They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but we recently decided to read an article based solely on its title and it turns out that after taking a deeper look, the content was exactly what we were expecting.

Titled ‘How to Prioritize Your Project Ideas’, the second sentence of the article made us feel right at home.

Instantly our minds ran through all our projects with needle and thread – those we currently have on the go, those that are already lined up waiting to be started and those that are on our wish list of things we just have to do. It was then we realised we could probably do with a little advice on how to prioritize our project ideas!

Written by Ryan Mather, a game and interaction designer, the article unpacked Ryan’s method for prioritizing the long list of creative side projects he’s accumulated over time. Not only has the system helped Ryan to prioritize his ideas, it has also transformed the progress he makes with each of his projects.

Firstly, Ryan advises that all our project ideas need to be written down in one place. To do this, he suggests getting comfortable, surrounding ourselves with whatever we need to be inspired and listing every project idea we can think of.

Next, he advocates thinking about what brings us happiness and fulfillment by considering such things as our role models and what we’d consider as time well spent. The opposite of these questions can also help focus our attention.

Lastly, Ryan suggests we set up a menu of days that helps to depict how our values will show up in our daily life.

For example, if we were to determine that learning a new technique, stitching for others or finishing what we started are what bring us the most happiness and fulfillment, we’d order our projects according to these values and then work out where they’ll fit in our time with and needle and thread.

Not only did we love the focus Ryan’s suggestions would bring to anyone’s seemingly never-ending list of projects with needle and thread, but it also offered a way of incorporating them into daily life that would suit those of us who like to skip from one project to another in quick succession right through to those who prefer to work on projects uninterrupted from the first stitch right through to the last.

It was simply a matter of choosing a value, matching it to a project and then working out how we’d like to see it show up on our schedules - whether that be a different project for each day of the week, four projects a month or a project of the month for each of the 12 months of the year. From there we saw that not only could we prioritize our ideas in a whole new light, but the progress of projects was all but guaranteed.

Who could ask for more?! Well, there are those few extra hours to stitch each day we’ve been trying to find…

We’re sure we’re not imagining it, but you are all getting chattier every week! Sometimes we have to pinch ourselves that our jobs involve having fabulous conversations with some of the nicest people imaginable, where we get to talk about our passion from morning till night and still have plenty of things to discuss. Are we fortunate or what?! And that’s all because of you and all the wonderful conversations we get to have together.

We really ought to start with orts. First things first, Jane Branfield asked a question that probably others wondered as well – what does ‘orts’ stand for? We’re so sorry for not explaining!

Originally of Germanic origin, ‘orts’ is related to the Dutch word oorete; from 00r- remaining and ete- food, and referred to food scraps.

These days it has well and truly become synonymous with any kind of crafty leftovers. We hope that helps!

Susan Cuss uses her orts for all sorts of things, but her most recent orts project was this lovely book cover. Susan had saved all the leftover threads from sewing new table mats, as well as fabric scraps, stray threads, ribbons, yarns and foil candy wrappers. From this collection she created a new fabric using wash-away stabiliser. The book is a gift for a friend who is very fortunate indeed to receive such a beautiful item.

Trish McKie uses her orts to stuff pincushions, and we think this is a very clever use indeed, and Trish even says using ort-filled pincushions helps prevent her needles and pins from rusting.

Stephanie Murphy and the rest of her guild were given glass ornaments that they were encouraged to fill with orts. They then held a ‘Christmas in July’ presentation to see how everyone was doing with them. This meeting is special for her guild, as the group work on a charity project and have a local children’s home come and speak to them. The ort ornaments were on display and, as you can see, they looked fabulous.

From orts to organisation now, and Bunny Goodman shared with us an innovative way of organising her crewel wool. She has a full collection of Appleton’s Yarns and wanted to both see and access them all easily, so had the idea to purchase three shoe caddies with clear plastic pockets. Next, Bunny made labels with colour names for each compartment with non-permanent stickers as, in the future, she’s hoping to stitch each colour name and number on the pocket instead. She even built a PVC rack on wheels to hold up the caddies. What a clever solution!

In All Stitched Up! issue #293 we also wrote an article about ‘Sew Bros’ featuring men who sew their own clothes. This piece caused Ann to muse on a couple of strange facts in the sewing world. She observed that although sewing and yarn shops are mostly populated by women, tailors are mostly men, however you rarely hear about young men or boys sewing.

