Since creating a scrapbook of our own in last week’s All Stitched Up!, we’ve spent the last week Day Stacking ourselves through the final ‘Scrapbook Chronicle’ emails we’d accumulated from Hiut Denim Co.

After pointing us in the direction of Julie Beeler’s Mushroom Colour Atlas, Huit Denim Co once again introduced us to another fabulous way to explore colour. Coolors is an ingenious website that allows you to generate the perfect colour palette for any project. Sounds like just the thing our needle and thread would benefit from!

Whilst there’s multiple ways the website can be used – some of which might take a little time to get the hang of – we found ‘Trending Colour Palettes’ was the perfect starting place to be inspired by myriad colour schemes.

‘Be present’ is a phrase that’s become synonymous with living well, with its goal that we perform routine activities with a heightened sense of attention. However, Scientific American published an article that challenges this idea believing that ‘Sometimes Mindlessness is Better Than Mindfulness’. Captivated by the title of the article, we read on.

Whilst they acknowledged that mindfulness has its merits in certain applications, such as when learning a new task, ‘psychological research has also revealed that in some circumstances it’s important to be mindless.’ They quoted activities such as riding a bike, chopping vegetables and brushing our teeth as instances where, once ‘perfected’, we’re able to perform such tasks without attention being necessary.

They went on to conclude that sometimes when we pay too much attention to the mechanics of the task at hand it can have damaging effects as we ‘choke under pressure’ rather than letting the automaticity of the task take over.

We think there are certain stitches that could also be added to their list of ‘mindless’ activities. It might just be us, but we know there are times that when we focus too carefully on the stitch we’re about to lay, our grip on the needle tightens and try as we might, we just can’t get our hands to lay the thread as required! There are also those times though when we find our minds have wandered from the stitching before us, only to realise we’ve laid stitch after perfect stitch. Mindless stitching might just be a new ‘technique’ we need to add to our stitching repertoire a little more often!

That brings us to the end of our Huit Denim Co Scrapbook… well for now anyway, as no doubt a future Scrapbook Chronicle will spark a thread of inspiration in the not-too-distant future.

It’s already the end of February and while New Year seems like a distant memory, the excitement that arises from new beginnings and new projects can be experienced at any time. It doesn’t just have to be in early January! Several people wrote to us about what New Year means for them and how they intend to move forward as 2022 matures.

Inspired by our opening editorial ‘Start Line’ in All Stitched Up! issue #314, Lucy Byford shared her experience of using ‘stashed’ threads. She found a chart in a charity shop and, using a leftover piece of Aida fabric, she carefully substituted the Anchor threads listed for DMC threads from her stash. This is her completed project, which shows just what can be achieved with what you already have.

Beverly Atkins is facing a very different year this year. She wrote as she was waiting for a doctor’s appointment which she felt would probably change her life. However, inspired by our newsletter and feeling circumspect due to the news she expected to receive, she has decided to simplify her life.

She has enough yarn and fabric to last a long time, which she’s going to use only on projects she gains joy from, not those that are a chore. Beverly said she’s thankful for the opportunity to really think about what she wants out of 2022. It can take great change for us to really take stock of what we are doing.

Helen Johnstone shared with us her aspirations for 2022. Like many of us, Helen is a magpie when it comes to materials, threads, patterns and kits, so she has set herself a goal of trying to use more of what she has rather than adding to her stash. It is an admirable goal and one many of us want to put in place. However, as Helen said, once the latest issue of Inspirations magazine slipped through the letterbox… well, she had to rethink slightly!

Mrunalini Nimbalkar wrote that, despite the challenges 2022 are already posing with the continuation of the pandemic, embroidery remains a constant for her. She has eight projects to finish as gifts that none of the lucky recipients know about yet. Mrunalini is very excited about them and is already anticipating the reactions. There are also unfinished projects from 2021 to see to, and new challenges to try from some of the books she purchased last year.

Also in All Stitched Up! issue #314 we started a series on converting threads in response to several requests we had received from readers around the world. Renowned designer Trish Burr generously pointed us to a number of thread conversion charts that she has on her website.

