Having written about the power of 15 Minutes in ASU#193 and ASU #291, and explored the Pomodoro Technique in ASU #302, which harnesses the power of 20 minutes, how could we not be intrigued when we came across an article that unpacks the idea of a 2-Minute Rule?!

We first introduced you to James Clear’s work in ASU #327 when we delved into the difference between motion and action. Well, it turns out his two-minute rule may just be the perfect way to move from planning and strategizing to delivering an actual outcome!

James believes that almost any habit can be broken down into a ‘Gateway Habit’, a scaled down, two-minute version. For instance, ‘fold the laundry’ becomes ‘fold one pair of socks’ and ‘read before bed’ becomes ‘read one page’.

The idea is to make a habit as easy as possible to start as the gateway habit you establish will naturally lead you down a more productive path. So, instead of trying to engineer a perfect habit, it’s more important to do something on a consistent basis.

The idea is that the first two minutes becomes a ritual at the beginning of a larger routine, as once you ritualise the beginning of a process, you are then more likely to slip into a state of deep focus that is required to do amazing things. Once a habit has been established, then it can be improved.

Perhaps then, when our work with needle and thread feels more like an ‘opportunity for growth’ rather than an ‘opportunity for pleasure’, our gateway habit is simply to thread our needle, lay a stitch or two, then stop?

If we can do these simple steps on a consistent basis, James believes that they will make it easier for us to get into the sometimes-hard work of creating.

Do you have a gateway habit with needle and thread? Something simple that once you’ve completed it, makes laying the following stitches seem so much easier?

We’d love you to email us and let us know about it because, if we’re honest, when faced with ‘an opportunity for growth’ sometimes we need all the help we can muster to get started so we can stay started!

Last week we talked about some of the more traditional methods for transferring needlework designs onto fabric. As all stitchers would know, this particular problem is something we all grapple with, and no one solution works for every project. Different fabrics require very different treatments. Moreover, the same method may not suit everyone. Fortunately, we’re lucky enough to live at a time where solutions abound, so you have more chance of finding just the right one.

Iron-on Transfers and Pens

Iron-on transfers have been produced for many decades and although the quality has improved over the years, the theory behind the transfers has remained the same. An iron-on transfer is a paper pattern created using ink that transfers from paper to fabric under heat.

To transfer the pattern, lay it flat onto your fabric with the transfer ink-side down. It is best to secure the transfer as you want to avoid it moving during the ironing process. If it moves, you may end up with a blurred line as opposed to a nice, crisp design. Most transfers will safely allow you to apply the iron directly to the paper, but you must place the iron down and apply firm pressure without moving the iron back and forth.

Naturally, unless your design is symmetrical, it will transfer as a mirror-image although most transfers allow for this. Also, although most transfers allow for multiple uses, the ink does run out over time so the number of uses is by no means infinite.

Nowadays, it is also possible to buy iron-on transfer pens that allow you to create your own transfer sheet from a regular pattern sheet. You just draw your design on to paper as you would with any other pen, but you can then iron it on like a pre-printed transfer. Just be mindful of the fact the image will be reversed. You don’t want to iron it on beautifully only to discover your design has come out backwards!

Dressmaker’s Carbon

Another transfer method that has been around for a while is dressmaker’s carbon. You can buy sheets of dressmaker’s carbon at most fabric stores or haberdasheries, and they usually come in a range of pastel colours as well as white.

To use dressmaker’s carbon, you place it chalk side down on your fabric, secure it, then place your design over the top. Make sure that the surface under the fabric is hard and smooth. Using a stylus (a ball-point pen casing with the pen taken out is ideal) you trace over your design. You do need to press firmly and be careful not to move the paper or the design as you are working.

Because of the light colour of the carbon paper, this method is an ideal way of transferring a design onto very dark fabric. It doesn’t work for all fabrics though, and the nature of the carbon means that it does rub off relatively easily, so it is a good choice for simpler designs that you are going to stitch immediately.

Solvy or other Water-soluble Fabric

Solvy, which is one particular brand of dissolving fabric, has been a game changer for a lot of needleworkers. It allows you to easily draw a design on to it, tack it to your backing fabric, then stitch through it. Once you’ve completed your work, you simply wash the dissolving fabric away and voila!

Dissolving fabric comes in different types. There are ones that feel like plastic and ones that are more like fabric. All of them work in a similar way, so it is personal preference which one you find easier to stitch on. You need a fine, permanent marker to trace your design onto the dissolvable fabric. Because of the nature of the fabric, they are at least semi-transparent so it is very easy to place it over your design and trace it from there.

Once you’ve finished tracing, you tack the design on to your backing fabric. Some people cut away the excess dissolvable fabric beyond the tacking, others prefer to keep the piece large so it fits into the hoop. Either way, you simply stitch through both layers of fabric.