She also noted that sewing machines are usually regarded as ‘women’s things’ and yet, when you go into a shop to a buy sewing machine, the salespeople there are usually men. As she rightly says, ‘such a strange world is the world of sewing…’

Roberta Kenney had done some research into the history of needlework and mentioned that when the early guilds were formed, it was an entirely male-oriented business. Men did all the designing and making, whether it was ordinary garments or magnificent ecclesiastical furnishings. Women in convents did embroidery or produced garments in the home for the family, but very little more. It wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution that women became involved in producing fabric and garments, at which time the association with the skill switched almost entirely to women.

The article reminded Heather Cartmel of a book she read recently called ‘The Coat Route’ by Meg Lukens Noonan. This book was an account of the making of a $50,000 coat by John H. Cutler, a fourth-generation tailor in Sydney, Australia. It talks about the cost of many of the elements of the coat and why these items were so expensive, as well as expanding on how the business of bespoke tailoring is dying out. It sounds like a fascinating read.

Coats, orts, books or storage – there is no topic concerning needlework that we won’t cover so we encourage everyone to get involved with our weekly chats. Even if you just send us one line with a single thought, we welcome it, as well as those with personal stories, recommendations or questions… we’re looking forward to hearing from you all!

Pins, pins and more pins. They are an essential tool that you simply can never have enough of. However, there is a big difference between the cheap pins you buy from the dollar store and high-quality pins, so when we say you can never have enough, we’re talking about the latter kind, of course!

As mentioned recently, we’ve been collecting some of the best pins available of late to use in a fabulous new book due out soon, which focuses entirely on pincushions. During our research it didn’t take long before Tulip pins appeared on our radar.

Featuring durable cellulose heads and available in two gorgeous colours, these Tulip pins are razor sharp, strong enough to hold even the toughest fabrics and thanks to their gorgeous tulip shaped heads, are easy to insert and remove.

Manufactured with Japanese precision, the fact they are flat ensure that fabrics will go through sewing machines with ease.

Our suggestion for this week is to go and clear out all the cheap, blunt, bent pins in your collection and spoil yourself by only working with the finest quality. We can tell you from personal experience, it’s a decision you won’t regret.

Now that you’ve been sold on Tulip pins, it might be time to take a look at some of your other needlework essentials with a view to swapping them out for top quality, Japanese crafted, Tulip equivalent.

We have available a range of needles, including both tapestry needles and sharps, as well as glass-headed Tulip pins. Our needle selection includes chenille needles and embroidery needles so there is a Tulip needle appropriate for every project. If you can’t choose which product you like best, we also have a Tulip gift set available that is both beautifully presented and offers a great selection of needles.

Join the thousands of embroiderers who have switched to high quality tools to help get the maximum enjoyment from your time spent stitching.

We’ve just released two more digital patterns from out-of-print issue #52 of Inspirations. These patterns are now available on the website and join the range of other fantastic projects that originally appeared in that popular issue.

Tangerine Tango is an incredibly popular design for a practical and gorgeous tote bag. Designed by Julie Graue, this glorious tote is made from canvas and decorated with three, chic, Barbie-sized dresses created from silk dupion. The need for reusable bags has increased exponentially since this design first appeared, so its digital release couldn’t be more timely.

Mother Goose is an intricate and oh-so-cute three dimensional felt project. A tiny teddy sits atop an elegant swan, all of which are decorated with bullion roses and sparkling glass beads. This would make a perfect gift or a lovely addition to a dressing table and the project includes all the instructions you need to construct and embellish this little pair.

Both projects are now available for purchase and immediate download, along with other designs from Inspirations issue #52 already released.

As we enjoyed World Embroidery Day on 30th July this year, it once again proved to be a wonderful opportunity to bring stitchers together across the globe and encourage us all to celebrate our art in whatever way we felt.

With some people choosing to celebrate large and others happy to sit quietly with their stitching, we loved receiving emails and photos from those who participated.

Here is how Mrunalini Nimbalkar celebrated:

‘On World Embroidery Day I continued my ‘Stitching of French Knot’ project which I started on 1st September 2020. It's a project inspired by Amanda (@littleglitzbyamanda). My piece is an abstract, multi-coloured, year-long project that I plan to frame and hang on the wall. I have used around 30 shades of Anchor stranded cotton threads to make a 9"circle. I called it ‘Spectra Blast’.’

