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ISSUE 278, APRIL 16, 2021
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INSPIRATIONS. ALL Stitched Up!
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Hi There,
After unpacking the idea about creating a physical space that not only serves our time with needle and thread but also promotes a sense of creativity in All Stitched Up! issue #275 & issue #277, an email from Janine at Uppercase Magazine took the idea a step further.
Janine explored the benefit of creating space in her schedule amidst the hustle and bustle of not only her work, but also her creative pursuits.
Whilst these are often one and the same for Janine, as not only is she pursuing her passion for all things creative, she does so within her business that produces a similar catalogue of product to Inspirations, albeit in a completely different creative field.

Regardless, she’d come to realise that the emotions involved in seeing any project through to completion, be it creative or professional - including exhilaration, victory, pride, deflation, exhaustion and sadness - take their toll over time, and that creating some space between projects would allow her to gain some clarity about the next task she’d be undertaking.

Although she took but a week away from what was before her, her main aim was to slow down and take her time.

The result?

Whilst she continued to work on aspects of her business and creativity throughout the week, the space she’d created found her working ‘on’ her life rather than just ‘in’ it and she reaped huge rewards as she moved onto the next project before her with a renewed sense of clarity and energy.

That made us realise that all too often we move from one project with needle and thread straight onto the next, and that perhaps we too could benefit from creating a space in between. A space that would allow us to reflect on what we’d just achieved and learnt throughout the process as well as taking the time to dream into what lays before us. Perhaps we too would benefit from working on our time with needle and thread rather than just in it?

Is there something in your creative life that would benefit from creating some space? What would you concentrate on if you took the time to work on your creative life rather than just in it?
 
Have Your Say
Your Stitching Space and Some Great Tips
We’ve really been enjoying all of the emails that have been arriving in our inbox in the past weeks. We love the fact that even if it takes you a few weeks to read the newsletter, you’re still inspired enough to write to us. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to join in on the conversation – we want to hear from you! Even if you want to respond to something that came up in a newsletter from last month or even last year, we welcome all of your comments.
There were a few more people who wanted to share their stitching spaces with us this week. Cécile wrote to us from France to tell us that she was making use of several locations in her house. When her daughter moved out, the vacated room became Cécile’s stitching room where she created a ‘world’ filled with her projects, threads and patterns. However, she still kept the table in the living room to stitch at so she could be with her family while enjoying her time with needle and thread.

Lena Napier loves her attic conversion. At one end is her stitching space, which is filled with light. She sits on her settee, with the BBC playing in the background, the only visitor being her husband with a much welcome cup of tea. Lena says:
‘The best part of my room is the moment I step into it, I relax. It’s like coming home. It’s where I belong.’
On the wall sits a plaque which reads, ‘A quiet time in a quiet place: a daily need for a moment’s grace.’
Fred Sander’s ‘Cubby Hole’
We fell in love with Fred Sander’s embroidery cubby hole. When they built a house, Fred knew he needed a home office with a door he could lock when the children were young. The room was small; just 10m square, so little more than a ‘cubby hole’. As his children grew, Fred used the room for his hobbies and crafts as well, including his embroidery.

However, because the room was so tiny, Fred had the challenge of finding a place for everything. He didn’t like working with hoops, but his frames were too large to fit. As such, he fashioned a ceiling mount to hold his frame!
Even though his children have now moved out, Fred is still using the room. He has his PC and telephone in reach, and the cubby hole continues to retain its very special charm and atmosphere.

A couple of people wrote in with some great tips as well this week.
Tied in Knots by Maria Rita Faleri from Inspirations issue #103
First of all, Eve has been working on Tied in Knots from Inspirations issue #103. She’s come up with an ingenious alternative to the foam board. Using an idea she learned when making friendship bracelets, Eve winds a strip of thick cotton duck fabric around her lower thigh. Using safety pins, she pins the project in place through the duck and her jeans, so that the duck takes the force from the pulling, and the jeans give plenty of stability.

She does recommend you avoid wearing your best jeans however, as you may get a small pucker.

There is a downside though. If you have to jump up to get the phone, you might end up trailing string all around the house!
Trudy Snaith also shared a great tip about choosing colours. She suggests taking a sample of the dominant colour for your project to a paint shop. There, you can look through the hundreds of colour cards, most of which offer suggestions for complimentary colours. Best of all, the cards are usually free to take so you can then keep the combination suggestion with your project. As Trudy said, she’s surprised no-one had already thought of it!
Finally, Jodi was inspired by the series of articles about loving your stash which appeared in All Stitched Up! issue #260 and issue #261. Recognising that she was continually buying new stuff because it seemed so much easier due to her huge collection being so disorganised, she has now made an effort to go ‘shopping’ in her own stash. Although her grand plan for a database and complete organisation hasn’t been fully realised, she is on the way and it makes her very happy.

