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ISSUE 282, MAY 14, 2021
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INSPIRATIONS. ALL Stitched Up!
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Hi There,
In last week’s All Stitched Up! we spoke about comparison and unpacked some of the steps Hannah Brencher has taken in her own life to swap comparison for productivity. These included celebrating the achievements of others and creating a ‘Be Present’ box in which she placed anything that was serving as a distraction, ensuring she was focused on the work in front of her rather than getting lost in comparing what she was achieving with the highlight reels of others.

The truth is, it’s all too easy to surrender our own joy with needle and thread when we see someone doing something different to us, then finding ourselves wanting their ‘something’ rather than what’s before us. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with being inspired by the work of others, sometimes the line between inspiration and comparison can become blurred and we find ourselves on the wrong side of it all too quickly!

Since penning Hannah’s suggestions about swapping comparison for productivity, we came across a quote from Neil Barringham that summed up another solution to the all too tempting pastime of comparison.
‘The grass is greener where you water it.’
Not only do we all too often fail to see the ‘green’ in our own journey with needle and thread, but if we’re willing to admit to it, there are also seasons when we have to confess that we haven’t done the work that’s needed to keep our own ‘grass’ flourishing the way we’d like it.

So how can we water our grass?

We can begin by rising above the urge to look over the fence at what appears to be greener grass than ours, buy the tools we need, commit to gaining the knowledge we don’t yet possess and start breaking a sweat that will ensure our progress and ultimate success.

We also need to remind ourselves that the time we spend focusing on and worrying about the achievements of others, is wasting the time we could otherwise spend on our own journey with needle and thread.

We’d love to hear how you water your needlework journey and the ways in which you swap comparison for productivity. Email news@inspirationsstudios.com, we can’t wait to hear from you.
 
Have Your Say
Stitching Space, Respecting Space and Tiny Things
What a response we received from our question to the community concerning your personal stitching space! If you still want to share, please write in. It doesn’t matter how long ago the original article appeared; your contribution is always welcome.
Brenda has enough shelves for everything.
Brenda Sandusky wrote to us from the USA to tell us about her stitching space. She was lucky enough to buy a house with a basement crying out to be renovated.
Look at Brenda’s amazing ways of organising!
The result was two fabulous rooms for sewing – one is a creative space filled with supplies and a working area, and the other is all set up so that Brenda can run classes. Brenda is a keen crazy quilter and, as you can see by the fabulous photographs, she’s an amazingly creative lady. Yes, we admit, we’re rather envious of her colourful stitching space!
Brenda working on one of her quilts.
Cristina wrote to us from Italy. She doesn’t have the luxury of an extra room, however her treasured stitching space is in the living room, with a sofa that welcomes her and a lamp and magnifier nearby. She has her favourite DVDs playing and her cat, Theodolinda, snuggling at her feet.

She even lights a few candles when her husband isn’t home. It sounds like a blissful location, but Cristina herself sums it up perfectly:
‘My space is a bubble of serenity and quiet; a small paradise where beauty reigns supreme.’
But physical stitching space was not the only kind of space that inspired our readers this week. Elizabeth Braun wrote about a different kind of space – the space between projects. Elizabeth sees the value in putting some space between the completion of one project and the start of the next in order to avoid stitching ‘burnout’. She had a long period where she was stitching one major project after another as her friends all got married. She found herself becoming tired and her interest started to wane.
Aetna’s Bouquet by Helen M. Stevens from Inspirations issue #109
Elizabeth discovered that giving herself permission to take a break from stitching, even a long one, was really important. She observes that, ‘many of us try to force enthusiasm to return, but that’s a sure way to get even further away from where we want to be.’ When she hears her friends bemoaning their loss of creativity, she advises them to be kind to themselves and take a break.

This is such important advice. Stitching skills are not like fitness – they don’t start to deteriorate as soon as you stop exercising them!
Our skills are always there, and although they may get a little rusty, it doesn’t take long to pick them back up after a hiatus.
If the love has faded temporarily, give it time to come back when it is good and ready. That way, you’ll be able to embrace that stitching mojo with all your might.

