You know the feeling when you’ve found that just right pattern, gathered all the requirements, seen them laid out together for the first time and can’t wait to lay that first stitch because you’re so excited at what the result will be?

Well, there’s a little of that going on at Inspirations Studios HQ at the moment!

Whilst the projects were commissioned almost eight months ago and have been trickling into the office for some time now, it’s only been just recently that we had the opportunity to see all of them laid out together. What a sight they were to behold!

Not only are the pieces themselves exquisite, but we’ve found the most magical place to photograph them. We’re beyond excited to immerse ourselves in the process before us and can’t wait for you to hold the book in your hands as we’re now starting to see just how it’s all going to come together.

As we’ll be travelling almost eight hours from Adelaide to the picturesque rural town of Daylesford in Victoria to photograph the book, we’ll be without our usual ‘hometown advantage’. We can't pop back to the office or call into our oh-so familiar places to gather props or equipment if we forget something, so our planning needs to be impeccable.

As a result, our first production meeting for A Passion for Needlework IV was a little more detailed than most. We spent more time than usual looking at each of the pieces that will be included the book, ensuring we were familiar with their colours, textures, techniques and subjects. We then placed each piece against the photos of the location we’ll be using, working out how best to utilize the space to showcase each project.

And now? We’re ‘laying the first stitches’ as we organise pieces to be framed, gather props, commission a local florist in Daylesford and count the days until we get to capture images both big and small that will begin to bring A Passion for Needlework IV to life.

But, like any project with needle and thread, these are but a few of the many stitches to be laid. Once the photography is complete, there’s writing, proofing, graphic design, printing, sourcing of supplies for the Ready-to-Stitch Kits, logistics, freight… and so much more!

We know it’s an incredible privilege to do what we do, and we can’t wait to introduce you to A Passion for Needlework IV later this year!

Our inbox was overflowing with emails this week, but there seemed to be three clear categories: threads, thanks and thoughts!

Starting with threads, we received more wonderful ideas from readers about thread substitutions. Kathy Coulter told us about her experience from when she worked in a needlework shop. If she was asked to create a new colour palette, she would pull all of the colours out – the original and the new ones – and lay them side by side.

First, she’d stand back to see if the new group ‘flowed’ like the original one did.

Then she’d take a photo, convert it to greyscale and check that nothing jumped out as different. This would ensure the darks and lights flowed seamlessly too.

Ann Frazier has been very busy substituting thread colours, and the magnificent results speak for themselves. She worked Jacobean Leaves by Anna Scott in pinks, blues and greens using stranded cotton, while the original design was in blues, yellow and greens in crewel wool.

Ann also completed Hazel Blomkamp’s Midnight Meander in purples and greys rather than the original black and grey. She even substituted iridescent purple beads in place of the black beads called for in the original design. Both of these amazing projects show how effective colour substitutions can be.

Thirdly, Gill Richards shared with us her very fortunate thread experience. Recently, a friend arrived at her door with four shoeboxes stuffed full of brown envelopes in hand.

They had been given to her friend to pass on to a stitcher, and Gill was the lucky choice. To her delight, Gill discovered that in each envelope was at least one full skein of stranded cotton, with some envelopes holding up to three! Gill was anticipating many happy stitching hours ahead, saying:

In terms of thanks, we received two emails thanking our community for the book recommendations that have come in recently. Barbara Wilson said thank you for the recommendation for The Coat Route by Meg Lukens Noonan. She said she learnt so much from it about the design and manufacture of fabrics.

Kathryn Molitor also asked for The Coat Route for Christmas and wanted to say thank you as it was a wonderful read that she didn’t ever want to finish. It seems this has been a very popular book amongst the readers of our community!

Finally, we had a couple of thoughtful emails arrive this week. Margrethe Randall agreed that each day we live is a gift, and that it needs to be valued. Margrethe was about to start some new crewel kits, when her chiropractor advised her that, due to her serious neck issues, she perhaps shouldn’t begin. The hours of neck bending that would be required could be catastrophic.

