After writing the welcome to last week’s All Stitched Up! and determining to ‘get back to it’, we have to confess the process seemed a little daunting!

You may recall that we’d let the seemingly urgent come before the important and realised that ‘life’ had gotten in the way of some of the things we had once made a priority.

As a result, we determined that we were once again going to set aside the time to read the words of others as we looked for thoughts, ideas and inspiration as to how they approach the life before them and then share the more thought-provoking ones with you.

It turns out we read the first two emails with gusto, shared the inspiration we’d gleaned in last week’s Welcome to All Stitched Up! with enthusiasm, only to find there were another 156 emails before us!

Luckily the concept of Day Stacking we’d recently discovered in Robin Sharma’s ‘The 5am Club’ came flooding back.

In essence, Day Stacking acknowledges that all too often we’re so focused on pursuing the big results in life, we forget the significant value of the small. Robin believes that ‘small daily, seemingly insignificant improvements, when done consistently over time, yield staggering results.’ He went on to state that ‘what you do each day matters far more than what you do once in a while.’

And so, we’ve determined to approach the unread emails, our stitching UFO’s and the cupboards we struggle to close the doors on with small, daily, seemingly insignificant improvements, knowing that the stacking of our efforts over days will indeed yield the results we’re after – an empty inbox, our final stitches laid and cupboards that close with ease.

Do you have a particular goal, task or project before you that would benefit from ‘small’? We look forward to hearing how you’re going to stack your days to ensure you achieve all you’ve set out to do.

When it comes to books, judging by all the responses we’ve received on the topic, our bookshelves are as precious to us as our stash, helping to inspire us and give us comfort whenever we need it.

We pick up where we left off last week with more tales from our fellow book enthusiasts…

Bunny Goodman said that the mere mention of embroidery books made her happy. In fact, if she had a tail, she would probably wag it right off! Bunny adores the feel of the pages, so digital books simply don’t do it for her. Every time she gets a new book, she puts two labels on it: one inside the cover with her name and the date she got it, and another on the front cover that says, ‘this book belongs to Bunny Goodman’. This is to ensure that, if she ever lends her books out, they will always come home again.

Whenever Bunny is out and about, she searches for embroidery books. She has a list on her computer of books she’d like to own, then enjoys the thrill of hunting for them and sometimes finding them at a bargain price. She keeps her library in order by technique, but she also has a spreadsheet to keep track of what she has. This avoids those inevitable moments when you buy a book and then realise when you get home that you already have a copy!

Her favourite book, hands down, is The Stitches of Creative Embroidery by Jacqueline Enthoven. We concur with you, Bunny - this is an exceptionally good book. Unfortunately, Bunny’s copy was so well used that it fell apart! So, she cut off the binding and put the pages in plastic sheets in a binder. Since then, she’s been adding stitches to the binder that were missing from Jacqueline Enthoven’s book and has even redone the book’s index on her computer to keep it up to date with the new additions. This really is dedication at work.

Lynda Steele was thrilled to discover that not only was she amongst friends when it came to UFOs (Unfinished Objects), but she’s also in a community of book lovers. She says:

Ann wrote that she also has a vast store of books that she’s collected over the past 50-odd years. They chart her interests, from hand sewing, through to dressmaking, lace, papercrafts, crochet, spinning, weaving and even felt making. She also owns books on theatrical make-up and costume making. It’s clearly quite a collection! Ann does try to keep them in subject order but because of the huge variety, it doesn’t always work.

Ann also wrote to us about choice, which she’s got plenty of between her UFOs and NSPs (Not Started Projects). She finds herself trying to choose between those projects she ‘ought’ to do as opposed to those that she wants to do! Quite often, she ends up doing neither, preferring to stuff her nose into a favourite book to avoid having to make the decision. Of course, this means the ‘ought to dos’ loom larger. Eventually, Ann finds the self-discipline to do the ‘oughts’ and gets them out of the way!

Finally, Andrea Eufrazio wanted to share a word of warning in response to the creative idea of winding fishing nylon around hoops that we wrote about in All Stitched Up! issue #309. Andrea did this in the past but found the colour from the nylon bled into her linen and wouldn’t come out. She’d spent a year stitching a piece for a wedding gift, and it was lucky the framer could frame it in a way that hid the marks, but she wanted our readers to just be careful. Thank you, Andrea and we’re sorry that you had to discover this the hard way.

Keep the responses coming. We love reading them and sharing them. You’re all part of our big needlework family who make coming to work each day a joy.

As we know, there is a large cohort of embroiderers who also love gardening. No doubt this is thanks to the definite synergy between the two arts. Both require care and patience. Both encourage artistic experimentation. And both bring calm and tranquillity, allowing the practitioner to find their balance doing something they truly love.

As such, botanic subjects are always loved by embroiderers, particularly designs that feature flowers. When we first saw Sweet Eglantine by Cynthia Jackson from Inspirations issue #113, as we admired the beautiful embroidery, we found ourselves wondering about the name.

The project features a delicate pink heirloom rose.

This was apparently a rose called ‘La France’ which was grown in 1867. Heirloom roses are known for their beautiful scent, the fact that they usually only bloom once a year and their hardiness and resistance to disease.

