Over recent weeks, many of the team at Inspirations HQ have taken the opportunity to spend some time away from the office. Whilst South Australia’s borders are yet to open, each of us took the opportunity to be tourists within our own home state.

Firstly, our Office and Design Assistant made a trip to Port Augusta to visit family. Our General Manager travelled to the coastal town of Robe with a close friend. A farm stay with family in the wine region of Clare was in order for our Subscription and Kits Manager. Then lastly, our CEO and COO just returned from a couple of nights in the small hill’s township of Lenswood that sits just outside of Adelaide.

Whilst the itineraries of each getaway varied depending on the location, reason for travel and personal preferences of the travellers themselves, there was a consistent effect from each trip taken – the team member returned to Inspirations HQ refreshed.

Whilst the Inspirations Team stepped away from work and the routine of life at home, we also realised there are occasions our time with needle and thread would benefit from us stepping away as well.

As many of us consider our time spent stitching as refreshing, that last statement may sound controversial, but stick with us…

Have you ever found yourself with needle in hand only to find you’re not looking forward to the stitching that lies before you? Or is that just us?!

We’ve discovered that stepping away from the ‘everyday’ of needle and thread can be as simple as switching to another project, trying a different technique or sometimes a respite from stitching altogether.

And do you know what? Sometimes a change really is as good as a holiday as we find our stepping away from the stitching before us allows us to return to our time with needle and thread refreshed, restored and reinvigorated.

What about you? Do you ever find yourself confronted with a feeling of being overwhelmed when embarking on the stitching before you? If so, we’d love to hear what you do to step away from needle and thread to ensure you return refreshed. Email news@inspirationsstudios.com, we’d genuinely love to hear from you.

Some people might see an orts pot (the container in which you put your thread ends, off cuts and bits and pieces) as little more than a glorified bin. However, most of us look at the orts pot, filled with the ‘old raggedy threads’ that the name implies, and see a mixed pile of memories, successes, unpicking and ideas.

Bridget O’Brien from Canada thanked everyone for the book recommendations that have been submitted over the past weeks. She loves finding books that are relevant to her stitching passion and agreed with so many others about the title ‘The Coat Route’. Bridget also wanted to recommend a book called ‘The Gown’ by Canadian author Jennifer Robson, which also deals with the theme of historical clothing and textiles. If anyone has read it, we’d love to hear what you think.

Both Hazel Long and Elaine Ransom wrote in about our editorial on keeping a ‘have done’ list. Hazel told us that for the past 30 years she’s been taking pictures of completed projects and keeping them in a special diary. However, that doesn’t mean she always finishes things! She’s been working on a needlepoint carpet for almost the same amount of time and it is still incomplete. Luckily, her granddaughter has already offered to finish it for her.

Since then, she’s always kept a record of what she’s made, the origin of the design and who it was gifted to so she doesn’t make the same mistake again. This also allows her to look back over her work and realise just how much she has accomplished. Perhaps this is something we should all do a little more often in order to practice gratitude for just how far we’ve come.

Sharlene Jones-Martin shared a brainwave with us. She had a whole lot of cheap hoops that she’d bought at a bargain price but were a bit boring to look at. As she was thinking of ways to dress them up, she came across her grandfather’s old fishing rod nylon. It had been sitting there for 40 years, but now has brightened up the hoops like a treat! What a creative idea…

Jackie Williams was musing on the idea of sharing. Now that she lives on her own, she’s realised her family, wonderful as they are, are not really interested in her needlework unless it has something to do with mending. Although Jackie used to help with a needlework class when she was working, nowadays the scope for bouncing ideas around doesn’t seem to be there. So, she loves that she can share ideas here in All Stitched Up! It is a part of what the community is all about.

With the release of our fabulous new book, The Design Collective | Pincushions, Ann wrote to tell us that she thinks all the projects are fantastic, but she just couldn’t imagine using any of them for pins. She would be too afraid that they might end up getting damaged. The one pincushion in the book she could conceivably use, she says, would be Betsy Morgan’s Bargello and Blackwork pincushion but even then, she’d be cautious. We understand, Ann. Fortunately, all of the projects in the book make beautiful objects unto themselves, so even if you don’t use them for their intended purpose, they are still very much worth making.

