Founded in 1974, Country Road is an iconic Australian fashion label that has evolved from a team of four producing women’s shirts to a lifestyle brand that now encompasses wares for women, men, children and home.

Inspired by their philosophy that ‘premium fabrics and quality craftsmanship inform every design’ across their range, they recently travelled across New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria to capture the work of some of the farmers and manufactures who work with them to produce their range of products.

Culminating in a short film entitled ‘Layers that Matter’, the film explores the story of wool growers, cotton farmers, a belt factory and boot manufacturer who all play an integral role in the final merchandise seen in store.

Not only did the film remind us that it takes a village to create the final products we purchase, but it unpacked the passion that exists in each of the ‘villagers’. From fourth generation wool growers in the Southern Midlands of Tasmania who exclaim, ‘They’re looking pretty good aren’t they?’, as they cast an eye over their flock of sheep, to a belt factory in Brunswick East, Victoria who praise their relationship with an employee of more than thirty years, a sense of heritage and pride was evident in each story.

There was an attention to detail and respect that made us realise just how much the layers mattered, not just to the individuals as they fulfilled their role in the manufacturing process, but to the quality and craftsmanship of the final product.

From our ground fabric, some still produced in small batches by methods that are generations old, through to threads that are dyed from an artisan’s colour memory rather than recipe card, silk ribbons that are painstakingly painted by hand and needles produced with a heritage of more than 300 years, the layers of materials we use matter too.

They matter to the skilled workers who use their talents to produce the tools of our trade. They matter to us as the push and pull of quality threads through exceptional fabrics are always a pleasure to handle. And they matter to our final product, which is made up of countless layers, some of which may never be seen or known.

As we each pick up needle and thread, may we all take a moment to consider the stories of the countless layers that produce the foundation of quality and craftsmanship that allow us to pursue our passion for all things needlework.

The conversation continues! Luckily, we’ve kept the teapot warm and we’ve just opened another packet of biscuits, as we’ve received more thoughts and comments from our treasured readers.

We weren’t wrong in our belief that all of us compare ourselves somewhat unfavourably to others. Elizabeth Braun shared with us her experience of undertaking a City & Guild Embroidery course. Although she was a skilled embroiderer, Elizabeth had health issues that meant she felt she was constantly behind her fellow students. She also wasn’t as confident in her designing ability, so each week felt like she was ‘bottom of the class’. She’s still learning to appreciate her own strengths, but wanted to share a quote:

Ann Baseden also laments how the excellence we see in magazines and online can put off those who feel their efforts will never match up. She would like to see the efforts of beginners displayed too, and also asked whether any of the ‘experts’ would be willing to show off some of their errors.

In fact, we did a series in All Stitched Up! issue #231 and #232 called ‘Believe It or Not, Nobody’s Perfect’ that you can read HERE where a number of our professional contributors shared their stitching disasters with us, although perhaps it is time we did another series? As for beginner’s work, we encourage everyone, beginner and seasoned embroiderers alike, to send in pictures of their needlework for our ‘What Are You Stitching?’ segment. Whether it’s a finished piece, a work in progress or something through which you learned what not to do, we’d love to include it and share with everyone.

Regular ‘What Are You Stitching?’ contributor, Pat Demharter, does lovely work. But Pat is the same as the rest of us in believing that she could never match up to the talent out there. Comparison is completely relative! However, Pat says that we all have our own way of learning and doing things – we’re all unique. She reminds us that learning isn’t just pumping out one project after another, but rather a pleasurable and, at times, slow journey. Stitching should never feel like a factory line, churning out pieces simply to show off one’s skills. It should be an act of creativity and comfort.

Sue Donohue Smith was moved by the comparison article that she felt has changed her perception. It has helped her take more pride in what she accomplishes, no matter what her friends are doing. We’re really pleased to hear that our words have made a difference.

