Whilst many of us live in areas that have traditionally experienced four distinct seasons, it would seem the shoulder seasons of autumn and spring that were meant to gently usher us between summer and winter are no longer as pronounced as they once were.

Whilst we’re currently witnessing the turning and falling of autumn leaves at Inspirations HQ, a recent flurry of winter weather took us all a little by surprise. Our mornings and evenings greeted us with an unexpected chill, the winds blew, the rain fell and our daylight hours suddenly seemed far fewer. Had we blinked and missed autumn?!

In a recent email from Ingrid Fetell Lee, she found herself searching for spring in the northeast of the United States. Winter seemed to be dragging its feet a little longer than usual and Ingrid had a sneaking suspicion that summer would suddenly be upon her.

For Ingrid, the sensations of blossoming, growth and potential have become synonymous with spring and as Mother Nature didn’t seem to be following her usual timeline, Ingrid decided to cultivate her own personal spring as she renewed her surroundings, routines and mindset.

Some of the simple ways Ingrid created a sense of renewal were to bring home fresh flowers, spend time in nature, switch existing art and décor between rooms in her house, cook a new recipe, change her routine, organise one small thing and plant seeds both literally and metaphorically.

Ingrid closed her email with the reminder that although life may not provide the opportunity for many complete fresh starts, we can still access the feeling of a clean slate through experiences of renewal. Whilst Ingrid’s list was intended to usher in spring, we realised it could be used to honour a change of season, no matter the time of year.

Whether they be literal or figurative changes of seasons in life, we’d love to hear what you do to cultivate a fresh start and a sense of renewal in what surrounds you - we may just use them as we look to the clean slate winter’s ushering us into at Inspirations HQ!

Although stitching can be a solitary activity, the truth is that stitchers love to come together to enjoy their craft and share their passion with other, like-minded people. This has meant that sewing circles, quilting bees and craft groups have been popular throughout history. However, amongst all of these kinds of groups, one institution stands out, and that is the Embroiderers’ Guild.

Initially, guilds were associations of artisans and merchants who came together to coordinate, regulate and oversee the practice of their particular craft or trade in a specific area. Early guilds were formed for groups such as drapers, woodworkers, stonemasons, and painters but there were even guilds for doctors and furriers.

Membership of one of these early organisations brought many benefits. Often, a craftsman was unable to practice their craft in a town or city without being a part of the associated guild. Guilds would also be instrumental in determining such things as standard measures, pricing, and trade practices. As a result, at their height they wielded enormous power.

Now, in modern times, their role has changed significantly, with those that still exist focusing primarily on the passing on of skills and bringing people together under a common banner.

The first Embroiderers’ Guild formed in the UK in 1906. It arose from a meeting between 16 ex-students of what was then the Royal School of Art Needlework in London. After World War I, the group became focused on teaching embroidery to shell-shocked and disabled servicemen, however they continued to celebrate and preserve the history of embroidery and teach it as widely as they could.

The Guild grew until it had 175 branches around the UK. However, embroiderers around the world saw the value in the guild structure and some sought to create something similar in their own regions.

In New York City in 1958, three women decided to create a branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild of London. Twelve years later, they withdrew from the London Guild to form their own organisation that became the Embroiderers’ Guild of America. Now headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, the EGA has branches, known as chapters, all over the country and thousands of members who love to come together to learn, share and enjoy their craft.

The first formed in New South Wales in 1957 as a branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild of London. However, as in the USA, they soon became their own organisation, with similar guilds forming around the country throughout the following decades.

Today, guilds remain popular and continue their important work of sharing, teaching and preserving the love of needlework. But perhaps just as important is the community that they offer. Being a member of a guild doesn’t just give you access to all of the benefits offered, although they are usually abundant – from competitions and exhibitions, through to libraries, museums and gift shops. Membership also gives you friendship and the opportunity to meet with people who share the same passion.

