We were recently inspired by an email from The Tonic where they encouraged us to look for small wins on our way to bigger victories.

The theory they shared relied on creating a ‘Success Cycle’ whereby the results we experience from small wins leave us feeling good, which in turn leads to more action and more results.

A subsequent email from James Clear took the idea of small wins in a slightly different direction.

James looked at the ways in which comparison can become a thief of progress. He gave examples such as seeing the worth in writing but 100 words a day when we see bestsellers being published or understanding the value in exercising for just 10 minutes when world records are being posted on Instagram.

For us, it’s seeing the importance of laying all but a few stitches in our time with needle and thread when our feeds from social media seem to display nothing but completed projects.

But, as James Clear stated in his email, ‘winning the next 10 minutes is its own form of greatness’.

He reminded us that all too often we’re so busy wishing for more time and better resources, that we fail to make the most of what we have. The truth is though, if we can be great - even if it’s just in small ways, we’ll be surprised by what we’re able to achieve.

The question we need to ask ourselves therefore is, ‘What are we going to do with the next 10 minutes?’.

Here’s to small ways and small wins on our way to big victories.

This week’s Have Your Say continues the conversation we started in All Stitched Up! issue #346 where we unpacked The Tonic’s thoughts on how small wins ultimately lead to big victories. We asked the Inspirations Community to let us know what they considered their small wins to be in their time with needle and thread and let us know they did! We hope some of their small wins will inspire you on towards your own.

Rosie walked us through the process she uses whenever she’s planning a new project. After spending hours, days or maybe even weeks considering what she’ll put her needle and thread to next, she’ll look through her inspirational images and choose ‘the’ one. Yet, she still she puts off actually getting started.

Even after transferring the design onto her fabric, Rosie finds her project still sits off to the side until ‘tomorrow’. However, when tomorrow comes she gets her threads out and chooses her colours.

From there though, her work just flows until the project is finished. Although Rosie always finds satisfaction in completing a project, she can’t help but feel a sense of loss as she has nothing to do with needle and thread until she goes through the process outlined above all over again. So, Rosie is now of the opinion that a longer project is better as it means she has more time in that ‘satisfying stitching’ stage.

Karen introduced us to the TNT method she uses to ensure her time with needle and thread is as productive as possible. Not familiar with the method? Neither were we until Karen took the time to unpack it for us!

It turns out TNT refers to ‘The Next Thread’ or ‘The Next Thing’. Simply put, Karen ensures that she’s always ready to do the next thing when starting her stitching each day. That means anything from ensuring her needle is threaded with the next thread or the linen is prepped with neatened edges or any basting that needs doing. The only thing Karen doesn’t do in advance is heat her iron!

Not only does Karen do this for one project, but she makes sure ‘the next thing’ is taken care of for three projects so that she can pick the one that most appeals to her each day.

As Ann identified with The Tonic’s view that doing nothing means it can seem even harder to take that next small step, she’s decided her small wins are packing away her supplies and sweeping her workshop floor at the end of each day.

Unfortunately for Ann, as the passageway to her husband’s workshop in the garage is through her workshop, she also finds herself sweeping up the seeds her husband has so generously fed the birds as well as the dust his work has created!

We’re always up for learning something new at Inspirations HQ, especially in regard to being more productive when it comes to our time with needle and thread, so we appreciate Rosie, Karen and Ann joining in on the conversation.

We close this week’s Have Your Say with a timely reminder from Karen - every step is a win as it is accomplished, no matter how small it may be. After all, every big accomplishment is simply a thread of small wins strung together.

When we announced our kit sale a few weeks ago, you may remember that we referenced something exciting was happening at Inspirations HQ.

Originally, we were making space within our office so we could welcome you in to view some of the original projects from our publications as well as purchase our range of magazines, books, kits and wares.

Many of you will be familiar with the work of Jenny McWhinney. Over the years Jenny’s whimsical designs have graced the pages of Inspirations magazine, including the much-loved series, the Adventures of Monet the Mouse.