There are charts for DMC, Anchor and Cosmo thread among others, all of which were produced specially for Trish by Kristina Toth. Trish said they took many months to compile, are highly accurate and are free for all readers to use.

Finally, back in All Stitched Up! issue #313 we asked about uses for vintage crochet and doilies. Theresa Forsman is another person who loves vintage embroidery as she says it is a storehouse of women’s history and creativity. Sometimes she salvages the embroidery or crochet from linen that is stained or torn, upcycling it into new artwork. You can see from the images of Theresa’s work how effective it is.

Terry Mullen also reuses vintage pieces. This is an ornament that she made from a piece of crochet she had inherited from a friend. She stitched it onto a piece of green velvet, added real pearls from some broken jewellery, then padded the board with satin taken from the lining of an old coat. What a wonderful use of old materials!

Whether you’re repurposing vintage embroidery, reusing items in your stash or rethinking your year ahead, we would love you to tell us about it.

And if anyone has ideas for articles they would like to see, let us know that too! Our job is to bring needlework happiness and inspiration to your inbox each week, so we never get tired of hearing from you all.

In years past, fine china was essential in every respectable household. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, manufacturers of porcelain began to appear in England, buoyed by the newly discovered knowledge of china production that had been imported from the country of the same name.

We are still familiar with the names of some of those producers almost 300 years later - a testament to the lasting quality of the items they produced. Wedgewood is one of the most famous.

Wedgewood started out making fine earthenware, only moving into porcelain as the company grew in size. One particular style they were known for was ‘Jasperware’ – settings in distinct colour ranges, the most popular being white and a pale blue.

Even if Wedgewood settings aren’t used in every household today, the crisp colour combination is familiar to most. It is fresh and it is one of the things that inspired Christine P. Bishop’s latest reticella project from Inspirations issue #113, entitled ‘Wedgewood’ in homage to the Jasperware of old.

Wedgewood is a gorgeous stitching set comprising a drawstring bag with a matching pincushion and scissor fob. Stitched on stunning pale blue linen, the lacy reticella is worked in snow white thread to provide a fabulous contrast. The project was a rare one that Christine designed primarily for herself. The blue and white combination was one of her favourites, so it made sense for her to create a personal project in those colours. Luckily, she didn’t keep it entirely to herself, which means you can enjoy stitching it too.

In order to achieve perfect results, it is important that you do all of the tacking to start with. This particular design asks you to work the reticella in a square rather than a traditional line.

With careful tacking and accurate working of the four-sided stitch, you can be confident that when you lift your scissors to start cutting the linen threads, you are going to be cutting just right.

Christine gives detailed instructions on where and how much to cut, as well as how to do the needleweaving successfully. Tension is a huge consideration for reticella. Too tight and it will buckle, but too loose and the shapes won’t hold. Fortunately, Christine is a master at this technique and the guidance she offers is impeccable. Follow her step-by-step instructions and you will soon succeed in creating this truly wonderful project.

Although reticella was originally a whitework technique, with white thread on a white background being the regular combination, by adding the blue of the Permin linen, Wedgewood becomes something really special.

Whether you’ve done reticella before, or if this is the first time, you’ll soon love the technique and will produce a stitching accessory set that will become as much a treasured item to you as it is to Christine herself.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Wedgewood by Christine P. Bishop is a stunning set of blue linen stitching accessories featuring exquisite reticella embroidery.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Wedgewood includes everything* you need to re-create this beautiful set of accessories: Fabric (unprinted), fibre-fill, curtain weight, embroidery threads and needles.

Buon Natale by Di Kirchner from Inspirations issue #112 is a beautiful reticella tree ornament worked in white and silver with a cord loop and beaded tassel.

Reticella Sampler by Christine P. Bishop from the book A Passion for Needlework | Factoria VII is an Italian cutwork needlelace design from the 14th and 15th centuries.

What is the perfect accompaniment to your All Stitched Up! newsletter, Inspirations magazine or favourite stitching project? That’s right! A lovely cup of coffee or tea! And what could be better than enjoying your cuppa in an elegant mug designed by none other than Kaffe Fassett?