Once you’ve completed your stitching, you cut away as much of the dissolvable fabric as you can before washing your project. When the fabric dissolves, it becomes like a light glue that can take several washings to remove completely so it is better to cut away as much as possible. You’ll know it has gone when all you can feel is the softness of your ground fabric without any residual glue-like stiffness when it has dried.

Although this is a fantastic solution to transferring designs, it won’t work for fabrics or projects that you can’t wash afterwards. Also, beware if you are out in the rain!

Pre-Printed Designs

One of the easiest, accurate and most convenient ways to transfer a design onto fabric is to not do it at all… and purchase it pre-printed! With printing technology moving ahead in leaps and bounds, designers are finding it easier to have their fabric pre-printed before it is included in a kit. This means that you simply open your kit and get stitching without having to worry about lightboxes, pounce, dissolvable fabric or special pens.

Even our kit team here at Inspirations Studios is joining the movement. Look out for a few pre-printed fabrics in some of our kits in the months to come, as we know that transferring designs is not always the favourite part of stitching for many of our loyal community.

These are just a few different methods for transferring needlework designs onto fabric, however this is not an exhaustive list. If you have any tips, ideas or alternative methods, or if there are ways of transferring designs that you have learnt, especially for more difficult fabrics or complex designs, we’d love to hear from you. We’re sure this is a topic close to many of your hearts, so let’s keep the conversation going.

As the Covid-19 restrictions continue to lift around the world, many of us have had the joy of returning to our stitching groups and guilds to catch up at last with all our stitching friends.

As we move from one stitch and chat to another, there are a whole lot of essential needlework items we need to have with us as we go. This requires solutions for carrying all our tools, which we’re pleased to say we now have available on our website!

They are beautifully spacious with a lid that zips securely so nothing will fall out. They are large enough to fit all your threads, tools and patterns, but not so large that they become cumbersome. And best of all, they are available in two stunning colours featuring the designs of iconic Australian textile designer, Florence Broadhurst.

Whether you choose the pink or the blue colourway, your carry case will be ideal for taking with you on your stitching travels.

It doesn’t matter if you’re travelling across the country to a conference, across town to your guild or just across the road to your neighbourhood stitching circle, all your tools and materials will be safely with you, tucked away in your Florence Broadhurst Carry Case.

For all the Home Sweet Home Workbox fans out there, we wanted to let you know we have re-stocked some of the elements you need to complete Carolyn Pearce’s incredibly popular cottage etui.

This project has been at the top of the needlework charts since it was first published well over 10 years ago and continues to be stitched – and loved – to this day.

We have the laser cut card, measured precisely to ensure that construction of the project and all its elements fits together perfectly.

We also have packs of flower beads and the fabrics required for both the lining of the project and the cottage roof.

Click below to browse our range of Home Sweet Home supplies and check back regularly as we look to bring you more of the requirements used to create this amazing project.

The Inspirations Studios digital pattern library continues to grow every week, bringing you more must-do projects from past issues of Inspirations and Australian Smocking & Embroidery magazines.

This week, from Inspirations issue #38 you can revisit Cherub by Julie Graue, an adorable little embroidered dress festooned with bullion roses and flowers. It also includes a matching cardigan to ensure that the wearer will be as pretty as a picture in all weathers.

Also from issue #38 is Sports Day by Jenny McWhinney, a pattern for two cushions ideal for the sports lover. Featuring two characters, one playing basketball and the other playing baseball, this project would make an ideal gift for the more active people in your life.

Our final projects from issue #38 is White Daffodil, a stunningly lacy design worked in Carrickmacross, which features appliqué combined with embroidery for a light-as-air finish.

Also this week we bring you Golden Slumbers by Kris Richards from Inspirations issue #39. This is a stunning, waffle-weave dressing gown elegantly stitched with bullion roses and surface embroidery. Although it would make a luxurious gift, it is also the kind of project you can spoil yourself with.

All of these digital patterns are now available on the Inspirations website to purchase and download immediately.

Most of us remember the madcap silliness of cartoons, whatever age we are. The slapstick humour would bring fits of giggles to children across the ages, but Peter Frederiksen, machine embroidery artist, sees another side to his favourite cartoon moments.

Peter focuses on one moment in a cartoon and identifies the more poignant message that can be seen there. He captures these scenes, isolating them from their surroundings and infusing them with, at times, a disconcerting atmosphere.

Peter enjoys creating tension in a scene, and hopes to address feelings of anxiety and uncertainty in these striking works of art.

You can read more about Peter and his work HERE and HERE. You can also follow him on Instagram.

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

It is wonderful when we discover a fantastic new needlework artist who becomes a contributor to Inspirations magazine.

Melissa Horton is our newest contributor and her fantastic project, Bush Beauties from Inspirations issue #114 really is something special.

