Sony has recently released a captivating video to advertise their Digital Imaging products. Simply entitled ‘Starting Never Ends’, it is an image rich journey through what’s possible when using Sony products to capture moments photographically.

The video encourages us to look at the world around us differently. It inspires us with the thought that each new day offers us the opportunity to look at familiar sights as if for the very first time.

Although each of the participants were capturing what they saw through the lens of a camera, it was the way in which they were seeing the world around them that got us thinking.

Stemming from the idea that if we’re able to see ourselves as born again each night under the infinite sky of stars above, the wonders of the world around us will always appear new each morning. Then, if we take the time to notice the details, there will always be an adventure awaiting.

Amongst other things, the video spoke of new forms, new textures and new stories just waiting to be shaped. And isn’t that just what we do with our needles and threads?!

We stitch form, texture and story into everything we create. When we’re able to see this afresh each and every day, the wonder of what’s possible with needle and thread will never be lost on us.

The video closed with the acclamation that, ‘this is your chance to set hearts racing’ and that whether we’re a beginner or master, it’s never too late to start something new.

Our hope is that we’ll all be challenged afresh to not only see the world around us, but also the stitching before us with a renewed sense of wonder and that we too will get out there and start starting. Whether it be picking up needle and thread for the very first time, learning a new stitch or technique or taking on a project we don’t yet think is possible, we have to remember that starting never ends and that today is the perfect day to start starting.

If we were to survey everyone and ask, ‘what is your favourite colour?’ one of the top responses would undoubtable be the colour blue. Fortunately for lovers of blue, our modern world enables them to express their colour choice though clothing available in every possible shade of blue, not to mention a glorious array of blue fabrics, blue threads and blue yarns that we can use in our needlework and crafting projects. However, blue hasn’t always been as readily available as it is today.

Except for the sky and the ocean, the colour itself is not as ubiquitously used in nature compared to other colours such as red, green or yellow. There are blue minerals and some blue flowers and fruits, but their hues vary on a scale from magenta-purple through to blue-black.

In Jewish culture, there were quite a few mentions of a blue called ‘tekhelet’ in the Hebrew Bible. Because the colour was so rare, it was exclusively used to colour the tassels of a particular garment worn by men, as well as the clothing worn by the High Priest during the days of the temple.

The origins of this colour were lost to history until a miraculous find in the 1950s when a scrap of fabric that, upon examination, proved that the dye had originated from the murex sea snail. This was a mollusc that was found around the Mediterranean but was harvested at the time almost to extinction.

The associated rarity of the colour purple during Roman times was also due to this unusual sea snail. The murex didn’t just secrete a fluid that turned blue in bright sunlight; it could also be used to create a purple/blue dye by grinding up the shells. But the process was arduous and the snail was not common, which meant the resulting colour was highly prized.

In fact, purple dye was so prized that Byzantine emperor Theodosius decreed that if anyone from the lower classes was discovered to be wearing it, they’d immediately face the death penalty. Emperor Aurelian in Rome wouldn’t allow his wife to buy a purple-dyed silk garment in 273AD because the cost was literally its weight in gold.

Fortunately for textiles (as well as for the poor snail), another source of blue had been in wide use for dying textiles across China, India and West Africa, but this was also a complicated and difficult process to undertake.

Indigo dye doesn’t just come from plants. There are only select plants from which it can be produced – the Indigofera tinctoria being the primary one. But no part of the plant appears blue. It is only when the leaves are fermented in a precise chemical process that the solid blocks of indigo can be produced.

In some parts of the world, it was seen as magic, and the process was restricted to certain women who had the knowledge and who were able to create the beautiful blue textiles we know today.

Since the 19th Century, the world has enjoyed synthetic dyes that have meant we’ve never had to dream about owning a blue skirt or shirt – we can simply go to the store and buy one. And if wearing blue or purple helps us feel like we’re a King or Queen, the good news is you can wear them safely without having to worry about facing the death penalty for putting them on.

So, next time you grab your favourite blue jumper off the shelf, take a moment to think about the years of experimentation and arduous processing that our ancestors undertook after they had looked up at the sky or out to the ocean and wondered how they could capture that magnificent colour and fix it into cloth.

Mother-of-pearl is a material that has been used for centuries to make all manner of things, from knife handles to combs. Within the needlework world, we’ve been fortunate enough to have ready access to mother-of-pearl accessories, including thread winders and thread keeps.

Kelmscott is the company that has specialised in mother-of-pearl embroidery accessories for years and we’ve stocked their products many times on our website. We have recently heard on the grapevine however, that mother-of-pearl is becoming very difficult and expensive to source, so we’re not sure how much longer these beautiful items are going to be available.

For today, the good news is we have just received stock of the butterfly shaped thread winder, which is a luxurious way to store a skein of thread after you’ve removed the label bands.

We also have the tulip thread keep which is perfect for sorting your threads and keeping them tidy whilst you’re working on a project. Both are made of mother-of-pearl and both will make a stunning addition to your kit bag.