We’re so glad that you’ve all been inspired by our articles. We love your thoughts, your tips and your stories that help to keep the conversation going among our international group of stitching friends.
 
Needlework News
Inspirations #110 Subscriber Update
To all those special people out there who subscribe to Inspirations magazine, firstly, thank you for your support! Without your commitment and dedication to our cause, none of what we do would be possible.
Secondly, as you know we work tirelessly to try and ensure printed copies of each new Inspirations magazine arrive to you before anyone else. To successfully coordinate the despatch of Inspirations to over 45 different countries in a timely manner has always been a logistical challenge, however now in a COVID-19 world, with restricted shipping services globally and cargo ships getting stuck in the Suez Canal, it’s almost impossible!
The good news is the majority of subscribers should have already received issue #110 by now or received an email from us with a specific update. If, however your copy has not arrived, we appreciate your patience and please know we are continually striving to prioritise subscriber deliveries and will be adjusting our schedules moving forward to allocate even more time for your copies to arrive.
Inspirations #110 Out Now!
Inspirations Issue #110 is just about to hit the streets and we have to tell you, it really is sensational. The colours, textures and unique designs that burst from the pages of this new issue are incredible. That is why we’ve called it ‘Stitching Sensations’ - it really is the only appropriate description!
If you’re looking for some of the most stunning floral designs imaginable, look no further than Margaret Light’s gorgeous Violet and Strawberry needle rolls. You’ll also love Paradise, a glorious surface embroidery project full of colour from Laurence Lieblich. If Australian flowers fill your heart with joy, then Alison Cole’s Fireflower will be just what you’re after.
The floral festivities continue with Ana Mallah’s wonderfully subtle Summer Blooms sewing accessories. Or if you’re looking for flowers worked in crewel wool, then you won’t be able to go past Jacobean Dream, a fantastic cushion from The Wemyss School of Needlework in Scotland.
If you’re after something a little different, then prepare to be dazzled by Margaret Lee’s Japanese goldwork project entitled Yuki. Hazel Blomkamp has also produced a breathtaking Dragonfly design, utilising needlelace and beading to brilliant effect. Or prepare yourself to fall in love with Susan Casson’s Tiny Turtle, a gorgeous hatchling worked in stumpwork.

We simply couldn’t choose a favourite from this amazing array of designs from some of our most loved designers and we’re pretty sure you won’t be able to either!
#110 Kits Out Now
Getting your hands on the magazine is one thing. Getting started on the projects is a whole other level of pleasure, which is why we make it as easy as possible to re-create everything you see with our Ready-to-Stitch kits.

But you will know already how quickly some of our kits go, so make sure you get in early. For this issue in particular, we can guarantee that they won’t stay on the shelves for long.
 
READY-TO-STITCH KITS
Browse Kits from Issue #110
 
#110 Digital Patterns
In this day and age, shipping delays are inevitable, but fortunately we have digital technology to the rescue. If you simply can’t wait to get your hands on the printed magazine, every single one of the incredible projects from Inspirations issue #110 is available right now as a digital pattern. You can purchase your favourite pattern today and it can be downloaded, ready for you to get stitching, within minutes.

Isn’t technology sensational? Almost as sensational as this fabulous new issue!
 
DIGITAL PATTERNS
Browse Digital Patterns from Issue #110
 
Now Available | Jacobean Linen Twill
Crewel embroidery is a style that has remained popular not just during the almost three decades that Inspirations has been publishing, but throughout history as well. Crewel embroidery, worked with fine crewel wool, is traditionally stitched onto linen twill.
Linen twill is perfect for this technique due to its weight and strength. That is why we are really pleased to be stocking it, as it hasn’t always been easy to get hold of.

Our Jacobean linen twill has been made from flax grown in Scotland and woven by a specialist historic textile weaver.
The fabric is in a traditional ‘Z’ twist with a high thread count, so that it resembles as closely as possible the twill used for crewel work during the 17th and 18th Centuries in Britain.
Perfect for all kinds of crewel embroidery, linen twill features in many of our projects including designs from Margaret Light and Brenda Sortwell.
Available in lengths starting at 50cm x 157cm wide (19 1/2" x 5'2"), our pricing is calculated per 50cm, so if you would like a longer piece when ordering, for example 1m, enter an order quantity of 2. We’ll ensure that all orders are supplied as a continuous length so you can cut them at home if needed.

