Envy is rarely a sought-after emotion, but recently Ingrid Fetell Lee came to realise that our ‘negative’ emotions often hold clues that can lead us in the direction of joy, and envy is certainly no exception to this.

With this idea in mind, Ingrid set out to do an experiment that looked at her own feelings of envy, the results of which surprised her as they opened the space for both growth and joy.

Too often we find that when we compare ourselves with others, especially those we see as having more of something than we do, it causes us to focus on what we lack rather than what we have. These feelings of envy often make it hard to see the joy that’s right in front of us.

However, Ingrid came to realise that there’s another side to envy - one that doesn’t diminish our joy, but rather helps us to find it. But you have to dig a little deeper below the surface emotions of inadequacy, disappointment and ungratefulness that envy can sometimes elicit.

For example, the feeling of envy that would often pop up when Ingrid would see a beautiful illustration or drawing on her Instagram feed eventually made her realise just how much she was craving an outlet for visual creativity herself.

After confronting her own feelings of envy, Ingrid came to realise that when she was able to take the fear and judgement out of what she was feeling, what lay at the root of envy was simply desire.

Those threads you covet that someone else has, maybe they’re linked to your desire to surround yourself with colour? That complicated piece you envy that someone has just finished may simply point you in the direction of the stitches and/or techniques you’d like to become competent with. The hours you see someone else pouring into their time with needle and thread that you crave for yourself may be an indication of how you’ll plan to spend your time in retirement.

So, next time we feel the ‘grass is greener’ in someone else’s time with needle and thread, we should try and recall Ingrid’s eloquent reminder: ‘Often we can’t figure out what we might enjoy until we let ourselves hear our desires. And envy is a surprising, yet powerful way to tune into those desires.’

In All Stitched Up! issue #337, we wrote an article about thread storage. Collecting threads is one thing but storing them neatly is quite another! We loved hearing about some of the thread storage solutions our readers use, and we definitely picked up a few interesting tips ourselves.

Ann Pocklington from the UK told us that she stores all her threads on bobbins in transparent boxes. One of the things she loves about them is the rainbow effect when they are all ordered neatly, which appeals to Ann’s artistic eye. In fact, Ann is also a member of a digital camera club, and recently the monthly theme for the club was ‘colour’. Ann immediately thought of her thread storage boxes. She reassembled her threads into a ‘thread rainbow’ and her gorgeous photograph ended up on display at her local library.

From the UK to South Texas in the USA, Roxanna Hauschild wrote to us about her multi-step way of storing her threads. Because South Texas is hot, humid and full of bugs that love to nibble, Roxanna places all her threads by colour into a metal box as soon as she gets them. Her DMC threads have their own special box.

When she starts using a thread, she winds it onto a cardboard bobbin, then puts it into a plastic bag in her work bag. Because Roxanna likes things to be neat, when a length is cut or the strands are separated, they are then put on to a wooden bobbin in the same bag. Once the bobbin has been used and the project is done, the remaining thread on the cardboard bobbin goes into the plastic boxes designed for them.

Ann, one of our regular contributors, told us that she’s been collecting all sorts of threads and yarns for years. When it comes to storage, she opted to group them by colour rather than by type. She uses ‘under-bed’ plastic crates that are shallow enough to allow for index cards to stand up, and just wide enough for two rows of cards with a bit of space between them. She places all her coloured threads into ziplock bags with the index card for support so that they will stand upright. When it is time for a new project, she looks through her rainbow and chooses the threads she needs.

Finally, Jacqui Harvey sent us a photo of her ‘storage’ that spoke directly to our own hearts! Jacqui told us she was extremely lucky to be sponsored by DMC who sent her all their threads for her quilting. She still has a lot left over, many in their original skeins, however, she shared with us a picture of her working threads…

She’s currently stitching a large piece of crazy patchwork, and this method works perfectly for her. In fact, she never has any difficulty pulling out a length, and most are cut to the exact size she needs!

All Stitched Up! issue #337 also contained an article talking about the importance of appreciating the ‘middles’ rather than always looking towards the end or anticipating a new beginning. This caused a few readers to reflect.

Ann wanted to share a sad story that exemplified this. She admitted that she has spent far too much time during her life fixed on the ‘next thing’ while the middle passes her by. As she says, when you’re young you believe you’re immortal, but as you get older you come to the realisation that this life isn’t a dress rehearsal. It is all you have.

One of Ann’s sisters was an avid machine knitter, but as a theatre nurse she didn’t have a lot of time for her passion. She stockpiled projects and materials in anticipation of having more time after she retired. Sadly, she died before she even had the opportunity to retire. Ann reflects on that by saying:

Laura Gafney told us that she took up needlework forty years ago to train herself to be in the moment. Embroidery forced her to slow down and do one stitch at a time. Doing is good but being and doing at the same time is better. Even now, whenever Laura is working with her hands, she finds herself feeling grounded and present. She revels in the ‘middle’ because ‘that’s where our lives are made.’