This news led Margrethe to remember a conversation she had had with a very nice sales lady about stitching. She packed up all her kits, books and knitting supplies, and mailed them to the lady. The lucky recipient was so excited to start to learn new skills, facilitated by Margrethe’s generosity. Margrethe left us with a thought, saying:

Emma Baumann thanked us for reminding everyone that we need to hold tight to those we love, not sweat the small stuff, and remain aware that life as we know it can change in an instant. She says:

‘Be present: turn off all devices and immerse yourself in an experience.
Use presents: don’t put things away for a special day as every day is special.
Give your full presence: be entirely with someone when you are together. No distractions.’

Emma then shared three experiences that exemplified these gentle rules.

She had been to the theatre and sat beside someone with a ‘smart watch’ that constantly beeped and illuminated throughout the performance. It was distracting to Emma, and she was sure the wearer must have missed much of the show due to the constant interruptions.

Emma also recently had to pack up the study of a relative who had gone into dementia care. She found so many lovely things that had been given to the relative as gifts, all tucked away in their original wrappings. They had never been used. Although they were passed on to extended family, the original recipient never gained the pleasure out of them.

Lastly, Emma was out for dinner with her husband and they watched another couple, one of whom spent the entire time, from ordering to eating, on the phone. Emma wondered how the other person could sit there while their partner refused to give them any attention.

Emma’s email helped us to reflect on our own behaviour, reminded us that moments do matter and encouraged us to consider presents and presence far more carefully.

What is it that makes strawberries such a popular subject in needlework? Is it the rich red colour of these delicious berries? Is it their satisfying shape; the beautiful blossoms that appear on the plant; or the way they grow, shining out in scarlet glory between the deep green of the leaves?

Since medieval times, strawberries have appeared in needlework in various forms. Especially during Elizabethan times, the motif of the strawberry was common. The strawberry has held various meanings throughout the centuries, representing love and sensuality, fertility and abundance and even temptation and lust.

Although strawberries can actually grow in colours as diverse as yellow, blue, black, white and purple, the red strawberry is the best known and the one which appears most commonly in needlework projects of all types.

Margaret Light’s Woodland Strawberries from Inspirations issue #113 is a project that follows on from this long tradition of strawberries in needlework. This practical and handy bag is adorned with a design worked in traditional crewel embroidery. The project features a number of stylised plants in Jacobean style, with the shining strawberry plant sitting proud on one of the hillocks.

Margaret is famous for her intricate crewel work. She is constantly experimenting with different colours and stitches, and this project is a wonderful one to start out with if you love Margaret’s style.

The detail comes from the fact that Margaret won’t simply settle on one or two types of stitches. She gains so much pleasure from including different stitches in her designs, allowing the stitcher to experiment and learn from every one of her projects. The result is a piece so packed with detail you can spend ages exploring it with your eyes, delighting at the minute intricacies as much as the overall effect.

One of the things that makes Woodland Strawberries so special is that it is finished as a tote bag.

You can proudly carry your completed Woodland Strawberries with you when you next go shopping or meet with your stitching friends, so everyone can see your work and admire the stitching.

Margaret Light has always been one of our most popular designers, and projects like Woodland Strawberries help to explain why. It is the perfect combination of traditional embroidery in its choice of style and motifs, and modern styling in the range of stitches, colour palette and practical finish. This is definitely a project for everyone and is guaranteed to become a favourite amongst stitchers of every kind.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Woodland Strawberries by Margaret Light is a beautiful linen shoulder bag with crewel-embroidered luscious strawberries and flowers in full bloom.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Woodland Strawberries includes everything* you need to re-create this beautiful shoulder bag: Fabric (unprinted), fusible wadding and interfacing, sewing thread, embroidery threads and needles.

Sweet Strawberry by Victoria Laine from The Design Collective | Pincushions is a pincushion with a colourful strawberry motif and background in counted thread embroidery with metal thread highlights.

Morris Magic by Brenda Sortwell from A Passion for Needlework 3 | Blakiston Creamery is a splendid crewel embroidery of thrushes with strawberries, inspired by an iconic William Morris design.