With such a fabulous fabric like this now available, once you’ve stitched your first crewel project on linen twill, you won’t want to use anything else.
Monet The Mouse – Printed Patterns
Monet the Mouse is, without a doubt, one of the cutest embroidered characters we know. Created by the incredibly talented designer Jenny McWhinney, the adventures of this adorable fellow have become treasured heirloom projects with her three stunning embroidered books.
Just a reminder for anyone who missed the announcement, all three designs have now been released as individual printed patterns, with the digital patterns still available as well.
 
PRINTED PATTERNS
The Adventures of Monet the Mouse
 
 
DIGITAL PATTERNS
The Adventures of Monet the Mouse
 
Wool and Fiber Arts Festival
Throughout 2020, despite everything the world endured, there were still shining rays of light as artists and crafters employed their prodigious creativity to come up with ways to keep creating and sharing.
One the many restrictions we faced globally, was the cancellation of festivals and conferences. However, Ellen Zawada wasn’t going to let that hinder the efforts of the independent spinners, dyers, woollen mills and fibre artists she knew. In April 2020 she decided to set up a virtual festival, entitled the Wool and Fiber Arts Festival, and it has since gone from strength to strength.
The virtual festival doesn’t just bring independent vendors together for monthly live sales, it also offers informational videos, giveaways, knit-alongs and a vibrant, engaged community. Regardless of where in the world you are, if you enjoy anything to do with fibre arts, you’re welcome to join the Facebook group and get involved.

No matter what happens in the world, the one thing we can be sure of is that the passion of the crafting community will never wane.

You can read about the Wool and Fiber Arts Festival at their website HERE or join their Facebook Group HERE
 
Featured Project
Limonera Pear by Christine Burton
A pincushion forms a part of almost everyone’s needlework kit. It is an essential place to store pins and can be a very handy location to park one’s needle between threads or stitching sessions.
Pincushions come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny, handsewn pillows through to magnetic dishes which, although technically not a ‘pincushion’ per se, serve the same useful purpose.
There is real satisfaction that arises from making one’s own pincushion and there are a plethora of different designs and styles we can choose from.
Pincushions have been in use since the Middle Ages, and have been variously filled with cotton, horsehair or sawdust, sometimes weighted, sometimes embroidered, appearing in shapes as varied as a tomato, a doll’s dress or a padded cushion on the head of a bird.
In Victorian times, it seems that fruit and vegetable shaped pincushions were very fashionable. Limonera Pear by Christine Burton, featured in A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery, continues that tradition.
We’ll be the first to admit that when we initially saw this stunning project, we couldn’t believe that it was a pincushion. But the clever construction and three-dimensional appearance means that it is the perfect receptacle for pins and a gorgeous addition to any embroidery kit.
What sets Limonera Pear apart is the stunning embroidery adorning the outside. Christine Burton is known for her modern and beautiful blackwork designs. In this piece she has chosen five traditional diaper patterns, one for each of the pear’s panels. However, rather than working them in black thread as would be traditional, she has utilised a gorgeous, autumnal variegated thread.
She’s then added extra sparkle with the addition of glass beads and finally topped the entire masterpiece with a sparkling, three-dimensional leaf worked with metal thread and couching stitches.
Although blackwork can be worked using double running stitch or backstitch, because of the nature of the thread, this project does not lend itself to double running stitch. The blackwork needs to be completed using a combination of running and back stitch to ensure that the subtle gradations of colour turn out.
Due to the nature of variegated thread, it is important to try to maintain the integrity of each colour block by completing the stitches as you go.
Of course, the actual path that you take as you work the pattern is entirely up to you. This is one of the beauties of blackwork – there are no set-in-stone rules as to how you complete the stitches. As long as you achieve the pattern and the colours flow evenly from one to the next, you are doing the right thing. This project is worked using counted back stitch on a fine 32-ct linen, so counting your threads is important to ensure that the pattern turns out evenly.
Once you have completed the stitching, you then get the pleasure of constructing the fruit. Clear instructions are provided, however ensuring that it is adequately stuffed will mean that its role as a pincushion will be assured. Although, you may simply choose to show case your finished pear by lying it gently in a fruit bowl for everyone to admire.
Whether your pear is destined for a practical or purely ornamental life, the project Limonera Pear will offer both challenge and enjoyment in equal measure.
Make Your Own Limonera Pear
Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Limonera Pear by Christine Burton from the book A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery is an inventive three-dimensional pear pincushion featuring contemporary blackwork.
 
PRINTED BOOK
A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery
 
Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Limonera Pear includes everything* you need to re-create this enchanting pincushion: Fabrics (unprinted), wool felt, embroidery threads, beads and needles.
 