Rose names, particularly modern names, come from all sorts of places. They might be named after the breeder, after a Hollywood star, or simply given an interesting name that helps them stand out in the market.

Creating a new rose takes many generations of breeding, so the name becomes very important as it marks the months and years of work that has gone into the flower’s creation.

Heirloom roses, like the Eglantine featured in Cynthia’s stunning piece, often take their names from Latin words and have been known for centuries. Modern roses, whose names come from a range of sources, are competing in a busy space, with over 10,000 new roses in existence since the time ‘La France’ first bloomed.

Cynthia Jackson’s lovely study of the Eglantine rose highlights its simple beauty in glorious fashion.

Cynthia is well known and loved for her designs that cleverly combine silk embroidery with goldwork. The result is a shimmering image that looks incredibly realistic due to the clever shading and skilful selection of stitches and has a gilded finish adding an antique touch.

This combination of techniques allows the embroiderer to really test their skills. There are a number of unique goldwork stitches in Sweet Eglantine that add to the effect, in particular the couching along the stems and around the petals. Cynthia also adds metal threads to silk brick stitch to create a truly unique effect.

Sweet Eglantine is a project like many that requires a bit of patience and a careful eye, but the effort it takes is worth it. The spectacular result is an image that you will never tire of looking at and will catch the light in wonderful ways.

This isn’t just a homage to a beautiful and historic flower. It is a celebration of all the wonderful things that embroidery can do.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Sweet Eglantine by Cynthia Jackson is a graceful, soft pink rose beautifully depicted with silk and metal threads.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kits for Sweet Eglantine include everything* you need to re-create this pretty flower: Fabric (unprinted), embroidery threads and needles.

Chatelaine by Susan O'Connor from Inspirations issue #89 is an elegant set of sewing accessories worked in rich reds and creams for the Tudor rose and soft pinks and creams for Rosa eglantine.

Gloriana by Betsy Morgan from Inspirations issue #98 is a stunning counted work reticule with needlebook and scissor fob depicting the eglantine rose of England, thistle of Scotland and shamrock of Ireland.

The projects featured in our publications have been meticulously created by some of the most talented needlework artisans of our generation. Every detail of each design has been carefully considered including all the elements used.

The quest to find just the right materials often involves unearthing some of the most exotic threads, beads, charms, fabrics and more, all of which catch our imagination. These materials are often suitable for another project or design you may be working on.

You may remember Revival by Brenda Sortwell from Inspirations issue #111. The fabric used for the lining in that stunning box was a William Morris reproduction entitled ‘Morris Holiday’.

Aside from lining boxes, it’s also great for quilts, sewn projects like bags or stitching accessories or even clothing, smocked or otherwise.

Featuring tiny flowers highlighted with gold you can chose between two colourways; green and ebony.

With found treasures like this, the possibilities are endless.

Natural Wonder by Maria Rita Faleri is a gorgeous cushion cover featured in Inspirations issue #111. The white motifs and beautiful pattens are all stitched using Anchor Baby Pure Cotton.

This super soft yarn is a joy to work with, comes in a handy ball, is ideal for crochet, candlewicking or any other type of craft you like and is available to purchase from our website.

Whether you’re planning to stitch Maria’s design or you’ve been inspired to use this silky soft yarn for something completely different, order your ball of Pure Cotton joy today.

Towards the end of last year, we began releasing the first of the projects from Inspirations issue #45 as digital patterns. In case you thought we had forgotten to finish the remaining designs, never fear - our digital team is here! This week we are releasing the second half of the issue for your stitching pleasure…

Taking Tea by Helan Pearce is a stunning picture of a teapot festooned with beads, raised elements and gold thread. This luxurious design will provide a challenge and a joy to any stitcher.

June Godwin’s The Wild Roses is a fabulously lifelike study of a wild rose stitched on white napkins. You could create a whole set for a very special dinner party or work just the table runner and a single napkin for an indulgent tea setting for one.

Timelines by Yvette Stanton is a cushion decorated with a simple candlewicking design. Featuring colonial knots, this piece can be worked up in time for a special birthday or for a last-minute gift.

Finally, Illuminata by Kris Richards is a delicate design that adorns a tiny music box. Bullion roses and golden beads are used to work this exquisite project, which would make an ideal keepsake.

The most challenging thing about these projects is deciding which one you want to do first! Luckily, all of them, as well as our entire digital catalogue, are available online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can stitch whenever the mood strikes.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and we wanted to wish all our readers a happy day filled with all the love that each of you deserve.

Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that is celebrated more by some than others, but we can all appreciate the sentiment it brings.

We asked around for a few ideas for the best ways embroiderers could celebrate Valentine’s Day. Some suggestions were:

- Spend the day with your favourite project or favourite technique – one that you love above all others. Feel the love each and every stitch.

- Arrange to spend a few hours with a beloved friend or family member. Extra hearts if that person is also an embroiderer! That way you can enjoy each other’s company and some stitching!

- Start a special Valentine’s Day project. It doesn’t have to be a traditional heart. It could be anything that represents love for you.