These mugs feature a blue lotus flower and are handmade in England by Burleigh Pottery. They are a sturdy shape with a comfortable handle so you can safely sip your cuppa without spills or accidents. Kaffe Fassett, well known for his knitting, needlepoint and textile designs, has created this design exclusively for Burleigh Pottery, so you’ll be enjoying your tea from a one-of-a-kind ceramic mug.

We’ve only got limited stock, so be sure to order yours today.

Who said gifts were only for Christmas? What about Valentine’s Day, birthdays and anniversaries? Or why not send a gift just to say, ‘thank you for being my friend’, ‘I hope you’re doing OK’ or ‘Just because…’

Because there are countless reasons to send a gift, or even to buy one for yourself, we have a range of gift packs available. The Sew Many Stitches Gift Pack is the perfect treat for a beloved friend or family member, or just because sometimes you need to treat yourself.

Included in this pack is:

1 x Button Bouquets Ready-To-Stitch Kit
1 x Button Bouquets Printed Pattern
1 x Summer Blooms Ready-To-Stitch Kit
1 x Inspirations magazine issue #110
1 x Inspirations Needleguide Card – Flowers of Panicale
1 x Nurge Hoop – Size 3
1 x Nurge Hoop – Size 4
1 x Au Ver à Soie Discovery Pack – Spring
1 x Bohin Needlebook (assorted design)

That is a whole lot of stitchy goodness at an incredible price. Don’t leave gifts for special occasions. The truth is, every day is special!

March is the month to start something big. It’s the month to take the plunge and get started on that dream project, the one you’ve been wanting to begin for ages but have always put to one side.

Hazel Blomkamp’s Winter Sunset is just that project. It features as the project in our calendar for the month of March and, for the very first time, is also now available as a digital pattern.

All of Hazel’s projects introduce you to a huge range of stitches and are filled with exquisite detail. This one is no different. This square footstool first appeared in A Passion for Needlework 2 | Factoria VII and is worked in a beautiful pastel palette using a variety of beads, threads and stitches.

With Winter Sunset, you’ll master weaving, threadpainting and various types of composite stitching as you work the beautiful Jacobean style design. You may not want to put your feet on it afterwards, but the completed project is sure to take pride of place in your home.

According to the statistics on our screen use here at the Inspirations newsletter office, we probably spent more time looking for stitching inspiration online in February than we ought to have. But there are just so many incredible artists out there, sometimes it makes it really difficult to put our screens down!

Below are some of the fabulous social media accounts we’ve found to share with you but be warned… you too may find yourself exceeding your screentime budget, so proceed with caution!

@amydaviescreate: Just look at the stunning beaded creations that Amy Davies from Manchester, UK produces. They’ll take your breath away.

@birchwoodfineart: Amber & Debbie Johnson are exquisitely talented artists. Their needle felted creations are just the start.

@magtuite: We just weren’t sure what to highlight from Maggie Tuite’s collection. Her collages, dolls and unique textiles are all fantastic, filled with colour and creativity.

@annierayart: Annie Raymond uses myriad colours of felt to create her collage pictures, with a particular focus on insects and nature.

We’re just scratching the surface of talent out there. If you ever come across an artist you’d like us to include in this segment, write in and tell us! And next month, we’ll try hard to get that screen time counter down a little…

In the meantime you can also follow Inspirations on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest where you’ll discover fantastic needlework every day from all over the web.

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

Blackwork is a counted embroidery technique that has been practiced since Tudor times. It was traditionally worked with black thread on white fabric and included intricate patterns and motifs. Blackwork can be stitched in several ways.

For items that do not need to be reversible, back stitch is a perfectly legitimate way to stitch it. However, it was often used on clothing, which meant both the front and the back of the stitching could be seen. In this situation, a different stitch was required.

Reversible blackwork is worked in double running stitch or Holbein stitch. This is a method of stitching that allows the back of the work to look almost exactly the same as the front. The term ‘Holbein stitch’ came from the painting of Jane Seymour by Hans Holbein. In this portrait, Jane’s two cuffs on her jacket are stitched in blackwork, but on her left wrist, you can see the outside of the stitching and on her right, you can see the inside.