Kelmscott doesn’t just produce mother-of-pearl accessories either. We also have their ‘Susan Scissors’ now available. Named after the famed designer, Susan B. Anderson, these beautifully made, tiny scissors are ideal for even the smallest etui or chatelaine. They come in elegant black with good sized finger loops to fit all hands.

As we’re not sure how long mother-of-pearl products will be available, if you are fond of these, we suggest you purchase your favourite ones sooner rather than later!

In the meantime if anyone out there knows another manufacturer for mother-of-pearl products, we’d love to hear from you.

If you’re inspired by all of this talk about colour, you might want to check out the Pipers Silks thread packs we have remaining.

These shimmering packs of silk thread each contain 10 rolls in a range of colours so glorious, it is almost impossible to know which one to choose. Stitching with silk is a sublime experience; couple that with the magnificent colour range and these silks are a must for an indulgent, stitchy treat.

With only a few of each colour range still available, don’t delay - your stash will thank you for this fabulous addition!

There are a lot of you who are probably enjoying your time out in the garden right now, luxuriating in the sun and getting enormous pleasure from all the flowers, insects and new growth that come with the season. This is why the July calendar project is the perfect complement to the northern hemisphere summer as it captures a slice of that pleasure in a gorgeous little design.

Small World by Rose Andreeva first appeared in Inspirations issue #102. Filled with texture and colour, the design depicts a snail curiously approaching a curling strawberry plant. Surrounded by playful ladybirds, the snail and all elements of this diminutive scene are worked in various stitches and a range of different beads to give it a wonderfully realistic finish.

This is the perfect project to work whilst you’re sitting in your favourite garden chair, listening to the hum of the bees and enjoying the warmth of the sun. And then, when the weather inevitably turns colder, you can always look back on Small World to remind you of the lovely season that will soon come again.

A few weeks ago we let everyone know about Margaret Lee’s fabulous exhibition showcasing her exquisite silk embroidery currently being held at Gallery76 in Sydney.

Not all of us will be lucky enough to get there, so you are not alone in feeling disappointed if you too have to miss out on seeing her work or attending one of her fascinating lectures.

To help those unable to attend join in on some of the fun, the team at Fiber Talk contacted us to let us know they recently caught up with Margaret for an interview that you can watch and listen to HERE.

This video is such a treat - it’s almost as good as being there with the added benefit of listening to Margaret share her incredible depth of knowledge in all things needlework and give us insights into the back story of each piece as we marvel at her truly stunning needlework.

If you are able to attend the exhibition, it’s running until 1st July with further details available HERE. In any event, this latest episode of Fiber Talk is a must watch for any needlework enthusiast and for anyone interested in Margaret’s books, we’ve including links below.

Spending too much time on social media looking at cat videos? We have just the solution… a curated selection of amazing textile artists to follow! Here are this month’s recommendations for Stitching on Social:

@hannahraetextile: Hannah Rae does some really interesting work, combining embroidery, dying and fabric piecing.

@isi.smith: Bright, bold and simply beautiful is the way we’d describe the creations of UK based artist, Isi Smith.

@fayekildayartist: Passionate about upcycling and mixed media, Faye Kilday is an artist from New Zealand producing a fascinating collection ranging from jewellery to bags.

@mymychaelyn: Mychaelyn Michalec produces some of the most amazing rugs we’ve ever seen. She uses her incredible talent to combine fine art with rug making.

Don’t forget you can also enjoy our daily social media posts showcasing needlework designs, embroidery artists and other fabulous stitching centric musings. Follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram today and you’ll never have to say that don’t have enough inspiration!

There’s something really appealing about the plants and flowers that grow in a cottage garden. They’re generally small and delicate, and many have unusual properties or interesting flowers or seed pods.

Margaret Light’s project Nigella & Honesty from A Passion for Needlework 3 | Blakiston Creamery, celebrates all of these wonderful floral intricacies and more, instantly making it a classic timeless piece that appeals to everyone, and never seems to go out of fashion.

Cottage gardens generally display a riot of colour with flowers ranging from whites and pale pinks through to dark reds and purples. Although we traditionally associate cottage gardens with the English countryside, the wonderful thing about these kinds of plants is that, with love and care, they can grow all over the place.

In this piece, Margaret has chosen two cottage garden plants for her exquisite design. The first, Nigella, is also delightfully known as ‘love-in-a-mist’. The flowers are a soft purple-blue colour with interestingly shaped petals that create a ragged, almost fluffy effect. The stalks and leaves aren’t too dense, allowing other plants to grow between them.

Accompanying the Nigella, Margaret has chosen the Honesty plant. Although the flowers of this plant aren’t always familiar, almost everyone will recognise the seed pods that are round, translucent and papery and have been used in dried flower arrangements the world over.

As the seed pods dry, they turn a gorgeous silvery colour looking just like the moon. Other people have decided they look like groups of coins, which is why the plant is also known around the world as the money plant, the silver dollar or the dollar plant.

Margaret’s pairing of these two plants results in a beautifully balanced composition, packed with colour and interest. At the base, she has scattered leaves cleverly shaded using Burden stitch. The eye is then drawn up the frame to the silvery seedpods, sparkling with chain stitch seeds.