There are two further thoughts to keep in mind:

Elizabeth’s friend’s comment: ‘Comparison is the thief of joy.’ Or perhaps simply Heather Leedman’s quote:

Now moving onto the Bayeux Tapestry, two of our readers wanted to share their experiences with us as well this week:

Gillian Martin was lucky enough not just to see the original tapestry, but to do a course in Bayeux stitch with Chantal James whilst she was there. She showed her completed piece to the members of her stitching group in Adelaide, Australia, one of whom was so impressed, they also bought a kit and completed it themselves. So, as Gillian says, there are now two reproductions here in Australia!

Not all of us have been fortunate enough to see the real tapestry, but Annette Rich has a magnificent book that has photos of it in actual size. Her book was printed in 1985 in limited edition, and although huge and heavy, it is beautifully presented. Annette has poured over it throughout the years and has never tired of the fascinating history depicted in it.

Rounding out our Have Your Say topics for this week, in All Stitched Up! issue #280, a question was posed about Hardanger, and Elizabeth Braun has been kind enough to offer an answer.

In Elizabeth’s experience, she strongly recommends using a hoop or frame wherever possible when stitching Hardanger. If it isn’t possible, such as when you’re working an unusually shaped piece like a bookmark, the secret is not to pull the threads too hard. Just pull them through and let them sit comfortably on the fabric. There should be no pull on the holes in the fabric.

Elizabeth commented how having your fabric in a frame makes it easier to count and check that everything lines up, which is vital before cutting!

Thank you to all of our contributors this week. We’re really enjoying the back and forth that this segment of the newsletter invites, and we look forward to hearing from you as we continue our chat.

We really shouldn’t, but OK, we’ll have another biscuit…

We know you’ve all been waiting eagerly. We’ve been right there with you, counting the days until we could announce it. At last, the time has almost arrived for the release of our new publication, the highly anticipated Willing Hands 2 by Betsy Morgan!

We’re not going to tell you too much about it now. We’d rather build the anticipation. But we can tell you that this sequel to Betsy’s incredibly popular first book Willing Hands, is well worth the wait.

Stay tuned for more information, but if you’re yet to find out, you can pre-order your copy of Willing Hands 2 to ensure you’re one of the first to get a copy of this much anticipated book when stock arrives.

If you’ve got a crewel project lined up, or if you’ve been planning on doing one for ages, now is the time to get your linen twill.

Linen twill is a strong, sturdy fabric with characteristic, diagonal striped ridges that has traditionally been used for crewelwork for centuries. It isn’t always easy to source, so it is worth stocking up while we still have it available.

The fabric can be purchased in 50cm x 157cm pieces, or just increase the quantity if you want a longer piece and we’ll send it to you as a continuous length.

From out-of-print issue #66 of Inspirations, we’re happy to bring you the digital version of Pat-a-Cake, a set of simply adorable aprons designed by Anna Scott.

You’d be hard pressed to find a child who doesn’t love to get their hands dirty in the mixing bowl, especially if chocolate chips and cake batter are involved. Kids love to bake delicious treats (and clean up the bowls), but they aren’t always too diligent about keeping their clothes clean. This gorgeous project provides a colourful solution.

Pat-a-Cake is a pattern for two aprons, one with frills and a pocket embroidered with two little girls playing pat-a-cake, and the other adorned with delicious appliqué ice-creams. Perfect for boys or girls, the pattern provides all of the instructions you need to make the aprons using whatever pieces of fabric you have to hand, as well as full instructions for the fabulous, embroidered decorations.

Any time is a good time to get the kids into the kitchen to help with the baking, so make sure you have these two little aprons ready. That way you can forget about whether they’ve got chocolate or flour on their clothes and simply enjoy the delicious process. You can download this wonderful pattern immediately and have the aprons all ready for your next cooking adventure.

For many years Inspirations Magazine had a sister publication called Australian Smocking & Embroidery. A total of 100 issues were published between 1987 and 2012, during a time when smocking was hugely popular.

If you thought that smocking was a thing of the past, you might need to think again. There are still many passionate smockers making beautiful dresses, clothing and accessories. We know, because hardly a week goes by that we don’t get asked about it.

We wanted to let you know that, although our magazine Australian Smocking & Embroidery (AS&E) is no longer being published, the timeless designs featured are still available through numerous printed copies and can be purchased HERE.

Further, if there is a particular project you’d like from an issue that is no longer in print, you can check our collection of digital patterns from AS&E that is growing by the month HERE.