Finally, Maria Kirk was inspired to write to us after seeing the little doll’s house cushions featured in All Stitched Up! issue #276. It brought back memories of her mother who had arrived in England as a refugee from the Ukraine just after World War II. Maria’s mother loved Ukrainian embroidery and when Maria started making and selling miniature dolls, her mother would embroider tiny carpets and cushions to decorate Maria’s market stall.
A selection of tiny cushions stitched by Maria’s mother.
While it didn’t take long for the cushions and carpets to start selling, Maria’s mother gave all the money she earned to charity, such was her kind and generous spirit. While sadly Maria’s mother is no longer with us, she passed her love of needlework on to her daughter who is an avid embroiderer to this day. You can see the fine work that she produced above as Maria did manage to keep some of the tiny cushions her mother created to cherish forever.

Whatever it is that inspires you, we’d love to hear about it – sharing each other’s ideas helps spark wonderful conversations between our enormous and engaged community of stitchers. Whether you want to send in your thoughts from our latest newsletter or a newsletter from two years ago, let’s keep the chat going while we all stitch together.
 
Needlework News
Permin Linen
Most stitchers know that when it comes to embroidery linen, well, there are linens and then there are linens. Quality can definitely vary, but if you are going to spend the hours doing your finest stitching, then it is worth choosing the best linen available to work upon.
We think it is safe to say that Permin produce some of the finest linen on the market, and to help make it as accessible as possible, it is now available for purchase from our website.

Permin was established over 160 years ago, initially producing embroideries for interiors and households back in 1854. Over time, as the ‘do-it-yourself’ trend began to take hold, the company moved into the production of kits, projects and linens and today exports from Copenhagen in Denmark to over 70 countries around the world.
Currently we are stocking the very popular Permin ivory 32ct linen. This linen is ideal for fine counted work, drawn thread or pulled thread embroidery. It benefits from a beautiful weave and comes in pieces that are 50cm x 140cm (19 ½ x 55”). If you require a larger piece, all you need to do is order additional units (i.e., for 100 x 140cm, order a quantity of 2) and your order will be supplied as a continuous length.

Whether you have a project in mind or you just want to have it on hand ready for when inspiration strikes, now is the perfect time to stock up on this gorgeous linen.
Cohana Tool Case
Remember that promise you made to yourself to tidy up your embroidery tools and put them all in an easy-to-grab case? If you haven’t gotten around to it yet, we still have a few of the Cohana Tool Cases available.
These stunningly designed tool cases are perfect for all of your stitching essentials, so you’ll never have to dig through the bottom of your bag to find your scissors or tape measure again.
Inspirations #81 | Digital Patterns
Star Bright by Jenny Adin-Christie | Violette by Carolyn Pearce
The design team here at Inspirations Studios are progressively working through our huge catalogue of past projects and converting them into digital patterns. On the top of their list are designs from out-of-print magazines such as Inspirations issue #81.
Petal Power by Kelly Fletcher | Pen to Paper by Kimberley Servello
With half of the projects from this issue already available, we’ve been working on converting the rest.
This week we’re excited to announce the release of the remaining projects from Inspirations issue #81 as digital patterns.
You can now access Anna Scott’s Time Out, a gorgeous woollen blanket with bright, cheery flowers. Petal Power is a fabulous appliqué and embroidery picture by Kelly Fletcher, that would look glorious in a kitchen or sunroom. The Good Book by Nancy Lee is a versatile Kindle or e-book pouch adorned with one of two fantastic designs. And Pen to Paper, by Kimberly Servello is a stunning paperweight with a delicate pomegranate and goldwork detail.
Time Out by Anna Scott | The Good Book by Nancy Lee
With the release of these final four projects, every design from Inspirations #81 is now available to purchase, download and start stitching!
Embroidered Ultrasound
One of the most magical moments in life is that instant when a grainy image of a new baby appears on the screen in the ultrasound room. For new parents, this is the first vision of their child and for most, it is a moment to remember forever.

However, Nathan Edge couldn’t experience the pleasure of seeing his first child as he has been blind since he was 7 years old. Realising how much he was missing out on, a close friend, Deb Fisher, took the resulting image and embroidered it so that Nathan could finally ‘see’ his child through touch.
The joy he experienced through this kind gesture was probably only matched by the joy both he and his partner would have experienced when their baby was finally born. What an incredible gift to bestow through the simple act of pulling thread through fabric.