Melissa has brought together a wide array of different materials in the creation of these two fascinating pieces of hoop art. Rather than just using stranded cotton or a single stitch technique, she has combined threads, sequins and beads with a dizzying array of stitches to form her spectacular studies of two iconic Australian birds.

The superb lyrebird displays its elegant tail, worked in sparkling sequins, beads and several different kinds of stitches. The body is made up of a patchwork of different textures and colours, all of which come together to form an uncannily realistic study of this beautiful bird.

The Major Mitchell’s cockatoo is also worked using a wonderful selection of stitches and textures.

While the piece is stitched in a similar way to crazy patchwork, the result is both coherent and beautifully realistic, all the way down to the intelligent eye created with a distinctive dark coloured sequin. The stunning crest is highlighted in reds, yellows and oranges, with each protruding feather formed out of a different type of stitch or technique.

Both Bush Beauties are stunning pieces of art when you first see them, and Melissa has provided a clear stitch guide so that you can work the exact stitches required in each little section of the two birds.

She suggests the order you should stitch to get the best result, so you can work methodically, changing techniques as you go. One of the wonderful aspects of the Bush Beauties designs is they give you the opportunity to try all kinds of different stitches, ensuring you never get bored as once you’ve mastered one section, you get the pleasure of trying something new in the next.

The pleasure comes from the stitching and watching your cockatoo and lyrebird appear out of the fabric as if by magic through the strategic and careful placement of the stitches and embellishments.

You’re sure to love Bush Beauties as much as we do and we’re confident you’ll be seeking out more designs from Melissa Horton as a result.

We can’t wait to see what this talented lady comes up with, but if Bush Beauties is anything to go by, we know it is going to be spectacular.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Bush Beauties by Melissa Horton is two spectacular hooped studies of the colourfully crested Major Mitchell’s cockatoo and the elegant lyrebird.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kits for Bush Beauties include everything* you need to re-create this superb lyrebird or colourful cockatoo: Fabrics (unprinted), felts, embroidery threads, beads, sequins and needles.

The Early Bird by Jenny McWhinney from Inspirations issue #75 is a practical peg bag, adorned with friendly redwork birds.

Little Bird by Chloe Redfern from Inspirations issue #103 is a delightful, superb fairy wren to frame in a hoop.

Birds of a Feather by Rosemary Frezza from Inspirations issue #70 is a dainty tray cloth embroidered with sweet little birds.

Spring Song by Taetia McEwen from Inspirations issue #112 is a delightful spring scene of delicately shaded flowers, a dainty bird and a nest with three blue eggs.

The world over, there is a huge fan base consisting of thousands of stitchers who simply can’t get enough of cross stitch. This ubiquitous and foundational technique can result in some truly stunning finished pieces. This week we’re celebrating cross stitch and present to you a magnificent galley of stitching beauty.

‘I also did this Nouveau Floral Design that I had imported some years ago from overseas.

Then in late in 2020 I started, and am still stitching, the most complicated cross stitch I have worked in over 40 years. However, I still never seem to have enough time to stitch!’

We can relate, Katrina! But your output has been prolific even with the lack of time. You should be incredibly proud of what you have achieved, they are beautiful pieces.

‘I chose this design and made it my own by adding the year and some encouraging words. Now my diary is my perfect companion through the year 2022.’

This is a lovely way to brighten up your diary, Monika. We’re sure it makes you smile every time you check a date or write in an appointment and it’s great to see another innovative way of making the world more beautiful one stitch at a time.

‘My current long-haul project is approaching the 600-hour mark and will soon be completed. I will send a photo when it’s framed.’

These are amazing projects, Lorraine and undoubtedly labours of love. The dedication and time you have devoted to your stitching is incredible and the results speak for themselves. We can’t wait to see the next one.

Do you love doing cross stitch? Do you get endless pleasure in choosing new cross stitch designs, getting your fabric and threads ready and then sitting down for the many hours of stitching it takes to complete? Or do you prefer surface embroidery?

Whatever type of stitching you like, we’d love to see it. Send us a picture of your work and some information about your 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!

Victorian Hearts by Kim Beamish is a charming, needlework accessories set with pulled and counted thread techniques.

Heart’s Delight by Kim Beamish from Inspirations issue #94 is a charming pulled thread mat with heart motifs.

Queen of Hearts by Kim Beamish from Inspirations issue #86 is an elegant Hardanger mat ideal for beginners.

Tasmanian Needle Tidy by Betsy Morgan is a beautiful folding etui with twisted cord closure.

Good for the Goose by Betsy Morgan from the book Willing Hands 2 is a sturdy, three-sided box inspired by migrating Canada geese.

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.

~ Aristotle ~

Stay informed of upcoming needlework events taking place all around the world in our What’s On page on the Inspirations Studios Website HERE.