At 86 years old, Jacquie Ashley says she has been inundated with ‘middles’. But that was OK. After reading the article, she took a deep breath and relaxed for the first time in a while, reminding herself that the middle was a good place to be.

Finally, Lorraine Meyers told us that the middle is where she gets the wonderful feeling of ‘Oh wow! I am doing this! Look at what I am actually creating!’. At the beginning, she is apprehensive and at the end, she is far too critical, so the middle is the best place to be.

Thank you for your thoughts, stories and ideas. Please keep sending them in. We’re always here, ready for a cuppa and a chat and eager to take some time to share in your stitching experiences with you.

Sashiko embroidery is a type of Japanese stitching that uses running stitch to form intricate patterns. Originally, the technique was developed to repair clothing as fabric during the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, when the technique emerged, was a precious commodity. Working class families could not afford to replace damaged clothing, so additional patches were added to existing garments and stitched on using decorative geometric patterns.

Nowadays, Sashiko embroidery is practiced by stitchers all over the world. The beautiful and traditional combination of white thread on deep blue or indigo fabric is highly appealing and the simplicity of the stitching means it can be enjoyed by stitchers of all ages and abilities.

There are hundreds of different patterns that can be stitched, however there are a number of traditional patterns that feature frequently in Sashiko designs. Ordinarily, in order to achieve perfect uniformity, lovers of this technique will buy pre-printed fabric to stitch upon.

‘Sashiko Stencils: Traditional Collection’ is a pack containing three 5” x 9” (12.5cm x 23cm) durable plastic stencils and a detailed instruction booklet advising you how to use them. Each stencil contains single iterations of three core patterns, which you can transfer to cloth as many times as you need for your completed project.

At last, here is a solution to create your own perfect Sashiko designs. You can reuse your stencils as often as you need, so the number of Sashiko projects you can make is limitless. Order yours and start stitching this gorgeous technique today.

From Japanese embroidery techniques to elegant Japanese styling and manufacture, there is no doubt that the stitching goodies that come out of that country are spectacular. Cohana is a Japanese brand that features stitching essentials like no other. All of the items in the Cohana range are of the highest quality and look absolutely gorgeous.

If you browse through our Cohana range, you’ll discover an array of different marking pins, tape measures, ceramic magnetic spools to hold your pins and needles, and the cutest little scissors you’ve ever seen, amongst other things. They are ideal as gifts or would make great additions to your stitching kit. The superior quality alone will make you wonder why you ever settled for less.

Take a look at our Cohana range now and enjoy the best embroidery tools Japan can offer.

Digital technology is fabulous and there’s no doubt that life would be very different without it. But despite the ubiquity of digital information, we believe that nothing beats the feel of old-fashioned paper in your hands. This holds true for embroidery patterns as much as anything else.

When you sit down to do a project, what can be more pleasurable than leafing through your pattern, looking through the gorgeous photos and reading the instructions? Because we know how enjoyable that is, we’ve produced a whole collection of printed patterns for many of our most popular projects, often from magazines that are now out of print.

Additionally, all of our Handpicked projects are available exclusively as individual patterns making the printed versions highly collectable.

All our printed patterns are presented in full colour, with a sturdy cover and full-sized pattern sheet(s) included, so you’ll have all the instructions you need for each project.

They’re perfect for giving as gifts, for travel or for lending to friends and over time, they make a handsome collection of must-do projects.

Browse through our range of printed patterns today and be sure to keep an eye out as more are made available.

All of us have seen historical drawings depicting women wearing corsets and sporting impossibly small waists and bizarre profiles. The popular story was that corsets were little better than torture machines, worn by women mainly because they were vain or slaves to fashion.

Sarah Bendall, a Research Fellow at the Gender and Women’s History Research Centre, Australian Catholic University, wanted to test these myths. So rather than hitting the books, she hit her sewing machine and started remaking 400-year old corsets to see just how true the stories were.

Surprisingly, her research showed that like media today, many of the stories were filled with hype and moralising hysteria.

We’re sure that most women are not unhappy that corsets are no longer a staple item of clothing, but it is interesting to learn that the actual lived experience of corset-wearing women from the past was likely to have been quite different to what the (usually male) recorders of history may have suggested.

If you would like to read more about Sarah’s research, you can do so HERE.

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

Every now and then, a project comes along that is so delightfully different that it leap-frogs everything else on the ‘to be stitched’ list. Floral Symphony by Laurence Lieblich is a project just like that. Bursting with colour, stitch variety and country charm, Floral Symphony is a stunning cushion festooned with flowers that would look magnificent on any sofa or bed.