If you would like to read more about this inspiring story, you can do so HERE.
This Now In...
From wares to kits and all kinds of tricks, if it has recently come back in stock, you’ll discover it below.
 
READY-TO-STITCH KIT
Sea View | Back in Stock
 
 
WARES
Jo Butcher ‘Sea View’ Printed Fabric | Back in Stock
 
 
Featured Project
Tiny Turtle by Susan Casson
Stumpwork is a technique that was developed in England in the 17th Century. Employing various methods to achieve a raised effect, the original stumpwork designs that adorned caskets, furniture, canopies and clothing, often depicted mythical or biblical scenes.
Inherent in many of these scenes were various animals. When you look at pictures of historical stumpwork, you’ll discover lions and stags, butterflies and birds, unicorns and griffins. Indeed, animals have remained a favourite subject even in modern stumpwork designs as they borrow and develop from their historical predecessors.
Creating animals in raised embroidery has always posed a challenge. Trying to find solutions to achieving the right shapes, the fine details and the textures of fur, feathers or scales has kept designers busy for centuries.
This has resulted in some very innovative techniques using materials as diverse as wire, ribbons, beads, leather, vellum, and even feathers and seashells.
In the 21st Century, designers are still pushing the boundaries of the technique and producing stunningly eye-catching stumpwork designs. Tiny Turtle from Inspirations issue #110 by Susan Casson is a project that didn’t just catch our eye, it also captured our hearts.

Susan has chosen a newly hatched green turtle as her subject. The tiny hatchling struggles towards the ocean after he has raised his little head out of the shell and has seen the big, exciting yet equally dangerous world about him.
Using a mix of stranded and perlé cottons, and combining stumpwork with surface embroidery, it’s hard not to fall in love with this intrepid little chap. His colouring is stunning – with the texture of his newly formed shell rendered to perfection with a gorgeous blend of blues and greens in long and short stitch.
His flippers are worked as separate slips along with his head. When all of the elements are brought together, each Tiny Turtle will display his own unique personality in the turn of the head, the twist of the flipper and the direction of the bright, beaded eyes.
In order to create an added element of realism to the scene, Susan prepares the background fabric first by sprinkling sand onto glue. That way, there is no mistaking the fact that the Tiny Turtle is moving across the beach in his quest to reach the water’s edge – cleverly represented by working French knots at the corner of the frame.
Further realism is achieved by the addition of three starfish attached to the frame using transparent nylon thread.
In this way, Susan is carrying on the 17th Century tradition of creating an amazing stumpwork scene using whatever materials are most appropriate. It certainly makes this particular project unique.
Tiny Turtle is a project that serves to remind us that textile art can incorporate many different kinds of materials. From the beautifully stitched shell to the carefully constructed flippers, and from the sandy background to the real starfish, this project is undeniably modern and yet completely traditional.
It will bring pleasure in all elements of its creation and will remain a project to be proud of once it is framed and mounted on the wall.
Make Your Own Tiny Turtle
Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Tiny Turtle by Susan Casson is a delightful green turtle hatchling in stumpwork approaching the water’s edge.
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 110
 
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Tiny Turtle
 
Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Tiny Turtle includes everything* you need to re-create this delightful scene: Fabrics (unprinted), wool felt, fibre-fill, sand, starfish, nylon & embroidery threads, beads and needles.
 
READY-TO-STITCH KIT
Tiny Turtle
 
Due to popular demand Tiny Turtle 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 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.
Looking for More Stumpwork Creatures?
Enchanted Forest
Enchanted Forest by Zinaida Kazban from Inspirations issue #95 is a whimsical stumpwork embroidery featuring a sweet little fellow peeking out between blades of grass, ready to explore the wonders around him.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Enchanted Forest
 
Dogwood & Lacewing
Dogwood & Lacewing by Jane Nicholas from the book A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery is a beautiful stumpwork study of dogwood blooms arranged in a wreath, with a caterpillar, butterfly and lacewing.
 