In 2016 Jenny, along with her incredibly supportive husband Ron, opened their retail space, The Bobbin Tree, right here in our hometown of Adelaide.

A few weeks ago, Jenny and Ron announced that after six incredible years it was time to close The Bobbin Tree and that their last day of trading would be 30th September. After the announcement, a series of fortuitous conversations followed.

What if instead of Inspirations opening a retail space of our own, we were able to combine these plans and keep The Bobbin Tree open?!

And so it came to be that Jenny and Ron graciously agreed that The Bobbin Tree’s ownership would be passed to Inspirations Studios. The store will now remain open for the benefit of the needlework community both local and abroad.

The Bobbin Tree by Inspirations, as it will be known, will still offer an enormous array of needlework essentials, but you will now also be able to purchase a range of Inspirations’ kits, magazines and books.

Some of the original projects from our current publications will also be on display for you to admire. If you think the projects look incredible in print, just wait until you see them firsthand, they will take your breath away!

The store is located at 31 Payneham Road College Park SA 5069 and the phone number is (08) 8123-8062.

On top of that, The Bobbin Tree by Inspirations will continue to offer a range of stitching class each week. We’re also hoping to invite some of the designers whose works are published in the pages of Inspirations’ publications to teach their designs in store.

For those of you who don’t call Adelaide home, The Bobbin Tree by Inspirations is still good news for you. Not only can you add it to your travel itinerary, but over the coming months you will see our online product offering expand as we begin to add new threads, accessories, notions and wares currently stocked at The Bobbin Tree.

Whilst there are lots of exciting possibilities ahead, we want to pay tribute to Jenny and Ron McWhinney for all they have contributed to the needlework community. It is our great privilege to carry on that which they have started, and we’re honoured that they have trusted us to do so.

And who knows, you might even spot Jenny herself at The Bobbin Tree by Inspirations from time to time enjoying a browse, a cup of tea and a chat?!

Have you ever wondered how the world of needlework might appear to people on the outside?

Imagine you told someone that you couldn’t wait to purchase this new book all about cruel animals and their portraits - what kind of reaction would you receive?!

If ever there was a needlework designer who would relish in the confusion created by her clever and sassy titles, it’s Hazel Blomkamp.

Think Crewel Twists, Crewel Creatures, Crewel Birds, even Crewel Intentions (we wonder how many husbands/partners saw us with that last book and got a little worried!).

To add to her beautiful and vast collection, Hazel has now released another fabulous book that, this time, gives prominence to the tiger, lion, zebra, giraffe, monkey and leopard.

In and of themselves these animals are already spectacular subjects to stitch, but after they have received a Hazel Blomkamp Crewel Make Over… we’re now talking next level stunning.

If you’re looking for projects that are a pleasure and a joy to stitch, and a book title that will keep your non-stitching friends wondering what on earth you do in your spare time, Cruel, sorry, Crewel Animal Portraits is the book for you.

When King Richard III lost his horse during Act 5 in William Shakespeare’s play, he famously cried out, ‘My horse, my horse, my kingdom for a horse!’ such was his desperation in that moment.

Have you ever found yourself desperate for some stitching inspiration? Desperately searching for a step-by-step or desperately searching for a specific design?

We’re here to keep your kingdom safe by offering you a range of needlework books to inspire, inform and imagine a world of needlework possibilities.

Needlework books offer a wealth of information and the more you have in your collection, the more likely you will find exactly what you need right at your fingertips.

There are some amazingly talented people out there who have written some amazing needlework books. So don’t give up your kingdom in desperation… buy a book from us instead. All the subjects in your kingdom will be very pleased you did!

Have you rediscovered the joy of embellished ribbon embroidery yet? If not, there’s still time to get hold of some of the most beautiful kits imaginable. Ribbon embroidery worked on beautiful, pre-printed background fabric has featured prominently in recent issues of Inspirations magazine, but there are several projects from the past that we felt were so gorgeous, they had to be made available again.

