We recently received an email from Hannah Brencher where she confessed to being a ‘recovering resolutions addict’. She spoke of how she loves the possibilities a fresh calendar brings, but how she quickly feels overwhelmed by all the things she wants to do as well as all the things she thinks will magically happen just because 1 Jan arrives.

Sound familiar?!

Now that we find ourselves just over halfway through 2021, if we’re honest with ourselves, there’s probably a few New Year’s resolutions we haven’t made as much progress on as we’d hoped.

Luckily, Hannah’s email unpacked an idea that she refers to as ‘The 15 Minute Rule’ that we think might just help us get back on track.

We often forget that building the discipline to make the changes our New Year’s resolutions require takes time and is a muscle we need to train little by little. Hence the idea of tackling something in 15 minute increments.

It’s a simple idea as most of us have 15 minutes, and if we don’t, they shouldn’t be too difficult to find. Then we simply need to set a timer and start.

With just 15 minute we can make progress in a direction that is important to us and, whilst most tasks won’t be complete within this time, we’ll absolutely be closer to our end goal than we were before we set the timer.

Think sourcing hard to find requirements for our next project with needle and thread, transferring that all too complicated design, practising a technique we’re yet to master or working on a sizeable project we think we’ll never get through, when we look for the tiny threads within a larger task, 15 minutes will eventually see us achieve all that we set out to accomplish.

We just need to make the space and start where we are, and best of all, we don’t have to wait for 1 Jan to arrive as, if we use the second half of 2021 well, those New Year’s resolutions we set at the beginning of the year might just come to pass after all.

Remember when you were a child and you’d go to the corner store armed with a coin or two to buy a bag of mixed sweets? Perhaps you knew them as mixed lollies or mixed candies, but whatever they were called, who didn’t love plunging your hand in and not knowing what delicious delights you’d pull out. Well, our mailbag has been exactly like that this week! What a delicious treat it has been to hear from so many of you about so many different things.

Jan Jones wrote to us in response to our article in All Stitched Up! issue #285 about ‘Embroidered Maps’. The article reminded her that she still owns a tablecloth that was stitched for her mother in the 1950s. It had an embroidered map of Nauru on it and had been gifted to Jan’s mother by the wife of a Nauruan university student who had been living with them. Although Jan’s mother passed away in 1985, she has kept the tablecloth as it had been a regular feature at the table when Jan was a child. This precious piece of memorabilia now has brown stains on it from storage, so Jan would love some advice on restoring it and the best way to keep it safe.

The discussion on comparisons and competing has been ongoing – it is clearly a topic we all think about a lot. Susan Tigwell agreed that comparing ourselves to others unfavourably is neither uplifting nor productive. But she also made an important point that even comparing ourselves to different stages of our own life can be difficult. Like many of us, Susan’s eyesight isn’t as good now as it used to be which has made close work challenging.

Furthermore, Susan’s physical limitations have meant she can now only sit in an upright chair for 10 minutes on a good day. Both of these things have led her to refocus again on the ‘doing’ rather than perfection. As she says:

Self-comparison is something Pat Demharter has also been considering. After recently reviewing some of the work she completed years ago, it was nice to realise how much she has improved. The project pictured is one she completed whilst she was raising a family, working and running a household and to this day she wonders how she achieved it. Seeing it has helped her to remember that the only person she needs to compete with is herself, and the only stipulation is to be the best she can be.

Ann shared a story about threads that all of us can relate to. Recently she was offered a stash of threads by a friend whose mother no longer wanted them. Ann was conscious of the fact she already has an enormous stash, so she was set to refuse the offer… until she saw them. She said they were beautifully stored in a box in colours you could only imagine. She couldn’t take her eyes off them. ‘So,’ she asked, ‘did I turn them down?’ Of course, she didn’t! Not only had she rescued them from potentially ending up in a skip, but she now has the pleasure of sorting through them and imagining what projects she’s going to create with them!

Finally, Marla J. Redding sent us a story about being an inspiration. Marla has always loved stitching and crafting and has tackled many different techniques over her life. Since she retired, she’s tried a whole lot of new things, with each challenge reminding her how much she still has to learn. Like many of us, she’s always felt that her skills were inadequate – which sounds to us like that old problem of comparing oneself to others!

