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ISSUE 354, 28 OCTOBER, 2022
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INSPIRATIONS. ALL Stitched Up!
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Hi There,
The title of a recent email from Hiut Denim caught our attention immediately and had us reading on with much interest.

It was entitled ‘Details Matter’.

The email opened with a quote from Charles Eames:
‘The details are not the details. They make the design.’
The email went on to unpack some of the details that make Hiut jeans Hiut jeans. For them, part of their story and reason for success is their attention to detail.

Their belt loops are sewn on at an angle as it makes threading a belt just that little bit easier. The back pockets of their men’s jeans are lined to ensure holes don’t develop over time. Matt, one of Hiut’s ‘artists’ has mastered the talent of ensuring all the rivets attached to a pair of their jeans are upright. They even leave the excess red thread on their front buttonholes, as it honours the fact that the holes are created on the oldest machine in their factory, a feature no longer available on modern automatic machines.

All this because they ‘celebrate the craft’.

Their email was a lovely reminder to appreciate the time and attention we often pour into the details of what we do, some of which may only be apparent to us in the final product because they are how we celebrate our craft of needle and thread.

Take last week’s Featured Project, Balthazar, for instance; when it first arrived in our office, we couldn’t help but be taken with the features Tania Cohen was able to include in something that measures only 5cm x 5.5cm when complete. Yet it wasn’t until the close-up photography was taken that we realised the level of detail she’d included.

Underneath the metal thread encrusted elytra, that caught our attention immediately, lay silk organza wings scattered with tiny flower sequins, only visible once the layers were separated.

As with Balthazar, the detail we honour may be in intricate design elements. It might be found in the quality of the fabric, needle and thread we use. Perhaps it’s with the accuracy with which we transfer the design. Or it may be found in our ground stitches that, although will eventually be covered, are laid with care and precision.

How do you celebrate the craft of needle and thread through the details? Perhaps it’s a combination of all of the above or one of the many details we haven’t mentioned. We’d love you to email and let us know what details matter to you.

Here’s to always celebrating our craft.
 
World of Needlework
Words in Stitch
The following is an extract from the article published in Inspirations issue 106, written by Ansie van der Walt.

‘As children, we were good at making our own toys. We made our own dioramas out of cardboard boxes pretending that they were dollhouses.’

Sydney-based twins and design duo, Maricor and Maricar Manalo were born in the Philippines but have called Australia home since they were two years old. ‘We had this crazy 1970s house, where there was different wallpaper in every room. The carpet was a crazy floral mishmash. We used to look at all the patterns and tried to see different things. It made us visualise things a bit differently – we saw things in patterns.’

They both completed a Visual Communication degree at the University of Technology in Sydney, studying graphic design, animation, photography and illustration. At this stage they had no knowledge or experience of embroidery and had no idea that this would be their future.

It was early in their careers as graphic designers that they had the opportunity to work on a music video for the band Architecture in Helsinki for their new song Like It or Not. Their boss at the time suggested that they make an animated video using embroidered graphics. They jumped at the challenge and did a self-taught crash course in embroidery using books and YouTube videos.
‘We learned how to embroider while we were designing the characters! The quick turnaround for the video almost destroyed us and we didn’t pick up a needle and thread for the next three years.’
It was only when the two sisters started their own studio, Maricor/Maricar, that they began focusing on handcrafted and bespoke embroidered designs and illustrations for the publishing and advertising world. They were already exploring lines and patterns in their graphic work and could now combine it with their other interest, lettering and typography, executed in needle and thread.
‘Because we were self-taught, we were okay with making mistakes and not following the perfect technique.’
According to Maricor, it is the playfulness of embroidery that first inspired them to work with it; now it is the colour and tactility that motivates them to keep on experimenting and trying out new ideas and designs.
All Maricor and Maricar’s work starts out as sketches and, depending on the style, they will either vectorise it or use watercolours to create the gradient colour mashups. The design is then traced onto the fabric, usually cotton plain weave although they have used linen twill and denim for special projects.
It has been a dream since high school to be book cover designers, so working on projects such as the cover for Clare Hunter’s book Threads of Life was a great joy.

The two little girls who saw imaginary worlds in carpet patterns are now established commercial designers, yet they don’t refer to themselves as illustrators, designers or artists, but rather as makers of things.
You can read the full version of this article HERE or visit Maricor and Maricar Manalo’s website HERE.
 