Any guild is only as strong as its membership, and all embroiderers’ guilds around the world welcome members of all ages and experience. But they are always looking for more members by finding ways to add value and encourage new people to join.

The challenges everyone has faced over the past two years have also affected guilds, but with online opportunities, new groups and classes and innovative ways to get involved, they are rising to the challenge.

Here at Inspirations HQ, we are fortunate to have the fabulous Embroiderers’ Guild of South Australia as our local guild. As well as a branch in the city of Adelaide, it also has branches around the state ensuring that distance is no barrier to enjoying all the benefits a guild has to offer.

Like all of their companion guilds around the world, they are currently looking to welcome new members, so if you live in South Australia and have ever considered getting involved, now is the perfect time.

With a diverse range of activities on offer including stitching groups, classes, events and more, The Embroiderers’ Guild of South Australia is the perfect place to begin or further your needlework journey. For more information visit their website HERE.

If you would like more information about your local Embroiderers’ Guild, you can find details for the UK HERE, the USA HERE and if you are in Australia, do a search for the Embroiderers’ Guild in your state on Google to find contact details.

Are you a member of a guild? What have your experiences been? As always, we’d love to hear about it so do write in and tell us.

The world of birds is filled with some of the most exquisite colours imaginable. When we think of brilliantly coloured feathers, many of us will imagine the famous birds of paradise with their shimmering plumage, however there are so many other types of birds that can put on a colourful display.

In Australia, there are a huge number of native birds, many of which are just as gorgeously coloured as their tropical counterparts. The Rainbow Bee-eater is one.

This clever little bird is found in many parts of southern Australia and is known for its jewel-like colours and long, distinctive tail streamers. It lives in open forests and woodlands, although it will also build nesting tunnels in places like quarries, cuttings and mines.

The main food sources, as the name suggests, are wasps and bees.

They often catch their dinner mid-flight, then will carry it back to a perch where they will proceed to rub the insect against the branch to remove the stings and venom glands. Only then will the Bee-eater enjoy its hard-earned meal.

The brilliant colours of the feathers mean that this little bird is an ideal subject for needlework. Wendy Innes has captured one of these creatures in her latest project, incorporating both threadpainting and stumpwork in a miniature masterpiece.

Her main subject, the Rainbow Bee-eater, sits atop a spray of flowers. His eyes are fixed on a distant point, most probably an unsuspecting bee hovering over a neighbouring flower.

The flowers on which he rests are an artistic subject in themselves. Worked in stunning raised embroidery, the intense blue blooms of the scented sun orchids complement the feathers of the Rainbow Bee-eater perfectly.

Wendy has included a combination of both surface and raised petals to add to the realism of this study. It is magnificent in all respects: in colour; in detail and in the finished result.

It is always wonderful to find a project that allows you to indulge in several passions all at once. To enjoy the pleasure of threadpainting is one thing, but to then include the equivalent pleasure of creating detached elements and then constructing the finished piece is something else entirely.

You have to look twice to realise that the Rainbow Bee-eater is actually stitched. It would be easy to believe that this lovely little bird had just popped into your living room to pay you a visit before heading off into the sky, on the hunt for his next delicious meal.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Rainbow Bee-eater by Wendy Innes is a brilliantly coloured stumpwork panel with colourful bee-eater and sun orchids.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Rainbow Bee-eater includes everything* you need to re-create this wonderful stumpwork panel: Fabrics (unprinted), felts, wire, fibre-fill, sewing thread, embroidery threads & needles.

Anise by Wendy Innes from Inspirations issue #53 is a stunning stumpwork butterfly picture.

Nature’s Jewel by Wendy Innes from Inspirations issue #36 is a ruby-throated hummingbird picture to challenge you.

We’re always on the hunt for stitching goodies with an extra cuteness factor, so it is no wonder that we’ve been a fan of Corinne Lapierre and her felt creations for a while now. This time we’ve stepped up the cuteness with the latest kit from this talented designer, entitled Lavender Houses.