However, recently, Marla was given the loveliest compliment. A friend had decided to try knitting for the first time. She told Marla that the reason she’d given it a go was because she had seen Marla constantly trying new things, and her friend wanted to be brave enough to do the same. Marla rightfully observed that often we don’t realise how much of an inspiration we can be to someone else, and it doesn’t matter what stage of development we’re at.

Indeed there is, Marla. It means we’ve always got new things to discover, new techniques to master and new skills to add to our repertoire. That’s why we keep coming back to needlework day after day without ever losing our love.

Thank you to everyone who wrote in this week. We’ve got more fantastic stories from our readers next week, but in the meantime, keep writing as we love our sweet bag being stuffed full!

There is nothing more frustrating for a stitcher than starting a project only to find the materials on order for the next step are late in arriving, causing us to down tools and play the hurry up and wait game.

This is due to a huge surge in demand around the world for retail goods and raw materials which has overwhelmed the global supply chain that is still operating at reduced capacity due to COVID-19. The result is significant delays in getting our freight from port to port.

With all our publications printed in China then freighted by sea across the globe, we are continually receiving updates letting us know how far behind schedule our books and magazine are.

The next Inspirations Magazine, issue #111, our new Betsy Morgan book, Willing Hands 2 and our 2022 Calendar are all caught up in this, so depending on where you live, these publications may not get to you as scheduled. This includes subscriber copies of Inspirations issue #111.

We are hopeful that these delays will be minimal and for those affected we thank you for your patience. We can promise you this though… your wait for the world’s most beautiful needlework to arrive will be worth it!

As the current generation of stitchers, we have been blessed immeasurably with some of the most skilled and creative needlework designers of all time.

And while we have all enjoyed seeing her work over the years showcased through publications such as Inspirations magazine or through attendance at her workshops, in case you missed the news, Betsy just recently announced her retirement.

To celebrate Betsy’s outstanding career and ensure her legacy is preserved, Inspirations Studios has been privileged to publish not one, but now two books featuring some of Betsy’s most popular and remarkable projects, with today being the official launch of Willing Hands 2.

Willing Hands 2 picks up where Willing Hands 1 left off, but this time with another 10 glorious, counted work designs all in Betsy’s characteristic style, all of which are guaranteed to be a joy to stitch.

Inside Willing Hands 2, at the beginning of each project, Betsy shares with the reader a little of the back story as to where she was and why she created each piece.

The best part however is that Betsy guides us through the creation of each project step by step, including her incredible construction process, all the while the pieces are showcased using glorious close-ups and detailed photography.

Ready-to-Stitch kits for all 10 projects are currently being sourced by our kit team, however as with everything in the world at the moment it’s just taking a little longer than any of us would like!

That said, when ordering your copy of the book from our website, check out which kits are available for pre-order now, and keep an eye on this newsletter for announcements as the rest of the designs are released, hopefully over the coming weeks.

Willing Hands 2 is a fitting bookend to a long and magnificent career, and although all of us in the needlework community will miss Betsy immensely, we’re sure you’ll join us in wishing her all the very best for her well-deserved retirement.

Order your copy of Willing Hands 2 today (and Willing Hands 1 if you don’t already have a copy!) to ensure you don’t miss out on this last opportunity to enjoy the fabulous needlework of Betsy Morgan.

Meanwhile, as we’re all waiting for Willing Hands 2 kits, we’re thrilled to let you know that do we have Ready-to-Stitch kits for all 8 projects from the first Willing Hands book available to order.

With many of the Willing Hands 1 kits selling out early on, we know there were a few disappointed stitchers out there who missed out, so if that was you, thank you for your patience and hopefully today is your lucky day.

Each Willing Hands project includes a wealth of delightful little extras and surprises, so every kit contains all you need to make the entire project, accessories and all.

Order your Willing Hands kits today ahead of the Betsy Morgan mania due to kick in anytime now…

If you’re one of those incredibly organised people, then you’ll be pleased to hear that the Inspirations 2022 Calendar is available to order right now. One for you and some for Christmas gifts perhaps? Now that’s organised!