READY-TO-STITCH KIT
Limonera Pear
 
*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 book.
Looking for More Pincushions?
Eglantyne
Eglantyne by Kris Richards from Inspirations issue #56 is an exquisite Victorian style pincushion.
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 56
 
Nero Fiore
Nero Fiore by Carol J. Young from Inspirations issue #76 is a beautiful pin cushion embroidered with classic blackwork motifs.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Nero Fiore
 
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 76
 
Renaissance
Renaissance by Elisabetta Holzer Spinelli from Inspirations issue #74 is a brightly coloured biscornu pincushion decorated with innovative Estense embroidery.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Renaissance
 
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 74
 
Sweet Treats
Sweet Treats by Betsy Morgan from Inspirations issue #92 is a set of cute little pincushions showcasing a variety of counted thread designs.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Sweet Treats
 
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 92
 
What Are You Stitching?
Whenever a new issue of Inspirations magazine is released, we find the project featured on the front cover typically enjoys a high degree of popularity, thanks in part to its increased exposure.

When Inspirations issue #108 was released last year, we could have hidden the project featured on the front cover in a sealed section in the back and it still would have become an instant hit, such was its appeal.

However, just because we publish a project in a particular way, it doesn’t mean everyone is going to stitch it the same. Today’s segment is a fantastic example of how our community has taken one of our most popular projects of late – Trish Burr’s O, Tannenbaum from issue #108 – and made it their own.
Ana-Maria Kramer
‘This last winter with the lockdown I invited my friend Marsha Fontes from the Canadian Embroiderers’ Guild, Guelph to join me in my studio every Friday morning. We stitched ‘O, Tannenbaum’ by Trish Burr together but we chose to do the tree in green.’

It looks wonderful in green, Ana-Maria. What a lovely way to share the experience of stitching with a good friend.
Cheryl Elphinstone
‘Here is my version of Trish Burr’s ‘O, Tannenbaum’ from Inspirations issue #108. I have used both Japanese and Au ver a Soie - Soie d’alger silks, worked on silk dupion. My thoughts are to turn it into a stand-up piece. I really enjoyed this project.’

We love your colour choice, Cheryl. It is so effective and looks simply stunning on silk. What a great finish!
Joanne Crane
‘This is my latest project. I couldn’t do it in blue because I’m doing five different designs from Trish Burr’s book ‘Whitework with Colour’ and I’m all blued out! I had the colour picture in front of me and substituted the appropriate greens per colour value.’

We would have to say, you’ve substituted perfectly Joanne. The result is really striking. It just goes to show how adding a personal touch can create such a unique piece.
Pat Demharter
‘This was my first try at Trish Burr's designs. This is a lovely version of the traditional Christmas tree and a 'study' of how other cultures celebrate Christmas.’
‘Trish’s choice of colours helped me with the shading technique which she is famous for. The challenge for me was striking the right balance when blending one colour into another. When trying something new I tell myself not to fear the mistakes, but simply to enjoy the process.’

You’ve done a magnificent job for a first try, Pat. Trish’s instructions are very good, but combined with your stitching talent, it is no wonder the result is so gorgeous.
Have you stitched ‘O, Tannenbaum’ by Trish Burr from Inspirations issue #108? Or is there another project from a previous magazine that you started and then realised all of your friends were doing it too? Or do you prefer to stitch obscure or unique designs which no-one else has ever seen before?

It doesn’t matter what you like to stitch, we’d like to see it! Send us a picture of your work, along with some information about the project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com
 
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DIGITAL PATTERN
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PRINTED PATTERN
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READY-TO-STITCH KIT
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A Kingfisher Christmas
A Kingfisher Christmas by Helen M. Stevens from Inspirations issue #104 is a vibrant kingfisher in silk embroidery amongst foliage featuring holly, ivy and mistletoe.
 
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Woodland Floor
Woodland Floor by Helen M. Stevens from the book A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery is an enchanting woodland scene captured using lustrous filament silk threads.
 
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A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery
 
Ulysses
Ulysses by Helen M. Stevens from Inspirations issue #72 is beautiful study capturing the fragile delicacy of this superb butterfly and the blooms of the Christmas bush.
 
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Sweet Nigella
Sweet Nigella by Helen M. Stevens from Inspirations issue #48 is a stunning scene of lacy foliage and flowers stitched in lustrous silks.
 
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This Week on Social
 
'Standing Proud' by the very talented textile wildlife artist, Nicole Lupton⁠.⁠
 
We love Georgie Emery's use of delicate white leaves to contrast such a delicate insect.
 
Quote
‘The most crucial task is to forge more life into your day. This does not mean new to-dos; it means less. It means creating space to think, walk, eat, sleep, read, love & dream.’
~ Brendan Burchard ~
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
© 2021 Inspirations Studios

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