The kit contains all the materials you need to create three absolutely adorable little felt houses.

The large house is 16cm (6 1/4”) tall; the medium house is 15cm (6”) tall and the small house is an extra cute 11cm (4 3/8”) tall.

As well as full instructions, you’ll receive all of the threads and top-quality wool felt you need to get these gorgeous ornaments stitched in no time.

Stitching with felt is incredibly satisfying, as the projects work up in no time and they are both colourful and tactile. You can use the Lavender Houses to decorate a room or hang on a door handle, or you might simply want to make them, well, just because. They are pretty difficult to resist.

Recently, we’ve been working hard to re-release some of our most popular kits from previous magazines so that you can have another exciting opportunity to stitch them again.

Sweet Treats by Betsy Morgan from Inspirations issue #92 is one of the kits we’ve put together again due to overwhelming popular demand.

The project is for five little pincushions designed to look like pieces of candy and adorned with a range of delicate, counted stitches. The bright colours and stunning designs ensured that everyone loved this project from the moment it was published, which is why it was one we knew we had to bring back.

Kits for Sweet Treats are now available for purchase so you can get started on this adorable project immediately.

You’ve just put the final stitch into your most recent project and, while you revel in the pleasure of a job well done, your mind starts turning towards the next project. Although we’re rarely short of possible ideas, we just thought we’d bring you a few more digital patterns from a past issue in case you needed a few more choices.

This week we’re bringing you more of them in digital format.

Sweet Serenity by Lillie McAnge is a stunning monogrammed pillow stitched in white on white. This would make a gorgeous gift for a wedding, a thank you, or an expression of love for a treasured friend.

Evergreen by Annie Humphris is a set of cute ornaments for the Christmas tree designed to look like Christmas presents. Festooned with beads and featuring bold Christmas colours and easy counted stitches, these ornaments will be ready to hang on the tree by the time December comes around.

Tiny Teddies by Bernadette Dewhurst-Phillips are two of the cutest little embroidered felt teddy bears you have ever seen. Jointed just like traditional teddy bears, and covered in bullion roses and embroidered flowers, these timeless teddies will look gorgeous on a dressing table or mantlepiece.

We’re sure one of these fantastic projects will solve your problem as to what to stitch next. However, if you’re still looking for more ideas, you can find plenty of others in our extensive digital pattern library on our website, where we have hundreds of projects available for you to purchase and download immediately.

Creating mysterious embroidered worlds peopled with ritualistic characters is the particular style of embroidery artist, Michelle Kingdom. She describes her amazing art works as ‘psychological landscapes’ and with only a few beautifully placed stitches, she creates ambiguous settings that are filled with meaning.

Michelle is as much an artist as she is a needleworker, using her needle and thread to sketch and paint her individual pieces. She is fascinated by the human form and often places her subjects in poses that invite more questions than answers. It is easy to get lost in her works, wondering just what each figure is doing and what is going through their mind.

Michelle is currently working towards a solo exhibition, but you can read more about her HERE, and follow her on her website and on Instagram to stay informed with what she’s doing and admire more of her stunning work.

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

One of the reasons Betsy Morgan’s projects are so well loved is because of the intricacy of their construction. Betsy’s imagination appears to have no bounds when it comes to the fascinating etuis and accessories that she devises.

Every single one offers surprising details and little additions that are so lovely, but just so clever, we wonder how she can keep coming up with them.

Even the smaller projects she creates never skimp on detail. This is what we noticed with Cardinal Pocket from the book Willing Hands 2. The project only comprises two very special pieces – a small etui and a scissor fob.

The Cardinal Pocket is actually a small pocket etui that is designed to be worn as a necklace while stitching. Inside, it has a place for a tiny pair of scissors as well as wool felt pages for needles. However, the closure on this etui is what sets it apart.

It is specifically designed with a twisted cord that attaches to two corners. The cord then passes through loops on the opposite side of the etui so when it is open, the cord is neatly out of the way.