She loves the process of determining how to create the motif, using running stitch up one way and back the other, resulting in perfect mirroring of both sides of the stitching.

When Betsy was designing the Holbein Hexagon Etui as featured in her latest book Willing Hands 2, she knew it was going to be one of her final designs before retiring from teaching. She wanted to use her favourite stitch, as well as create an etui in an interesting shape inspired by an antique container she saw at the Pioneer Memorial Museum in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Although this design can be worked using backstitch as the back of the stitching won’t be visible once the etui is made up, Betsy really encourages stitchers to try Holbein stitch.

But Betsy would also like everyone to share in the pleasure of the puzzle that comes from seeing if you can achieve a fully reversible design.

Like most of Betsy’s projects, this one is beautifully coloured, with a dusty blue silk setting off the finished piece, and the motifs worked in a range of colours.

The tiny accessories that fit inside the main etui include a scissor sheath, fob and needlebook and the whole ensemble is held together with ribbon and studded with little stitched details throughout.

The pleasure of the stitching journey should be just as great as the satisfaction in the finished piece. By seeing if you are able to complete the Holbein Hexagon Etui with the stitch Betsy suggests, you are ensuring that the journey is filled with problem solving, fun and an intense sense of achievement once it is complete.

Whether you want to stitch this project because you love how it looks, or because you want to join in with the celebration of Betsy’s amazing teaching career culminating in this outstanding etui, you’ll come out of the process with more skills and more confidence in your stitching than you’ve ever had before.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Holbein Hexagon Etui by Betsy Morgan is a hexagon box with silk pincushion lid showcasing Betsy’s favourite stitching technique with Tudor-inspired motifs.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Holbein Hexagon Etui includes everything* you need to re-create this enchanting etui: Fabrics (unprinted), interfacings, interlining, comic board, wool felt, beading thread, sewing thread, embroidery threads, ribbon and needles.

Sweet Treats by Betsy Morgan from Inspirations issue #92 are cute little pincushions showcasing a variety of counted thread designs.

Bargello & Blackwork by Betsy Morgan from the book The Design Collective | Pincushions is an open box and scissor fob with elegant panels of counted thread and a velvet pincushion.

Perhaps it was because of our recent article on smocking in All Stitched Up! issue #312 or maybe it’s just because smocking is always a favourite among many, either way we’ve got some gorgeous smocked projects to share with you this week.

‘I even made her doll a matching outfit with a bonnet and bloomers.’

What a beautiful dress and including a special outfit for your granddaughter’s doll was a delightful touch, Cynthia. We’re sure she’ll be a very happy girl!

Indeed it did, Eugenia. The colours are perfect and your smocking is just lovely. Your granddaughters are very lucky to have such a talented grandmother as you.

This is a very popular pattern, Trang. The colours on the crisp white of the dress are so striking. We’re glad you enjoyed stitching it.

Do you love smocking? Do you constantly buy fabric, planning the next smocked dress even though you don’t have anyone particular in mind to make it for? Do you spend hours looking through the Index of the Australian Smocking & Embroidery magazine, trying to decide which project to make next?

Whether your love is smocking, embroidery or any other form of needlework, we’d love to see it. Send us a picture of your work with some information about the project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com

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Squarely Check by Christine Burton is an elegant pincushion with timeless flower and star motifs.

Spanish Lace by Christine Burton from Inspirations issue #105 is a gorgeous blackwork embroidered cushion with golden highlights.

Aurora by Christine Burton from Inspirations issue #97 features timeless crewel designs on a handy, zipped pouch.

Celeste Fig by Christine Burton from the book The Design Collective | Pincushions is a three-dimensional fig with beaded blackwork designs creating texture and shading.

Limonera Pear by Christine Burton from the book A Passion for Needlework | Blakiston Creamery is an inventive three-dimensional pear pincushion featuring contemporary blackwork.

~ Vincent van Gogh ~

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