Everyone loves a timeless, elegant pincushion on a beautifully tooled wooden base. What’s better is a hand embroidered pincushion, stitched using stumpwork, surface embroidery or any other technique, artfully displayed on that base.

Sudberry pincushion bases are made from fine wood, turned and polished so they are flawlessly smooth. In the centre is a piece of foam cut exactly to size, all ready for you to mount your finished embroidery. Whether you stitch a design by Alison Cole or Lorna Bateman, or you design and stitch your own project, the Sudberry pincushion base is the perfect way to finish off your piece.

The 3 ¾” (approx. 9.5cm) round design sits on a light wooden base with smooth edges.

The 3 ½” (approx. 9cm) round design has a generous wooden tray all the way around to hold buttons, trinkets or tools so that everything is to hand when you sit down to stitch.

We have these in stock now, so why not buy several for all of those wonderful pincushion projects you’re itching to stitch.

Jo Butcher’s exquisite new book, Where Meadows & Gardens Grow has proved to be so popular, copies have been flying out the door ever since we launched it.

This book is filled with 12 exquisite projects that are a sheer joy to stitch. Each of Jo’s miniature landscapes combine different stitches on a printed or painted background to produce a picture simple in execution but packed with perspective and texture. Jo’s careful instructions are wonderful, making you feel as if she’s sitting right next to you, guiding you as you stitch.

Grab your copy of Where Meadows & Gardens Grow today and see what everyone is talking about. This is one of those books you simply have to own.

Are you wondering what to stitch next? We know what it is like - you can be surrounded by patterns but you still want that special one that will catch your attention right now. The latest digital patterns from Inspirations issue #53 might be exactly what you are after.

Fleur de Lys by Marie Yolande is a pattern for an elegant white blouse designed in the tradition of French couture style. It is beautifully constructed and embroidered with exquisite taste, ensuring that this will be a timeless wardrobe item that you’ll wear again and again.

Spring Sonnet by Prue Carvell is a lovely cashmere blanket decorated with a wreath of embroidered roses, berries and flowers that simply bursts with colour and texture.

If you’re after a blanket to make as a gift for a child, you need look no further than My Little Dinosaur by Jan Waugh. Featuring two gorgeous felt dinosaurs watching over their newly hatched baby, this is guaranteed to become a favourite for any child, boy or girl.

Finally, if you’d like to try a new technique, Rainbow Dreams by Susan O’Connor introduces you to the art of felting. Giving you all the instructions you need to knit the base bag, and then felt it and construct it into a colourful and unique handbag, this pattern is the perfect introduction to this interesting technique.

We’re sure that these patterns will get the creative juices flowing, so you can purchase and download them all today. While you’re there, you can peruse our extensive library of digital patterns to get the next projects lined up as well!

When Helen Comport’s son was injured in the line of duty in Afghanistan in 2010, he was taken to hospital in Germany. Helen, back in Australia, was unable to get to him and agonised over her inability to provide comfort.

So touched was she by the gesture, and so comforted by the quilt was her son, that Helen decided to set up a similar organisation in Australia. Quilts of Valour Australia was born, and since then it has carefully made and presented over 3000 quilts to veterans and their families as a way to thank them for their service or acknowledge their losses.

Thankfully, Helen’s son recovered and has had many joys in his life since 2010, but Helen continues this important work. She sees it as a way she can help others in the same way a kind and thoughtful group helped her and her son in their time of greatest need.

If you would like to find out more about Quilts of Valour, including how you can help, you can visit their website HERE. There are also similar organisations in the USA and Canada.

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

The Rosehip Needlecase by Margaret Light from her book, A Fine Tradition, appears to be a beautiful example of Jacobean style crewel embroidery.

However, a careful examination of the design will reveal that there are subtle differences between it and traditional Jacobean motifs.

During the trip, Margaret was fortunate enough to visit many different parts of the country. She was able to learn and stitch with some of the embroidery cooperatives in India that were set up specifically to preserve traditional embroidery techniques.

Margaret also visited a number of block printing workshops around Bhuj and Jaipur where fabrics were printed and dyed using the same kind of patterns and methods that had been used centuries before.