READY-TO-STITCH KIT
Dogwood & Lacewing
 
 
PRINTED BOOK
A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery
 
Fine Feathers
Fine Feathers by Anna Scott from Inspirations issue #101 features a lyrebird displaying his tail in an enchanting stumpwork scene from an Australian rainforest.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Fine Feathers
 
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 101
 
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera by Fiona Hibbett from Inspirations issue #102 is a stunning panel of nine stumpwork butterflies.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Lepidoptera
 
What Are You Stitching?
This week ‘What Are You Stitching?’ is all about stumpwork, a technique that never fails to inspire, and results in some of the most amazing, embroidered pieces we’ve seen.

Due to the variety of techniques and stitches, giving dimension to embroidery brings with it a range of challenges. However, the incredible stitchers we are featuring today have all risen to the challenge and succeeded beautifully.
Nina Burnsides
‘This is one of the largest projects I’ve done, being a 20” x 24” (51cm x 61cm,) stumpwork/mixed media piece. The rocks were created using model magic then painted, and I used Swarovski crystals for the stars which are so much prettier in real life when you can see them flash and sparkle. I also used the arms of a Barbie (who, according to my youngest grandson, had a fight with GI Joe and lost!)’
‘I’ve also completed a winter wreath recently as well.’

Nina, you are a prolific embroiderer and your stumpwork pieces never fail to amaze us. Your inventive and very clever use of different textures and materials (such as Barbie arms!) gives your work a depth and intrigue that really stand out. We eagerly await the next project from your talented fingers.
Valerie Klelociuk
‘My husband and I spent 4 years in Australia living in Cairns, Queensland and Port Macquarie in New South Wales. To commemorate our trip, I designed and stitched two stumpwork embroideries - one as a reminder of all the things I loved in Cairns and the second for all the things I found so special in Port Macquarie.’
‘For Cairns, it was the Ulysses butterfly; the coconut palms; the wild cassowaries we saw hiding in the fan palms in the Daintree; the Heliconias in the Flecker’s Botanic Gardens; and, of course, the beautiful, fragrant frangipanis. It took me two years to design and stitch this piece.’
‘I was more confident with designing and stitching my second piece. Across the road from our home was a golf course and at any time of the day we would see kangaroos on the fairways (or in our front garden), sometimes standing tall and at other times resting under the shade of the eucalyptus trees.

The magpie’s beautiful song followed us on many a walk around our neighbourhood; the Bird of Paradise is also very common around this area; and the cute koala is at home in its natural habitat in Port Macquarie. This embroidery took me just over a year to research, design and stitch.’

What incredible pieces, Valerie. We don’t know whether we’re more moved by the skill of the stitching or the stories which have informed the design process, either way congratulations on the creation of such brilliant souvenirs.
Dorte Erichsen
‘This winter everything in Denmark was shut down, including my embroidery courses. So, I drew and embroidered this stumpwork rose so I could practice various 3D stitches. It is embroidered on linen with DMC Cotton a Broder and Japanese gold thread. The finished embroidery is mounted in the lid of an empty chocolate gift box.’
What a stunning piece – so rich and vivid in both its colouring and detail. You have produced a superb project Dorte with a lovely finish and mounted absolutely beautifully. You should be very proud of it.

Do you love doing stumpwork? Have you tried a whole lot of different methods to achieve a 3D or raised effect? Or do you prefer surface embroidery, without the added raised elements?
Whether you’ve designed your own, worked a design or kit from one of our publications, or found your stumpwork patterns elsewhere, we’d love to see the results. Send us a picture of your project and a bit of information about it and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com
 
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You May Have Missed
Dragonfly
Dragonfly by Hazel Blomkamp is a winged beauty depicted in needlelace and beading.
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 110
 
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Dragonfly
 
 
READY-TO-STITCH KIT
Dragonfly
 
Under the Mistletoe
Under the Mistletoe by Kimberly Servello from Inspirations issue #76 is a sumptuous velvet scarf adorned with a sprig of mistletoe worked in needlelace and stumpwork.
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 76
 
Little Gem
Little Gem by Catherine Barley from Inspirations issue #86 is a fabulous strawberry fob created with needlelace.
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 86
 
The Frog Prince
The Frog Prince by Victoria Laine from Inspirations issue #98 is two fun, frog purses created with embellished needlelace, inspired by historical designs.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
The Frog Prince
 
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Quote
‘Love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort and keep on learning.’
~ Carol Dweck ~
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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