Centre Stage by Marlize Meyer, which originally appeared in Inspirations issue #77 is one of those projects. This is a stunning study of a ballerina, caught in a pensive moment as she reaches down to tie her ballet shoe. She’s surrounded by a cascade of ribbon-embroidered flowers, and her tutu and headdress are exquisitely embellished to give a breathtaking, three-dimensional effect.

The Ready-To-Stitch kit includes everything you need to complete this gorgeous project, including the delicate silk background print and all the ribbons and materials required. Centre Stage was universally loved when it was first published, and it continues to be loved today. But kits are limited, so be sure to order yours straight away so you can discover why everyone is celebrating the comeback of this fabulous technique.

Ding, Dong, Ding, Dong…

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your monthly reminder to please turn the page of your Inspirations calendar tomorrow, to reveal the project for October.

For your viewing pleasure we present Helena Gum Moth by Emillie Ferris originally published in Inspirations issue #109.

This threadpainted beauty is finished in gorgeous soft terracotta and salmon hues, stitched in stranded cotton.

Instructions for Emillie’s Helena Gum Moth are available in Inspirations issue #109 or as a digital pattern using the links below.

Is there any significance in this project appearing in the month of October? Yes, yes there is actually! For readers living in Australia, October is the beginning of the season where Helena Gum Moth’s first take flight, so be on the watch for these magnificent Opodiphthera.

It’s that time again! Every month, we highlight a number of artists who are doing amazing things with their needle and threads, each of whom we’ve spotted on social media.

@salleymavor: Salley Mavor creates enchanting scenes with her wee folk.

@dotpebbles_knits: Claire Garland’s knitted woodland creatures partaking in leisurely activities gave us a giggle.

@zoomy: Azumi Sakata is creating these stunning moths for an exhibition, 139 so far!

@yazawado: Artist Kozue Yazawa creates beautiful pieces using only blue and white.

If you ever come across a needlework artist you’d like us to see, please let us know. In the meantime, for daily inspiration you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest where we discover more talented needleworkers every single day.

No-one knows the exact number, but there are estimated to be somewhere between 300,000 and 400,000 species of flowering plants on earth.

That would create quite the spectacular garden wouldn’t it, getting all those species together in one place? If that were even possible, imagine the sight! Perhaps try and imagine which species, out of all that colour and vibrancy would stand out the most?

We would like to put forward that one such contender may just be the Allium ‘Purple Sensation’.

It’s such a stunner in fact, that renowned needlework designer Trish Burr chose this flower to create her gorgeous piece aptly named Allium ‘Purple Sensation’, which appears in our brand-new book A Passion for Needlework | The Whitehouse Daylesford.

Straight out the gate you know you’re dealing with something a little special when a flower adopts the word ‘sensation’ in its name. Indeed, how emboldened and confident must a flower be to proclaim itself a sensation?

Perhaps it has something to do with its ability to shoot skyward long, straight and sturdy green stems, upon which it fashions buds resembling the tip of a spear.

At the appointed time, the skin of the spear tip opens and peels back to reveal an explosion of inflorescence consisting of dozens of small star-shaped flowers all arcing themselves in such a way that a perfectly shaped sphere is formed.

And then there is the magnificence of its colour. Rich and vivid violet-lilac petals immediately arrest your attention as you look across a sea of purple balls elevated in position that sway gently in a breeze.

Yes, this is indeed a sensational flower that has earned every right to be immortalised in stitch.

To help ensure her project does justice to the task at hand, Trish Burr enlisted the help of Carolyn Jenkins, a rare mix of a professional gardener, designer and painter.

Carolyn creates breathtaking botanical paintings, and it is her original design of the Purple Sensation that Trish has re-created with needle and thread.

Working from Carolyn’s painting, Trish has deployed a plethora of DMC and Anchor stranded cottons in conjunction with her trademark threadpainting technique to bring the composition to life.