- Make a stitched Valentine’s Card and send it to someone to tell them how much you care. You don’t have to sign it if you want to remain anonymous…

If anyone else has any ideas of how they like to celebrate Valentine’s Day, we’d love to hear them – you can email us at news@inspirationsstudios.com. We’re probably going to spend a bit of time curled up with our favourite magazine, a cup of tea to hand and our current project sitting in a basket next to us waiting for us to continue stitching. That is the definition of true love!

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

From the 1840s right up to the early twentieth century in Britain, children without parents were often housed in orphanages where they were taught skills they could use as they grew up. One of these orphanages, the George Muller Orphanage in Bristol, England, was known for teaching the girls how to do needlework, all ready for their entry into service.

The majority of pieces still in existence today show that the girls were instructed to stitch with red thread on white linen.

Most of the samplers that were produced at the orphanage were stitched in cross stitch, so Betsy has restricted this beautiful project to that one stitch.

Like the samplers, her project bag features an alphabet around the top. It is then decorated with other motifs that Betsy has taken from her study of Bristol samplers and included in her project for added authenticity.

Of course, like all of Betsy’s wonderful designs, the titular Bristol Bag from her book Willing Hands 2 is only one part of the whole project. It also includes, in complementary red and white, a pincushion, scissor fob, thread winder and a needlebook.

At around the time Betsy was designing the Bristol Bag, she was learning the art of English paper piecing.

Betsy wanted to include her newfound skills into her new project. She selected perfectly coordinated red and white fabrics and created a sawtooth patchwork band around the base of the bag worked using the English paper piecing technique.

Yet Betsy’s imagination and inventiveness went even further still! She also designed a delightful patchwork pincushion to include in the ensemble giving the stitcher the opportunity to incorporate additional patchwork skills into the mix.

Construction is as much a part of a Betsy Morgan project as the embroidery, and this project is no different. There are detailed instructions for each element in the back of the book, and you’ll simply delight at all the careful details she’s included.

We think it is safe to say that you can never have too many Betsy Morgan projects. For those worried about actually using the accessories after taking all the time and care to make them, the good news is Betsy designs her projects in a robust fashion to become a practical part of your stitching kit.

This means every time you sit down to stitch, open your Bristol Bag and take out a needle from the red and white needlebook, you get to enjoy this project all over again. And that’s just one of the many things that makes stitching a project like this so satisfying.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Bristol Bag Etui from the book Willing Hands 2 is a stunning red and white linen bag etui featuring a sampler alphabet, spot motifs and English paper piecing.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Bristol Bag Etui includes everything* you need to re-create this gorgeous etui and accessories: Fabrics (unprinted), interfacing, comic board, firm paper, wool felts, button, red sewing thread, beading thread, embroidery threads and needles.

Silken Dreams by Kris Richards from Inspirations issue #66 is a pattern for two elegant silk needlework bags perfect for carrying your needlework supplies.

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

Blackwork is a technique that is much loved and has been practiced for centuries. It is incredibly versatile and can be as simple or as complicated as you like. Although it requires careful counting, it is meditative in execution and wonderfully pleasing on the eye when complete. Here are a few delightfully varied blackwork projects for you to enjoy.

‘The only thing I couldn’t obtain was the couching thread for the leaf. But, in digging through my stash, I found a bit of Japanese silk metallic fabric and it worked out beautifully.’

You certainly picked a very popular project Bridget, it’s been one of our all- time favourites thanks to the exquisite design. Your version, with its bespoke materials, is absolutely fabulous, it really has been completed beautifully. Well done!

It is so wonderful to hear how long you have been teaching for, Carol. It is an amazing legacy you have created, and your pieces are so striking! We’re sure your students must love stitching them with you.

Well done for persevering Mary, the results speak for themselves. And kudos for your resourcefulness in sourcing and substituting all the materials you used. You now have a special one of a kind Limonera Pear you can cherish and be very proud of.

Do you like doing blackwork? Are you enamoured with the counting, loving the neat geometric stitches that result? Or do you prefer to be free with your stitches, avoiding the restrictions posed by holes in the fabric?

Whatever it is you like to stitch, we’d like to see it. 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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Alliums & Topiary by Jo Butcher features globes of purple allium flowers echoed in the neatly clipped sphere of a topiary ball.

Cow Parsley by Jo Butcher is a pretty field of wheat decorated with the delicate lace of white cow parsley flowers.

Seascape by Jo Butcher is stunning seaside scene where the water greets the sky surrounded by cow parsley, daisies and a scattering of tiny flowers.

Sweet Hydrangeas by Kris Richards from Inspirations issue #52 is a stylish linen handbag featuring pansies, white snowdrops and sprigs of delicate lavender surrounding a cluster of papery hydrangeas, stitched with French knots in myriad shades.

Lavender Delight by Marie Suarez from Inspirations issue #62 is a dainty embroidered sachet embellished with a lustrous satin stitch letter and French knot flowers.

The Four Seasons by Barbara Horn from Inspirations issue #31 is four tiny pictures portraying each season in French knots.

~ Will Durant ~

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.