Divided into three asymmetric sections, Laurence has selected a beautiful variety of flowers to adorn each one. On one end are three bold, threadpainted blooms worked in shimmering silk thread and shaded so beautifully they appear as if they are bursting out of the linen.

In the central section are sinuous, curling tendrils of vines and leaves dotted with soft lilac flowers that contrast beautifully with the rich green surrounding them.

The other end features two gorgeous pink flowers surrounded by leaves and fruits and worked in satin stich and French knots, resulting in a glorious texture so different to the other sections and yet so harmonious.

Each of the sections are divided with ornate bands of stitching in soft beige and brown with candy-striped whipped stitches and edges worked in Palestrina knots.

Overall, Floral Symphony is a gorgeous project filled with a fabulous array of stitches. But we don’t just want to rave about the design and the construction, although there is plenty to love there.

Floral Symphony is the first kit to do this. Rather than opening your kit, taking out your pristine linen and having to decide how best to transfer your design, when you open Floral Symphony, the design is already printed on the linen. All you have to do is thread your needle and start to stitch!

We know how much easier this will make things for our loyal customers, so we really hope you enjoy this development. We felt that Floral Symphony was the ideal project to start out with, and you can be assured that there will be plenty more to follow.

Stitching Floral Symphony will be a pleasure, and the pre-printed design is just the start. You’ll get to enjoy working with buttery-soft silk and cotton threads in a rainbow of colours. You’ll get to experiment with a delightful array of different stitches. You’ll get the joy of constructing a gorgeous cushion following the easy-to-work instructions. And then you’ll get the endless pleasure of seeing your finished project each time you enter the bedroom or living room.

It is like embroidery heaven wrapped up in a perfect box. Who could possibly ask for more?

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Floral Symphony by Laurence Lieblich is a small linen cushion with pretty flowers worked with lustrous silk threads.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Floral Symphony includes everything* you need to re-create this sweet little cushion: Fabrics, (inc. with pre-printed design), piping cord, zip, sewing threads, embroidery threads and needles.

Blackbird Cushion by Margaret Light from A Fine Tradition is a bright and playful pastoral design worked in crewel embroidery.

Interlude by Di Kirchner from Inspirations issue #111 is a stunning crewel cushion with vibrant fruits and acorns.

Jacobean Dream by the Wemyss School of Needlework from Inspirations issue #110 is a cushion featuring crewel embroidery based on a 17th century crewel hanging.

Mountain Oak by Anna Scott from Inspirations issue #113 is a stunning crewel cushion with a tree of life set among mountain peaks, worked in alpine colours.

Some people love stitching pictures, while others adore turning their stitching into something more practical. One popular type of project to make is a stitched box. Boxes are endlessly useful and can hold trinkets, jewellery, treasures or keepsakes. Here are some embroidered boxes to admire. They all demonstrate not just of the skill of the stitching, but for many, the skill in construction as well.

These are fantastic boxes, Margaret. It’s a wonderful way to display your stitching. We love the fabric you have used to construct your box. It goes perfectly with the Nicola Jarvis design.

This is a beautiful box, Judith. The colour and the design are stunning, and the construction is just perfect. What a wonderful finish.

‘Sorting through my stash yielded the perfect mounting surface: a circular red tin. A few hours of work, some dicey moments with the mounting glue, and I had a lovely show and share item. Now to decide what to store in it!’

What a lovely finish, Kaethe! Isn’t it satisfying when you can pick up a UFO and realise with just a little bit of work, it will be finished in no time all ready for you to use.

Do you love making boxes? Do you collect tins, wooden boxes or containers knowing they would be perfect for mounting your embroidery? Do you enjoy the process of construction? Or do you prefer to frame your finished masterpieces and display them on the wall?

However you like to mount your work and whatever you like to stitch, we’d like 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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An exclusive range of Di van Niekerk’s buttery soft, hand-dyed silk ribbons in a beautiful gift box.

Red Columbine by Trish Burr is a stunning presentation of a single, vibrant flower on translucent fabric.

Hummingbird & Flower by Trish Burr from Inspirations issue #105 is a jewel-coloured hummingbird resting on a floral sprig captured in threadpainting.

Royal Blue by Trish Burr from Inspirations issue #77 is a sublime, threadpainted splendid fairy wren.

Centre Stage by Marlize Meyer is a wistful silk print with dainty ribbon embroidered ballerina and romantic bouquets.

Wildflowers by Di van Niekerk from Inspirations issue #113 features pretty wildflowers worked with hand-painted silk ribbon for a contemporary display.

April Flowers by Di van Niekerk from the Handpicked Collection is a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers worked over a printed background using hand-painted silk ribbons.

~ William Arthur Ward ~

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