The pink Honesty flower frames the pods on either side. Then, as you reach the top of the frame, you’re met with the lovely blue of the Nigella flower, flanked on either side with a fairy lantern seed pod and surrounded by airy stalks that give the entire design its unique feel.

Nigella & Honesty is worked on sturdy linen twill and uses a range of Gumnut silks and wools that are glorious to work with and give a beautiful, shimmery finish. The subtle colour combinations ensure that this project will match any room and look perfect with any décor you like.

There are so many pleasures that will arise from working this project, not least the reminder of the smells and sounds of a cottage garden in the summer that are immortalised in this beautiful design.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Nigella & Honesty by Margaret Light from the book A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery is a superb embroidery featuring gorgeous blooms and seed pods worked using luxurious wool and silk threads.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Nigella & Honesty includes everything* you need to re-create this stunning scene: Fabric (unprinted), 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 book.

A Cottage Garden by Kris Richards from Inspirations issue #53 is a pretty needlecase showcasing a glorious cottage garden in full bloom.

Summer Days by Jo Butcher from Inspirations issue #101 is a delightful garden in full bloom with busy bees flying to and from their wooden hive.

Garden Party by Helen Eriksson from Inspirations issue #70 showcases a garden of beautiful silk ribbon blooms in this floral sampler.

Potpourri by Lorna Bateman from Inspirations issue #85 is a monogrammed scissor sheath adorned with an abundance of flowers, with matching fob.

Gardens are a way of having a little bit of nature all to ourselves. Many stitchers are also gardeners, and as a result many stitchers like to stitch their gardens. Some gardens are neat and well kept, while others are beautiful and wild. The projects we have for you this week run the gamut of our love of the garden, whether within our own fences or outside in the wide world.

‘My mom used to make crochet doilies, and sewed most of the clothes for her seven children. At eight, after being inspired by my brother’s girlfriend, I begged my mom to get me a sewing machine. I have been sewing ever since.’

‘I love to do patchwork quilting and any type of needlework. I started doing embroidery and knitting when I wanted something portable. I took some knitting classes where I learned so much and met some wonderful people. I started to do needlepoint around 2005 and that became something I loved as well.’

‘So, I do a little of this and a little of that, as my heart desires. I may be in the mood to do one thing today and not tomorrow, but I have a lot of projects that I can easily get my hands on and be inspired.’

It is fabulous to enjoy such a wide range of techniques as you’ll always have something to do. It sounds like you’ve had a wonderful stitching journey so far, Yvonne, thank you for sharing your beautiful needlework with us.

‘I started my stitching journey at primary school and have dabbled in knitting, crochet, scrapbooking and card making but always returned to embroidery. I joined the ACT Embroiderers’ Guild in Canberra, Australia 13 years ago where I have attended classes and meetings improving my stitching skills. I’m currently studying my Certificate in Embroidery with the South Australian Embroiderers’ Guild. I really enjoy learning new techniques and the history of the different types of embroidery.’

‘I recently collected my ‘Sea View’ from the framers. It was a pleasure to stitch and even the framer commented on the loveliness of the piece. The kit was a Christmas present from my late mum who loved the beach – so now it has even more meaning for me.’

Sea View by Jo Butcher from Inspirations issue #107 has been an incredibly popular project and looking at your finished piece Tracey, you can see why – it is a gorgeous design. You have done a superb job stitching it, the framing looks fabulous and what a beautiful way to preserve the memory of your mum. All the best with your Certificate in Embroidery, we look forward to seeing your next piece.

‘A while ago in All Stitched Up! you talked about a book by Sarah Abbondio on crocheted succulents. She also has a book on crocheted cactuses and, for better or worse, I own both books! These little projects are quite addictive and the staff at my work are always keen to see the next one I create.’

How fabulous Nicole! Don’t they look amazing when they are all hooked up? Your crochet garden is really coming along - we can understand why they’re addictive to make when you see the results! We can’t wait to see your next instalment…

‘As a reasonably new member of the Tasmanian Embroiderers’ Guild, who are a wonderful group of talented people, I know help is willingly offered to me. I have recently finished a piece of landscape embroidery inspired by Judy Wilford’s book Embroidered Landscapes.’

This is a beautiful landscape piece, Susan. The layering and colour is magnificent and we’ll be looking forward to seeing more of your creations.

Do you love stitching gardens? Or do you swoon over landscapes? Or do you prefer interior scenes, with flowers in vases rather than in the ground? Whatever subjects you prefer to stitch, we’d like to see them. Send us a picture of your work with a bit of information about the project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com

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Paradise by Laurence Lieblich features brightly coloured flowers and birds in surface embroidery.

Prism by Natalie Dupuis from Inspirations issue #103 is a sparkling brooch with a burst of coloured silks worked in Italian shading over silver passing thread.

Bright Bouquet by Sue Spargo from Inspirations issue #94 is a vibrant appliqué sewing roll with fun embroidered embellishment.

Tuscan Landscape by Trish Burr is an enchanting landscape scene reproduced from an original painting.

~ Arthur Ashe ~

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.