It was after seeing these patterns that Margaret was inspired to create the Rosehip Needlecase. Although it might appear to be Jacobean, the main design is directly derived from typical Indian block print shapes. The inclusion of the rosehip was something Margaret added for good measure, bringing in a motif she’d discovered in New Zealand. The result is something wonderfully unique in the way that Margaret does best.

The Rosehip Needlecase is decorated front and back with intricate floral shapes and a wide range of stitches. Stitched on sturdy linen twill, this project is designed to be robust, so can be used with confidence once it is complete.

Inside the needlecase are plenty of pockets for needle packets, exquisitely embroidered with a flowing, rosehip design. There are also generously sized wool flannel pages so that all your loose needles will be stored safely.

Every little detail has been considered in terms of colour, texture and stitch. This project is sheer stitching pleasure from beginning to end, and best of all, you can relive that pleasure every time you take out a needle.

Rosehip Needlecase is the perfect project to make as a very special gift, or it is ideal if you want to make something just for yourself.

Knowing Margaret’s inspiration just adds to the beauty of this project and will ensure that it will become one you’ll love to use almost as much as you loved to stitch.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Rosehip Needlecase by Margaret Light is a timeless case with needle pages and pockets, featuring floral designs inspired by Indian block prints.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Rosehip Needlecase includes everything* you need to re-create this stunning case: Fabrics (unprinted), batting, interfacing, buttons, sewing threads, embroidery threads and needles.

Gentle Thoughts by Carolyn Pearce from Inspirations issue #66 is a delightful pansy needlecase, stitched onto wool and cashmere velour with a multitude of silk, wool, cotton, rayon and metallic threads.

Woodland Berries by Barbara Jackson from Inspirations issue #67 is a charming crewel needlecase and strawberry shaped pincushion with stems of ripe red berries, creamy blossoms and fresh green leaves twining across the surface.

Stumpwork is a fascinating style of embroidery, allowing the stitcher to create raised elements in what would normally be a two-dimensional picture. However, stumpwork also includes pieces that are three-dimensional in every respect, and these projects really can be breathtaking. Here are a few that show just how incredible three-dimensional embroidery and stumpwork can be:

Nina, this is truly a work of art. You’ve created such exquisite, tiny details in this piece that you have taken our collective breath away. Congratulations on an amazing finish.

What a gorgeous project, Pauline. We’re sure your granddaughter is going to love it, and the tooth fairy is bound to be extra generous when she sees this stunning little garden.

‘I love how the little orchid hoods fit on the top of my little finger. They’re just so tiny. Now to plan for the next pincushion. The difficult thing is to decide which one!’

This is a beautiful finish, Jan – Alison will be thrilled when she sees how accomplished you are at recreating her design. We’re glad you are enjoying the book and getting such pleasure out of doing the projects and look forward to seeing what you create next.

This was one of Julie’s most popular designs, Jennifer. We’re so glad you loved doing it and that you have found your passion in stumpwork.

Do you love creating three dimensional objects using your needle and thread? Do you gain pleasure from working the tiny details or figuring out how to make an element look realistic? Or do you prefer to work in two dimensions? Are you a needlework sculptor, or a needlework painter?

Whichever of the two you are, we would like to see your work. Send us a picture of your finished projects with a bit of information about them and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com

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These gorgeous 100% fine linens are ideal for counted cross stitch, whitework, hardanger and counted embroidery, or just a beautiful fabric for surface embroidery.

Wildflowers by Di van Niekerk is a pretty posy worked with hand-painted silk ribbon for a contemporary display.

Angel’s Breath by Taetia McEwen from Inspirations issue #111 is a lampshade and wreath featuring pretty ribbon and velvet flowers.

Home Sweet Home Beehive by Anne Davies from Inspirations issue #91 is a handy pincushion box inspired by basket beehives adorned with silk ribbon blooms.

Les Jardins by Lorna Bateman from Inspirations issue #78 is a glorious floral wreath in silk ribbon.

Garden Party by Helen Eriksson from Inspirations issue #70 is a whole garden of beautiful silk ribbon blooms showcased in a floral sampler.