To close the book-like accessory, you simply pull the cord. This means that, if you are wearing it around your neck, it remains neatly closed.

The decoration on this lovely project combines Bargello with cross stitch. The name of the pocket – Cardinal – comes from the brilliant red bird of the same name that appears in a tree on one side of the pocket. On the rear is the Bargello pattern and a space you can stitch a name or a date to personalise this project just for you.

Like you, we love all Betsy’s projects, but this one is particularly special as it can be completed relatively quickly, so you get the pleasure of using it all the sooner. However, simple or complex, none of Betsy’s projects ever disappoint in their design, stitch choice, colour or construction.

Cardinal Pocket is a wonderfully satisfying project to complete, which you’ll be proudly wearing around your neck as you flick through Willing Hands 2 selecting which of Betsy’s stunning etuis you are going to stitch next.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Cardinal Pocket by Betsy Morgan is a captivating pocket designed to be worn as a handy necklace, keeping stitching essentials close by.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Cardinal Pocket includes everything* you need to re-create this stunning pocket: Fabrics (unprinted), interfacings, comic board, wool felt, buttons, beading thread, embroidery threads and needles.

Simply Red by Judy Jeroy from Inspirations issue #63 is a stunning embroidered red cardinal box top.

Red Robin by Helen M. Stevens from Inspirations issue #67 is a vibrant threadpainted picture featuring a scarlet breasted robin that forms a wonderful centrepiece for a charming garland of foliage and berries.

We love Betsy Morgan here at Inspirations HQ. But not as much as you love Betsy Morgan out there in our community it seems! To prove how much you all enjoy her projects, here are a few that have been finished to perfection. Not that we thought you needed any more inspiration to do her amazing designs!

‘I contacted Betsy and was able to purchase a kit for the design without the linen. I found some linen I thought would work and I stitched it. I loved the design when I first saw Betsy stitching the piece and I still love it. It now resides in an etagere along with another Betsy Morgan design.’

What a wonderful story, and how lucky you are to have been able to spend quality time with Betsy. Thank you for sharing your story and your beautiful stitching, Alice. We hope you enjoy stitching many more of her designs in the future.

You are certainly not the only ‘non-finisher’ out there, Lynne. We also like to call ourselves ‘serial starters’! Congratulations, though, on getting this gorgeous project completed. What a lucky friend you have to have received such a special gift.

‘I love doing ‘fiddly’ things and I was in the mood for something that could be accomplished quickly. I had so much fun making these that I could not stop, so several friends will receive one as a birthday treat. See if you can spot the one that I made up!’

They really do look good enough to eat, Sandra. What a gorgeous collection! We can’t spot it – your variation is obviously just as good as the originals.

Do you love anything by Betsy Morgan? Or is there another designer you are simply passionate about? When you discover a designer you love, do you want to stitch everything you possibly can by them? Or do you like to try all kinds of different projects by different designers?

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

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The Triumph Rechargeable LED Magnifying Lamp is compact, incredibly lightweight and produces a strong, even, white light ideal for stitching. The magnifier allows for a massive 3 x magnification and it all sits on a flexible gooseneck so it can be adjusted to suit everyone and every location.

Dresden Lace by Mike Parr is a graceful, whitework heart filled with flowers and leaves in Dresden embroidery.

White Rose by Jenny Adin-Christie from Inspirations issue #100 is an exquisite rose button brooch using timeless whitework techniques.

Field of Flowers by Deborah Love from Inspirations issue #106 is a whitework mat with flowers worked using a compelling variety of traditional Schwalm fillings.

The Great Charter by Mike Parr from Inspirations issue #109 is a needlebook and scissor fob embellished with a kingly monogram in whitework, inspired by the Magna Carta.

Snowberry by Yvette Stanton from Inspirations issue #80 is a quirky biscornu that forms the perfect backdrop for highly textured whitework.

~ Kristin Armstrong ~

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