We also have copies of Perfect Party Dresses in stock. This book showcases some of the most gorgeous, smocked designs available, perfect for weddings, parties, special occasions or just for that special little girl who wants to look like a princess.

And if you’re looking for practical tips, you can’t go past our A-Z Series especially for smockers: A-Z of Smocking and A-Z of Sewing for Smockers.

Oh, and here’s a tip you may not know about… if you’re searching for a specific smocking pattern try using our online Smocking Index which contains many of the projects that appeared in AS&E in an easy to use searchable website HERE.

Finally, if all that wasn’t enough, we’d also like to remind you that if there are any patterns from past magazines that you can no longer get hold of, let us know and we’ll add them to our growing list of projects to release as digital patterns.

We look forward to hearing from all the smocking lovers out there!

Sue Trevor is a textile artist who takes 3D embroidery to new heights. Sue, from Loughborough in the UK, favours ornate colours and sinuous shapes, working with embroidery, appliqué and quilting techniques to produce stunning versions of everyday household objects.

From cameras to teacups, fruit, vegetables and even a life-sized violin, Sue’s output is prodigious and her work is breathtaking. It is hard to know whether it is the colour, the texture or the uncannily accurate shapes that make her artworks so striking. It’s probably true to say that it is a combination of all three.

Sue says she loves the challenge of creating textile versions of common objects, and her pieces speak for themselves. For true inspiration, follow Sue at Instagram @suetrevortextiles or read more about her HERE.

From wares to kits and all kinds of tricks, if it has recently come back in stock, you’ll discover it below.

We often talk about tidying up our stash, getting our stitching space organised and discovering new and innovative ways to store and manage all our stitching goodies. In fact, one of the most popular ways of displaying our work is to make it into stitching accessories. We never tire of seeing beautifully stitched chatelaines, scissor keeps, needlebooks or pincushions, and we know many of you never tire of stitching them either.

Every now and then we discover a simple but clever idea for storage and organisation that we hadn’t thought of before.

But it is wonderful to discover new ideas for looking after our embroidery tools.

Ana Mallah’s latest design, Summer Blooms from Inspirations issue #110, offers three fabulous stitching accessories, beautifully stitched with garden flowers. Ana’s designs are always incredibly popular due to their clean, modern appearance and their delightful simplicity. This means they are perfect projects for all levels, even absolute beginners, who can successfully produce something gorgeous thanks to Ana’s easy to follow step-by-step instructions.

In Summer Blooms, the set contains a cute, padded pincushion surrounded by a colourful garden of flowers worked in bullion knots, blanket stitch pinwheels, French knots and detached chain stitch. The parade of flowers is then repeated on a gorgeous, zippered pouch that has a handy front pocket – the perfect accessory for carrying a half-finished project along with the skeins of thread you need to keep working on it.

The third piece in this trio, which matches perfectly with the other two, is a clever fabric envelope designed specifically for… wait for it… carrying your hoops.

Like most of you, we usually throw our hoops into our embroidery bag where they are liable to get caught up in things or fall to the bottom, so we have to pull everything out in order to find them, so it’s a nice idea to have a dedicated hoop satchel.

The trio is stitched on a gorgeous natural cotton/linen blend fabric that emphasises the subtle pastel colours of the floral display. The hoop envelope is lined with a contrasting fabric and finished with a twisted cord; and the zippered pouch has a ribbon tassel on the zip for ease of opening.

Practicality and beauty aside, what sets this project apart is the choice of stitches. If you wanted to master a new stitch or you were just starting out on your embroidery journey, you would be hard pressed to find a better project than this one to help you on your way.

Because Ana has utilised stitches that you’ll use throughout your stitching life, the project acts as a sampler as much as an end in itself, offering two benefits in one.

You’re guaranteed to fall in love with the pastel colours, the jaunty procession of flowers and the clever practicality of Summer Blooms. Just imagine how much more organised your embroidery kit will be with these gorgeous hand-stitched accessories as part of it. We all love wonderful ways to tidy our stash. How much better are they when they’ve got the Ana Mallah touch to make them into something so beautiful?