Also, if you are one of those people who don’t like missing out on buying what you really want, you’ll also be pleased to hear the calendar is out now as that means you can secure one before they sell out.

The Inspirations 2022 Calendar is filled with beautiful images and inspirational projects to keep you going all year. With Jewel of the Sea, the incredibly popular jewelled turtle by Georgina Bellamy on the cover, you’ll also be dazzled throughout the year with projects from Hazel Blomkamp, Trish Burr, Margaret Lee, Helen M. Stevens and more.

The glorious, full colour photo each month accompanies a full month planner that is large enough for you to add in your important dates, birthdays and celebrations, as well as space to schedule your next few projects.

As our calendars sell out quickly, why not turn over a new leaf and get organised by ordering your calendars now?

Boxes are a wonderful way to display your embroidery, and you may remember that we were stocking the wooden boxes that Margaret Lee used for her recent project titled Lotus.

Having sold through all our initial stock, we’re pleased to report that we have just received a new shipment of the ‘Daisy’ wooden box featuring a blonde timber finish.

This wooden treasure is superbly crafted and is just the right size for your embroidery. It would make a perfect gift for a friend or family member, or a head turning accessory for a dressing table or sideboard.

While we’ve showcased stitched food in our newsletter before, even we would have to admit we’ve never seen anything quite as realistic as the creations produced by British textile artist Youmeng Liu.

British food seems to be Youmeng’s inspiration and using her unique 3D punchneedle technique, she has recreated every British favourite from a full English breakfast through to Yorkshire puddings. It is almost difficult to believe that these art works aren’t edible!

Youmeng’s plan is to create 301 food items. So far, she’s made 19 and she shows no sign of stopping in her quest. So be sure to watch as she puts her talents to the test at her Instagram page @embroiderycode or you can read more about her work HERE.

The world is full of inspiration when it comes to needlework designs and it is always a delight to come across a project that uses something a little different and perhaps unexpected as its muse. Good for the Goose is the first project from Betsy Morgan’s new book, Willing Hands 2, that we are highlighting, and it has drawn on something quite unique as its inspiration.

When Betsy lived on a farm, one of her neighbours had a large pond that would attract all kinds of migrating birds. One of the most striking breeds she saw was the Canada Goose, a beautiful bird of bold colours and impressive size. This majestic bird, originally a native of the Arctic and North America, has now been introduced to other parts of the world. Nevertheless, it is still predominantly migratory, flying south every year in the hunt for a warmer climate.

The choice of natural linen matches the colour of the feathers, and the range of threads she has selected all complement the colours of the birds as well as the autumn hues.

The unusual triangular shape of the box is then mirrored in many of her stitches, with three-sided stitch being employed around the edge of each panel and various triangular stitches making up the majority of the pattern. This choice is not random. Betsy remembered a quilt pattern known as ‘Geese in Flight’ that consisted of triangles stacked on top of one other and felt it was a perfect choice for the design of this particular project.

The three main panels feature an image of a goose, each in a different but highly characteristic pose – one flying, one standing watching over its clutch of eggs, and one, beak down, carefully tending to an egg.

As with all of Betsy’s projects, there is as much pleasure in the intricate construction of this box as there is in the stitching of the panels. We can’t think of another designer who takes such care and uses such creativity in their construction.

When complete, ‘Good for the Goose’ could be used to store threads or bobbins, crochet hooks or scissors, or it could just sit in pride of place on a table or mantlepiece, a work of art to be enjoyed in its own right.

No matter how many of Betsy’s projects you’ve done, you’ll always find something delightful and new in each and every one. Whether you fall in love with the colours, the triangular shape, the delightful geese appearing on this box, or the fact it features on the front cover of Betsy’s new book, our guess is you won’t require much convincing to add this project to your stitching list.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Good for the Goose by Betsy Morgan from the book Willing Hands 2 is a sturdy, three-sided box inspired by migrating Canada geese.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Good for the Goose includes everything* you need to re-create this delightful box: Fabrics (unprinted), interfacing, interlining, beading thread, embroidery threads, beads 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.

