging Around
Hanging Around by Jenny McWhinney from Inspirations issue #80 is a pair of gorgeous Christmas stockings adorned with cheerful, red-breasted robins.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Hanging Around
 
What Are You Stitching?
Hazel Blomkamp’s prolific designs are loved the world over. Her ideas, her stitches and her projects continue to inspire needlework fans in droves. You love her, we love her – really, what more can we say? Here is another amazing showcase of Hazel’s designs from our talented readers.
Jeannette Roberts
‘I was inspired by your publication to purchase Hazel Blomkamp's book Crewel Twists. The monotone Jacobean design on the cover was intriguing, so I worked it on recycled denim from a leg of my husband's jeans!’
‘I challenged myself, making a sampler of sorts, trying out many of the stitches Hazel had in her book that were new to me, including the needle lace. Never too old to learn a new stitch, or two, or three.’

Never too old indeed, Jeannette! What a fabulous contemporary interpretation of this beautiful design. You should be very proud of your achievement. We love it!
Tracie Tillman
‘I have stitched two of Hazel's designs so far and plan on doing many more! I absolutely loved stitching Midnight Meander from her book Crewel Twists. I knew from the start I wanted to finish it mounted on a silver bowl similar to the way she did. I was lucky enough to find this silver footed bowl in a second hand store and I am very pleased with the final result.’
‘I also recently finished stitching Inflorescence from her book Crewel Intentions. I haven't yet decided how I'm going to finish this piece, but I love how it turned out. Her designs are challenging but her instructions are excellent and I learn something with each project.’

Both of these finished projects are magnificent, Tracie. Even finishing one of Hazel’s projects is an achievement, so the fact you have completed two (to date!) is something worthy of praise.
Marcie Acker-Missall
‘I am a professional soft sculpture art doll artist, designer and instructor. I fell in love with surface embroidery when teaching in Australia several years ago. I am self-taught - a ‘work-in-progress’ embroiderer - living in South Florida, USA where there are no embroidery shops and no guild or club to join and learn from.’
‘Here is Hazel Blomkamp’s Rhino. This is the first Hazel Blomkamp pattern I’ve ever tried. I reduced the size by half and had to work using only single threads of floss to be able to work the tiniest of stitches. It was a very challenging project, but the detailed instructions she provides are outstanding.’

I think all of us are ‘work-in-progress’ embroiderers, Marcie, as there is never an end to what you can learn. You certainly challenged yourself by reducing the size of Roger, he was unbelievably detailed to begin with, and your finished result is marvellous. Well done.
Is Hazel your number one inspiration? Or Trish Burr? Or Nicola Jarvis? Or perhaps there are other designers you love and eagerly await their next design or kit. Whoever you get inspired by, or whatever designs you love to work on, we want to see your stitching. Send us a picture of your work with a bit of information about the project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com.au
 
Subscribe to Inspirations Magazine
Not a Subscriber? Join Today!
Become part of the Inspirations family by subscribing to the magazine... we'd love to have you join us!
 
You May Have Missed
O, Tannenbaum
O, Tannenbaum by Trish Burr is a Scandinavian-inspired Christmas tree using an elegant palette of white, blue and gold.
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 108
 
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
O, Tannenbaum
 
 
READY-TO-STITCH KIT
O, Tannenbaum
 
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
A Partridge in a Pear Tree by Trish Burr from Inspirations issue #96 is a graceful bird perched on a branch with a sprig of holly and the prescribed pear.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
 
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 96
 
Trish Burr Designer Kits
An exclusive range of Trish Burr designs are also available as Ready-to-Stitch kits. Complete with pre-printed fabric and everything you need to re-create each magnificent piece, these kits also come with printed instructions.
This Week on Social
 
Tis beginning to look a lot like Christmas with this design by @lifewithbess
 
Who knew crochet and nature collaborations could be so beautiful?! By artist Susanna Bauer.
 
Quote
‘Connection is why we are here. We are hardwired to connect with others, it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.’
~ Brené Brown ~
What's On
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.
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
INSPIRATIONS
© 2020 Inspirations Studios

Unsubscribe
/ Forward to a Friend / Shop Online

You are receiving this email because you signed up online, at a craft show, subscribed to our magazine, or purchased something from our online store. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, we'll be sorry to see you go, but click HERE and we'll remove your email address from this list. Thank you.