Susan Bottcher thanked us for the Dorset button project we featured in All Stitched Up! issue #299. She saw it and was inspired to give Dorset buttons a try. It didn’t take long before a new enthusiasm had formed to help her with lockdown blues!

A while back we talked about going on a ‘colour walk’ and Kathleen Weston was inspired to head out and look for various colours outside that she could relate to DMC thread numbers. As she was hunting, she remembered that each of the hymns they sing in church is numbered. She has fun looking at the numbers and trying to guess which DMC colours they are. When she gets home, she has to check to see how close she is!

Finally, Ruth Tracy asked whether anyone had ideas on how to use vintage crochet work. She says that it is so beautiful and that its creation would have required hours of work, so it seems such a shame that it really isn’t used much anymore. She’s seen doilies incorporated into quilts but wondered whether anyone else had creative ideas as to how this wonderful work can be reused.

We’ve really enjoyed hearing from you all over the past few weeks and we encourage everyone to keep writing in. You will have noticed that each week we’ve had another jam-packed Have Your Say article to share with you. That’s because we get so many wonderful emails, we just can’t keep them to ourselves. Keep them coming – it brightens up our inbox each and every morning.

A bee is a bee, right? Well, it turns out, not so much! Although most of us may recognise perhaps one or two different kinds of bees, the world of these important and fascinating creatures is vast. The honeybee, which is essential for pollination of crops and the survival of the agricultural industry, is just one species, albeit one we simply couldn’t live without.

Only 8 of those species are honeybees, and of those, only a couple have been domesticated to ensure that crops and orchards are pollinated. Honeybees aren’t just prized for the work they do – as their name suggests, they also produce honey as well as beeswax, which has been used throughout history for candles, soap and various cosmetics.

In recent times, there has been growing awareness of the plight of bees as they battle to survive in altered environments and climates. These wonderful creatures live very close to humans and are vitally important to us, so it is essential that we honour and protect them so they can continue to do their work.

Merrilyn Whittle has chosen to honour the honeybee in her latest project that you can enjoy in Inspirations issue #112. Rose and Honeybee is a sparkling embroidery set comprising a needlebook and scissor fob. It is decorated with a brilliant design of a rose with a honeybee at the centre.

The needlebook displays more bees on each corner in a satisfyingly symmetrical pattern. However, rather than embroidered in thread, this wonderful set is worked using Japanese-style beading techniques to give the finished piece a texture that is completely unique.

For anyone unsure about trying a project incorporating beading, Merrilyn gives very clear instructions on how to work with beads in the traditional Japanese way.

There are several different methods involved in this project: the Needle-Koma method, the Line of Held Thread technique and the Scatter Effect Singles technique. Each gives a very different effect, but by bringing all three together you can successfully complete this lovely design and create a needlebook and fob to be shown off with pride.

As you stitch Rose and Honeybee, perhaps you can contemplate the busy little creatures who have inspired this project, taking a moment to thank them for the work that they do. The industriousness that they show in their everyday work can inspire you to mimic their approach, as you carefully work the beaded design, moving step by tiny step to finally complete the whole.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Rose & Honeybee by Merrilyn Whittle is a handy needlebook and coordinating scissor fob decorated with Japanese-style bead embroidery.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Rose & Honeybee includes everything* you need to re-create these sweet accessories: Fabrics (including with pre-printed design), wadding, interfacing, wool flannel, fibre-fill, embroidery thread, sewing 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.

Bee Contained Etui by Betsy Morgan from the book Willing Hands 2 is a hexagonal box etui celebrating bees with motifs and form.

Honey Bee by Alison Cole from Inspirations issue #90 is a gorgeous goldwork motif to frame.

You may remember we recently published the project Natural Wonder a fantastic design by Maria Faleri featuring Catherine de’ Medici stitch. Both this and her piece Caterina are worked on an open weave linen using a deliciously soft cotton for stitching.

Anchor Baby Pure Cotton feels exactly as the name suggests. It is super soft and pliable and slides beautifully through your fabric. It is perfect if you want to take the skills you’ve learnt from Maria’s projects and start creating your own.

There are a range of other uses for this versatile thread as well including candlewicking and even crochet. It is lovely to work with and each ball is a generous 50g (1.75 ounces) so you’ve got plenty of thread for a range of projects.

Fill that hole in your stash and purchase your soft cotton ball today.