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Summer Blooms by Ana Mallah is three charming needlework accessories featuring pretty, garden flowers.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Summer Blooms includes everything* you need to re-create these handy needlework accessories: Fabrics (unprinted), wool felts, interfacing, wadding, water-soluble stabiliser, zip, ribbon, snap fastener, template plastic, card, fibre-fill, sewing & embroidery threads and needles.

*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.

Perfect Pansies by Carolyn Pearce from the book A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery is a vibrant set of needlework accessories decorated with enchanting pansies.

Little Bits by Barbara Jackson from Inspirations issue #78 is a set of delightful crewel embroidered accessories.

French Style by Angelique Benseghir-Vergnault from Inspirations issue #59 is a superb sewing bag and accessories simply oozing with Parisian grace and charm.

Stitching accessories are always a favourite. They offer the perfect way to display your work and they are practical to boot. And who can stop at just one? Whether stitched as a gift or for personal satisfaction, everyone loves needlework accessories. Here are some wonderful projects our readers have recently completed that would take pride of place in anyone’s needlework bag.

‘Here is my rendition of Marsha Papay-Gomola's Bluebird Needlebook.’

‘Last summer I finally had my first pair of bluebirds nest successfully in one of my boxes. The male sat on the top of the fence near the box and all summer I could watch and admire him. I kept a chair under a tree just for bird watching. I stitched my bluebird from the photo I took of my male.’

What a lovely story, Florance. How satisfying for you to watch the nesting bluebirds – something you can relive every time you pick up your gorgeous needlebook, which has been superbly stitched by the way. Well done!

‘Here is another Betsy Morgan project I just finished: ‘This One's for Betty’ from Willing Hands. I took this as a class with Betsy last summer. Betsy's projects are always so much fun to do with all the beautiful, interesting pieces. She's a wonderful teacher, and her instructions are always detailed and complete. I'm looking forward to working all the other projects from her Willing Hands books in the future!'

We’re glad you love Betsy’s designs so much, Julie. You’ve done an excellent job mastering both her stitching and construction techniques, as your version of ‘This One's for Betty’ is spectacular. Also, now that Betsy’s new book Willing Hands 2 is available for pre-order, you’ll have a whole new range of her projects to work on!

‘My friend, Robyne Undy, recently took out the Viewer’s Choice award at The Embroiderers Guild, Victoria annual member exhibition ‘Stitch Brilliance’ with her Home Sweet Home.’

‘She had it sitting on a mirror so that everyone could see the stitched portion when one side of the roof was open – with the contents spread around – all housed under a specially made Perspex cover.’

Special thanks to Alison Cole for sending us this lovely note and photographs. Robyne, what a magnificent achievement. Congratulations and well done.

‘I recently finished a drawstring blackwork bag by Carolyn Standing Webb and so decided to start a little collection, including a few Betsy Morgan pieces. I have more already in the queue to stitch when they bubble to the top.’

‘I already have Betsy’s Willing Hands, so I am anxiously awaiting Willing Hands 2.’

We love your collection of accessories Stephanie, they are all delightful and we look forward to seeing more of them as you keep adding new treasures.

Do you love handmade stitching accessories? Do you stitch accessories for yourself, or do you prefer to give them away as gifts? Have you fallen in love with an accessory set, conveniently forgetting you’ve already stitched at least ten others already?

It doesn’t matter what you like to stitch or how many times you stitch it, we’d like to see it. Send us a picture of your work with a bit of information about your project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com

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Violets & Strawberries by Margaret Light is two gorgeous needlerolls to keep your essential tools at your fingertips.

Violette by Carolyn Pearce from Inspirations issue #81 is three sweet needlework accessories embroidered with dainty violets.

Sweet Violets by Susan Porter from Inspirations #82 is an exquisite spray of stumpwork violets.

Lady's Slipper by Denise Little from Inspirations issue #17 is a framed embroidery of an elegant strawberry slipper.

Festive Fruit by Denise Forsyth from Inspirations issue #96 is a collection of fabulous strawberries made from linen textured with pulled thread embroidery.

~ Neil Blumenthal ~

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.