Can't See the Forest by Betsy Morgan from Inspirations issue #96 is a superb sewing box with matching scissor fob.

Gilly Flower by Betsy Morgan from Inspirations issue #79 is a delightful hexagonal trinket box.

The Tooth Fairy by Betsy Morgan from Inspirations issue #99 is two adorable, counted work boxes for special tooth fairy deliveries.

It was time we popped the champagne again for the counted embroiderers out there – those stitchers who delight in the uniformity and mathematics inherent in counted thread embroidery. Whether it is cross stitch, needlepoint, petit point or any other form of needlework that requires counting, we want to celebrate it. Here are a few projects to whet your appetite:

‘You recently asked about cross stitch projects that had taken a long time. This is Paradise Island, a piece that came from a UK cross stitch magazine. In between other projects of varying types, it took about five years to complete!’

‘I’ve also included the Tudor Lady piece that was the project immediately before I started the Island and that I managed to complete in about six months. From the sublime to the ridiculous!’

In fact, five years sounds like a very reasonable amount of time, Elizabeth, when one considers the amount of work that has gone into the piece! Both pieces are beautiful – well done.

‘This is a shirt of mine that I copied from a photograph. The original is located at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. It is full of symbols: on the top you see two newlyweds in the church; there are fertility symbols (the diamonds); and symbols of good success (the horns of the ram). It also has almost 9000 tiny beads.’

What a magnificent project, Ionica! It is so beautifully stitched and so full of colour. We can only imagine that this isn’t a shirt you wear on a day-to-day basis. Or is it perhaps?!

‘Stitching has been my passion since third grade (I count that as 62 years!). It has always been my creative outlet and meditation.’

‘One way I have chosen to stitch is to memorialize each of my grandchildren’s 13th birthdays with a cross stitch picture. I have 17 grandchildren ranging in age from 36 to 6. Fifteen pictures are completed, with more to go when the two youngest turn 13.’

‘The pictures reflect what is going on in their lives as they enter their teen years, whether it be sports, dance, cheerleading, camping, or just their favourite things.’

‘Another way I gift my work is to create hand stitched Christmas cards. I have sent 75+ cards each year for five years to family and friends. Beloved family members and cherished friends tell me how they look forward to the cards, some even framing them for their holiday decor.

I love stitching the cards because they are such small projects, taking so little of my time. Stitching the cards fills in time between major projects and often provides diversion from more intense, complicated undertakings.’

Wendi, when we saw the photos accompanying your email, we were absolutely amazed. Your output is incredible. The fact you stitch that many cards every year is something we could hardly believe. You will have to go into our records as one of the most prolific stitchers we’ve ever seen. Congratulations on everything you are doing – your idea of commemorating each of your grandchildren becoming a teenager with a stitched memento is brilliant. No doubt this post in our newsletter will inspire hundreds of people from all over the world. Thank you so much for sharing.

Do you love doing counted work? Is cross stitch your true love? Have you produced countless counted projects but still have many more lined up? Or do you prefer not to count your stitching, tending towards surface work where you can make your own holes?

Whatever kind of stitching you prefer; we would like to see it. Send us a photograph of your work as well as some information about the project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com

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18th Century Needlefold by Margaret Light from the book A Fine Tradition is a stunning needlefold containing pincushion and needle pages with exquisite flowers worked in stranded cotton or crewel wool.

Morning Glory Needlefold by Margaret Light from the book A Fine Tradition is a pretty needlefold with large pockets adorned with scrolling stems of morning glory and wallflowers.

Abundant Riches by Margaret Light from Inspirations issue #80 is a stunning jewellery roll with a lavish design of exotic blooms in rich colours.

Sweet Secret by Margaret Light from Inspirations issue #73 is a sweet and practical little pouch adorned with vibrant red pelargoniums.

Rainbow Dreams by Margaret Light from Inspirations issue #65 is a set of cot linen richly decorated with birds, animals and insects in the style of Indian kantha embroidery.

Strawberry Fields by Margaret Light from Inspirations issue #42 is a charming needlecase featuring strawberry stems that softly entwine to form a delicate heart.

~ Matt Bevin ~

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.