There are so many details we love about Trish’s work, for this piece we were particularly taken by her decision to outline each element of the design with split stitch.

This outline serves to bring a wonderful definition and precision to the embroidery, which in turn assists the viewer to better appreciate the intricacies of the flower itself.

As each petal and each stem is shaded using carefully chosen blends of gorgeous colours, anyone stitching this piece will feel themselves transported into a peaceful garden setting admiring the striking beauty of this wonderful flower.

If you are not yet familiar with our Passion for Needlework books, these special publications seek to capture some of the world’s most beautiful needlework, in the most beautiful way possible.

Complete and detailed instructions for this design are included in A Passion for Needlework | The Whitehouse Daylesford and if you appreciate up close and personal photos of needlework, then these books are most definitely for you.

Our Ready-to-Stitch kit for this project even features the design pre-printed onto the fabric, so we’ve made this as easy as possible for you to stitch yourself.

Thank you, Trish for stitching such a lovely piece – we can’t wait to see the photos from needlework fans the world over, creating their own versions of Allium ‘Purple Sensation’.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ by Trish Burr is a wonderful botanical illustration magically brought to life with needle and thread.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ includes everything* you need to re-create this stunning botanical scene: Fabric with pre-printed design, embroidery threads and needle.

Simple Pleasures by Maree Moscato from Inspirations #19 is a beautiful table runner featuring a tulip, daffodil, bluebells and violets.

Redouté's Tulips by Trish Burr from Inspirations #100 features magnificent threadpainted tulips based on a botanical watercolour.

Purity by Margaret Lee is a single lotus bloom, symbolising purity, harmony and renewal, stitched using the Random Stitch Embroidery technique.

Redouté’s Sweet Peas by Trish Burr is a scene of captivating, sweet peas reproduced from a 17th century painting by PJ Redouté.

As we were preparing to share Helena Gum Moth as our Calendar project for October, we were reminded that there was an insect or two hiding within our What Are You Stitching? files. So this week we’ve decided to set them free…

It’s said that you should always start the way you intend to finish, and you Yvonne have started magnificently. Your strawberries are plump and juicy – something the caterpillar is just about to discover for himself! Home Sweet Home is certainly a project of passion, and we look forward to seeing your finished workbox.

Trish, we love your version of Lesley Turpin-Delport’s praying mantis from Inspirations issue #36 and it’s clear your sister-in-law did too! What a beautiful legacy Mary has left with you and countless others as she shared her love of needle and thread so willingly.

Sue, the detail you’ve been able to capture stitching cotton on cotton is simply breathtaking! There’s an iridescence and sheen to the beetle’s shell that had us thinking you’d achieved it using silk threads.

Martina, your butterflies as every bit as lifelike as you’d set out to make them! Perhaps the title of ‘lepidopterist’ will be one you’ll be known for in your time with needle and thread?!

Do you see beauty in the insect kingdom, knowing it will translate beautifully into stitch? Or does the idea of replicating anything that creeps and crawls make your skin crawl?!

Whether your needles and threads love or loathe all things bug related, we’d love to see what you’ve created. Simply email photos of what you’ve created with needle and thread along with a few details about your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com

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A Passion for Needlework | The Whitehouse Daylesford, picks up where the third book left off, and raises the bar to yet another level. 12 of the very best designers, stitching 12 magnificent pieces all in one publication.

Wildflowers of Hepburn by Alison Cole is a stunning three-dimensional recreation of native flowers that grow near Daylesford.

Camellia by Julie Kniedl from the book Botanica is a stylish red flower, buds and contrasting leaves.

Remember by Philippa Todd from Inspirations #109 is an elegant three-dimensional poppy that can be worn as a brooch.

Grandiflora by Julie Kniedl from Inspirations #99 is a beautiful three-dimensional white magnolia.

Cornus by Julie Kniedl from the book A Passion for Needlework is a beautiful spray of soft pink dogwood.

~ Saul Bellow ~

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