As the first copies of our brand-new book The Design Collective | Pincushions have begun making their way out into the big wide world of needlework, we’ve been thrilled to receive some very enthusiastic feedback from designers and stitchers alike. If you are still waiting for your copy to arrive, or are yet to place your order, here are a few reviews to whet your appetite:

‘Bookshelf will need some organising to make space for these beauties.’ @jules314085

‘That is a fabulous cover!’
@yarnwhirled

‘The pincushions are all so different & beautiful, as is the book itself.’
Julie | Gumnut Yarns

‘The layout, photography, styling, editing and production are just outstanding. May you produce many more in this vein.’
Margaret Light

‘The fact that it is the first in a series of books really excites me! I can’t wait to see the rest of the series! And if it is what it promises to be, it will be a fabulous library of inspiration and instruction.’
Mary Corbet

Thank you everyone above for your generous praise, we’re so glad to hear you like the book as much as we enjoyed producing it. We’d love to hear what you think! Email us at news@inspirationsstudios.com with your feedback on our new book, and if you haven’t purchased your copy, please see the link below.

Oh and don’t forget – every pincushion featured is also available to purchase as a Ready-to-Stitch kit.

As promised, this week we’ve released the remaining projects from Inspirations magazine issue #46 as digital patterns.

Lovers of stumpwork will adore Viola Tricolor by Wendy Innes. This gorgeous study of a sprig of wild pansies is worked in rich yellows and purples and even includes a tiny snail at the base.

If you’re looking for the cutest baby duo, then you need look no further than Bunny Babes by Julie Graue. The pattern is for a pair of adorable rompers, one with long sleeves and legs and the other with short. They are made from a fine checked gingham and are decorated with the cutest little bullion bunnies you could imagine. There are even patterns for a little bonnet and hat to match!

Finally, Violet Time by Kelly Tomkins is a stunning needlecase made using violet silk dupion and decorated with silk ribbon flowers and sparkling Sadi thread. This is a luxurious accessory which would take pride of place in any embroidery bag.

All of these patterns as well as our entire digital catalogue are available to download from the website today. We encourage you to set aside a few hours for browsing though!

Our Gift Pack team have been working their magic behind the scenes and for all those looking for more exciting goodies, this week we’re releasing the third gift pack in our new range called Idyllic Blues.

Whether it’s for a special friend or family member, or just for yourself, there is endless pleasure to be had looking through all of the fabulous and unique treasures we’ve packed inside.

The Idyllic Blues Gift Pack includes:

1 x Relax! Ready-To-Stitch Kit
1 x Relax! Printed Pattern
1 x Keeping Cosy Printed Pattern
1 x Kaffe Fasset Mug (Design Varies)
1 x Hummingbird Threader – Blue
1 x Pack of Clover Flowerhead Marking Pins – Blue
1 x Pipers Silks Thread Pack – Summer Blues

The value of this amazing pack is over AU$150, but you can purchase it today for the special price of AU$95.

The world’s most beautiful needlework now available in a beautiful gift pack!

We all make New Year’s Resolutions, many of which often only last until about the 10th of January, by which time they’ve been forgotten in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But here’s a resolution that would be a pleasure to keep – a daily embroidery journal.

Sophie, from The Stir-Crazy Crafter starts her ‘journal’ each January and stitches a tiny design each and every day. It may be a memory for the day, a word or just a random image, but it all comes together to memorialise that year in a very personal way.

There are plenty of ways you can keep an embroidery journal. It doesn’t have to be like Sophie’s, in fact, finding something that is truly your own may help to ensure you keep up with it. You can get ideas from Instagram by searching for #embroideryjournal or come up with something unique.

What a lovely way to honour each day so you can look back on it in years to come and remember the pleasure it brought.

You can read more about Sophie’s journal, including her tips on starting your own HERE or take a look at her website HERE.

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

Pincushions come in all shapes and sizes, but the piece Sacred Flower by Margaret Lee is something particularly special. This delicate and beautiful project, shaped like a flowerpot, sits nestled on a brass lotus flower base and is stitched with a vibrant design of multicoloured lotus blooms.

With a taupe silk taffeta base fabric, Sacred Flower is both eye catching and practical, resulting in a pincushion like no other.