Here’s Harriet Alonzo’s idea:

‘Every year I send out a Happy World Embroidery Day message. This year I am featuring the first in a series of needlepoint pieces I’ve entitled ‘Look Her Up.’ It combines my profession as a women’s historian and my love for embroidery. I hope that people will see the piece, read the quote, and become curious about the woman featured.

The first is Jane Addams, a woman known the world over for her work in human rights and world peace. She lived from 1860-1935 and was the recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize. I hope you enjoy it and that lots of folks will look her up and learn something new in celebration of the stitching holiday.’

Sheila McCoy from Canada wrote:

‘My guild had planned to meet for the first time since February 2020 on Tuesday, 27th July – but it poured with rain. So, we reconvened on World Embroidery Day – Friday, 30th July. The meeting report then read:

Seven members gathered under the trees near the floral clock for a lovely few hours in the fresh air. There was lots of catching up with news and showing off what we were working on. Just not sure how much stitching got done!’

Finally, Christine Wellnitz was inspired by our article on UFOs for her World Embroidery Day:

‘40 years ago, at school, I started embroidering a tablecloth for my mother but didn't finish it. I didn't know how to make a nice hem at that time. So, I gave it to her unfinished for her birthday, thinking that she would do the hem herself.

A few weeks ago, I found this tablecloth at my mother's house and it still had no hem - a 40 year old UFO! I took it with me but, to my great disappointment, I found that it was full of stains. I washed it three times and pre-treated it with different cleaning agents but it was all in vain. The stains have become lighter but are still visible.’

'Since I still had the pattern, I thought about embroidering around the apricot wreath background completely so you can't see the spots, then cutting it out and appliquéing it onto a new tablecloth.

If I stitched out the background, the UFO wouldn't be finished for many more weeks or months and I was worried I might even put it back in my ‘UFO-box’. A quicker solution was needed, so, on World Embroidery Day, I took heart and edged the wreath on the outside and inside edges with the sewing machine, cut away all the fabric around the outside and in the middle, and then appliqued the wreath onto a new tablecloth.’

‘I'll admit it took longer than 15 minutes, but by the evening it was all done and now the tablecloth is with me outside on my patio table. Some UFO's just take a little longer to reach their destination!’

Thank you all for writing in - there appears to be as many ways to celebrate World Embroidery Day as there are embroiderers! What brings everyone together, no matter where in the world you are, is our shared love of needlework and our respect and admiration for each other. If you celebrated, please let us know what you did. We’d love to hear your stories.

The last time we featured a project by Kay Dennis, you will recall her stunningly unique Robin Hood – an incredible stumpwork figure that appeared in Inspirations issue #106. Kay’s skills at stumpwork are well known and she’s been designing challenging and fascinating pieces for many years. Her latest project, The Hedgerow from Inspirations issue #111, fits neatly in with her oeuvre and provides a gorgeous addition to her stumpwork collection.

As we were admiring this piece, with its clever combination of raised and surface elements, we started getting curious about all the slips that make this piece so striking.

It seems that the term ‘slip’ is actually derived from horticulture. As passionate gardeners will probably already know, the term describes the cutting of a plant used for grafting. Its adoption into the world of needlework makes perfect sense, as a slip is a small piece of embroidery, worked separately from the main project, then cut out and attached. It is kind of like grafting for needlework!

Traditionally, the embroidered slip represented a part of a plant, usually flowers, fruit or leaves on a stem. Now, the term has become synonymous with any element cut out and then attached to give the three-dimensional effect. This includes wings of insects, clothing or accessories for figures and, of course, leaves, petals and flowers.

The Hedgerow marks Kay’s embrace of the traditional form of embroidered slip. The project is a cornucopia of foliage and flowers, bunched together to create a realistic and elegant spray that bursts out of the fabric. There are a range of stitches, textures and techniques used including a subtle inclusion of beads to add a bit of sparkle to the whole project.

Almost every element in The Hedgerow requires you to create separate slips and attach them afterwards. This means you’ll be working with wire to provide structure, allowing you to shape the petals and leaves afterwards so that they look completely realistic.

When it’s time to cut the slips out, each piece has a firm blanket stitch edge that allows you to tuck the blades of your sharp scissors beneath, so that each one comes out neatly. It is important to try not to leave ‘fluffy’ edges as they can be difficult to cut away afterwards, so close, careful snipping is key.