Margaret is well known for her beautiful silk shading designs worked in Chinese filament silk and often depicting delicate flowers or glorious foliage. This particular piece represents the lotus flower, a subject that is highly symbolic in Chinese culture.

In nature, the lotus is usually found in shades of pink, white or yellow, however Margaret has selected a range of other colours to reflect their own specific symbolic meaning.

As you turn this beautiful little pincushion, you’ll see lotus flowers in red, blue, purple and yellow. Margaret explains that the red lotus represents passion and sentiments of the heart; the yellow is associated with spiritual ascension, encompassing knowledge, creativity and original thought.

Purple represents spirituality with the blue symbolising knowledge and learning. This latter flower is always shown only partly open to represent the fact that learning and expanding the mind are ongoing processes without any definable end.

These symbols are perfect for this project as you will definitely learn and grow as you work the design and master the stitches. Similarly, the spirituality inherent in the yellow and purple flowers can be regarded as that meditative zone that most embroiderers achieve when they really get into the flow of their work.

The selection of the double brass base makes this project particularly special. It is designed so that the two layers move independently of one another, so that while the outer layer stays still, the inner will turn allowing you to reach whichever pin or needle you wish with the minimum of fuss.

It also allows you to progressively admire the whole design with a simple turn of the base.

Margaret encourages you to take your time with your stitching in order to achieve the exact effect you want. Nothing will be gained from rushing this project. It is definitely one that encourages meditation and will benefit from time and space in order to complete it.

Although some may be hesitant to use Sacred Flower for inserting and storing pins, it has been designed so that all the embroidery is on the side of the pot, leaving a clear, unadorned stretch of fabric at the top covering the stuffing. This ensures that you can gain practical use out of the project as well as enjoying it for its aesthetic effect.

If you’re looking for a project to challenge you, delight you, and bring you a wonderful sense of calm, then look no further than Sacred Flower. By combining a beautiful design with meaningful symbolism and offering a practical and usable application, it really is an outstanding project.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Sacred Flower by Margaret Lee from the book The Design Collective | Pincushions is a conical pincushion with lotus flower and leaf design worked with gleaming filament silks using Chinese embroidery techniques.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Sacred Flower includes everything* you need to re-create this gorgeous pincushion: Fabric (pre-printed), brass lotus flower base, waddings, taupe sewing thread, metal washers, magnet, plastic craft pellets, metal and plastic sauce cups, adhesive vinyl, fibre-fill, embroidery threads, bead 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.

Purity by Margaret Lee from the book The Art of Chinese Embroidery 2 | Intermediate Level is a single lotus bloom, symbolising purity, harmony and renewal, stitched using the Random Stitch embroidery technique.

Lotus by Margaret Lee from our Handpicked Range is a stunning flower design in Japanese goldwork and bead embroidery.

While not all embroiderers are quilters, there are certainly a lot of talented people out there who have skills in both crafts. Even if you’ve never quilted before, you can still appreciate the skill and mastery that goes into these projects. This week we have some wonderful quilting projects sent in by our needlework community to inspire and admire.

These are intricate projects, Carol. We can see how much you enjoy quilting in the creativity of the designs and the beauty of the finished work!

‘My passion is to preserve old buildings and vehicles that have been abandoned in a fabric form. There is a certain beauty in their lonely existence that I find very appealing.’

What a wonderful way to preserve the historical past, Mary Anne. It combines history with creativity in a really unique way.

These are amazing for a first-time effort, Pat! We’re sure your daughters would have loved them.

Do you love quilting almost as much as you love embroidery? Do you look for ways to combine your passions? Or are you simply an admirer of other people’s quilts, preferring to stick to your own craft of choice?

Whatever it is you like to create, we would like to see it. Send us a picture of your work with a bit of information about yourself and the project to news@inspirationsstudios.com

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

The Holly and the Ivy by Margaret Light is a festive linen table runner with central design of holly and ivy encircled with gold braid.

Deck the Halls by Jenny McWhinney from Inspirations issue #56 is a delightful Christmas table runner.

Simple Pleasures by Maree Moscato from Inspirations issue #19 is a beautiful table runner featuring a tulip, daffodil, bluebells and violets.

Coffee Scrolls by Susan O'Connor from Inspirations issue #56 is an elegant matching table runner and tray cloth.

~ Ralph Marston ~

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.