Whether you’re working the needlelace berry flowers or the long and short stitch on the briar rose petals, this project is guaranteed to bring you pleasure. It really is a magnificent design that captures the beauty of nature and preserves it in all its colourful glory. If ever there was a project that lends itself to stumpwork and liberal use of traditional slips, The Hedgerow is it.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

The Hedgerow by Kay Dennis is a delightful stumpwork panel of hedgerow fruits and flowers, visited by a delicate butterfly and ladybird.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for The Hedgerow includes everything* you need to re-create this delightful study: Fabrics (unprinted), wool felt, wires, adhesive film, 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 magazine/digital pattern.

Sweet Succulents by Ana Mallah from the book A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery is three handmade trinket pots topped with lifelike stumpwork succulents.

Forest Floor by Kay Dennis from Inspirations issue #104 is an enchanting stumpwork scene of mushrooms and berries.

Loves Me by Susan O'Connor from Inspirations issue #70 is a charming stumpwork picture embroidered with pale pink daisies.

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

For any stitcher who enjoys embroidering flowers, there are a seemingly endless number of techniques and design styles to choose from when considering what type of project to create. From the usual go-to favourites such as satin, long and short stitch to the more complex technique of stumpwork, through to the use of all kinds of materials, from ribbons to silk threads and even to actual leaves. This week we’re taking a look at some of the more innovative floral projects people have sent in.

‘Often when I was running a trunk show, I would talk to many women whose daughters had no interest in using or even keeping the crocheted doilies and bureau scarfs made by earlier generations. In response I would advise them to try and create a small wall hanging featuring at least a portion of the vintage work.’

‘I love to create a design that displays and blends inherited crochet with my embroidery. Nearly all of my silk ribbon embroidery is done in white, then I colour it with Tsukineko ink. In this project pictured above, I accidentally dropped a bit of red ink and couldn’t scrub it out. Thus, there is a small floral addition with my initials

We have had little rain for my flower gardens this summer here in Maine, USA. Embroidering flowers sure beats carrying water to them!’

This is a clever and thoughtful way to use vintage textiles, Carolee. Your way of covering up a mistake is also very innovative and unless someone knew your secret, you would ever have guessed it wasn’t planned – in fact we felt it actually enhanced the end result, so well done!

‘I have embroidered many projects from Inspirations over the years, but this remains my favourite.’

‘I hope you appreciate how much of an inspiration your magazine really is, and the joy it brings!'

You are very kind Norma, we are touched to hear how much Inspirations means to you, and likewise we want you to know how much we appreciate all your beautiful needlework that we have been fortunate enough to share in our newsletter over the years. This piece is a lovely project that you have stitched beautifully, congratulations.

‘I had a go at this after being inspired by a workshop on leaf manipulation at the Woodville Academy of Floral Art a few weeks ago.’

‘It’s a bit rough but I just wanted to try a few different ideas to see what was possible. If you visit the website magnoliaheatherart.com you will see lots of interesting embroideries on leaves.’

What a fascinating way of using leaves and incorporating them into your needlework. We hope you experiment more Kathy as we’d love to see what other inspiring and amazing work you produce.

Do you like stitching the natural world using unusual materials? Have you ever looked at a project and wondered whether you could experiment with new threads, new colours or new techniques? Or do you love to pay homage to nature using the stitches and thread you know best?

Whatever it is you like to stitch with, we’d like to see it. Send us photographs of your work with a bit of information about your inspiration and stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com

Become part of the Inspirations family by subscribing to the magazine... we'd love to have you join us!

Interlude by Di Kirchner is a stunning crewel cushion featuring vibrant fruits and acorns.

Perfect Palette by Di Kirchner from Inspirations issue #82 is an elegant crewelwork cushion with a choice of coloured or monochrome designs.

Delicate Stitches by Di Kirchner from Inspirations issue #106 is a stunning Hardanger mat worked on fine linen.

Flora by Di Kirchner from Australian Smocking & Embroidery issue #61 is a print dress with sashes and contrast smocked panel, neck and sleeve binding and delicate embroidery for sizes 2, 3 and 4 years.

Vanity Fair by Di Kirchner from Inspirations issue #33 is two irresistible little ribbon embroidery boxes.

~ Robin S Sharma ~

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.