Needlework News
Whiteley Handcrafted Carbon Steel Scissors
If you are going to create the world’s most beautiful needlework, why not surround yourself with the world’s best tools?
This week we’re introducing Whiteley scissors to our online store. If you’ve never heard of them before, they have a very impressive credential statement:
Since 1760, William Whiteley & Sons have been designing and manufacturing beautifully hand-crafted industrial scissors in Sheffield, England; the birthplace of stainless steel.
Their range of scissors are handmade by craftsmen using traditional techniques passed down for centuries.
You’ll appreciate just how good they are the moment you feel the weight of them in your hand. And then there is the clever design.

These premium quality fabric scissors feature a handle that is bent upright that allows the shears to cut flat along a table, therefore not disturbing the fabric as you move along, offering a straight and accurate cut line.
We have 10” Black Wilkinson scissors available in both right-handed and left-handed models to cater for every need.
And now a word from our sponsors…
We hope you are enjoying this issue of All Stitched Up!

This weekly newsletter is brought to you for free by Inspirations Studios.
If you have ever wondered if there was anything you could do to thank the lovely talented people who put this newsletter together, the answer is – yes!
We’d love you to become a subscriber to Inspirations magazine.
By subscribing to Inspirations magazine, not only are you guaranteed to receive a copy of the world’s most beautiful needlework periodical every quarter, you’ll also enjoy a 15% subscriber discount off all our Ready-to-Stitch kits.

Perhaps the most exciting part of being a subscriber though is that your support goes a long way toward making initiatives like this newsletter possible.
So, if you’ve been thinking about subscribing, now is a great time as we look forward to celebrating 30 years of the magazine in 2023. For any questions you may have or information you’re looking for about becoming a subscriber, we have created a page on our website for you HERE.

For all of you who are already magazine subscribers, THANK YOU! None of us here at Inspirations could do what we do without you.
Inspirations Calendar | November Project
Whether you’re looking for a restaurant to book, a movie to watch, a book to read or project to stitch, during your search you are highly likely to happen upon a top 10 list.
Top 10 lists are created to help us make the right decision by highlighting the best options to choose from, usually based on what the general population have deemed the most enjoyable.
In a couple of days’ time, when you turn the page of your Inspirations calendar to the month of November, you are in fact looking at a top 10 design!

The project Sakura by Margaret Lee was first published in Inspirations issue #105 and its popularity over the years has seen it rank a solid #7 in our top 10 of all time best-selling kits.
So, if you are yet to add Sakura to your ‘To Stitch List’ you can write this one down with confidence as it has earned its place on a prestigious top 10 list among some of the world’s most beautiful needlework.
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 105
 
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Sakura
 
 
READY-TO-STITCH KIT
Sakura
 
Stitching on Social | October
We went over to our social media account to pick a few talented artists to highlight this month and before we knew it an hour had passed! It’s hard to look away when the next post could be yet another textile or needlework artist treasure trove. We managed to peel our eyes away so we could create this list to check out for October:
@journallyours: handmade customised journals with a whimsical touch stitched by Ruth.
@oldindustrial: We spotted these Temari balls from a vintage Japanese textile dealer based in China.
@pelyushenko_craft: Svetlana’s yummy looking pizza!
@ricamopittura: Beautiful botanical pieces bursting with colour by Ernestina.

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.
This Now In...
From wares to kits and all kinds of tricks, if it has recently come back in stock, you’ll discover it below.
 
PRINTED BOOK
Whitework with Colour | Available to Order
 
 
Featured Project
Crowning Glory by Helen M. Stevens
You’ve probably heard the theory that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill. This idea was first suggested by Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers where he suggests it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practise to achieve mastery of complex skills and materials.
Helen M. Stevens’ career in needlework first began in 1981, today 41 years on with 12 bestselling books published, countless exhibitions held, commissioned pieces stitched and hundreds of projects designed and taught, it would almost be an understatement to call Helen a master in needlework.
A true artisan of our generation and a captain of our industry, it is always a great privilege for us to publish her projects.
Crowning Glory from Inspirations issue #116 depicts a glorious Victoria Crowned Pigeon nestled in a New South Wales Christmas bush worked in silk floss and stranded cotton.
Few designers have the mastery of technique Helen demonstrates when working with silk floss.

Firstly, it’s helpful to understand the different applications one can deploy when stitching with silk. You can choose from spun silk, filament silk or twisted filament silk. For further reading on understanding the difference between the three, Mary Corbet has an excellent article you can check out HERE.
With Crowning Glory, Helen uses Pipers Silks floss in an array of 16 different colours. These filament silk threads are quite robust and strong, and if they get twisted can be untangled. Non-twisted silk is highly lustrous compared to twisted filament silk, as it’s mainly laid flat to help catch and reflect the light.
Part of the secret to the spectacular finish Helen has achieved with Crowning Glory is due to large sections of the piece being worked using three strands laid together, reducing to two and then just a single strand for some of the finer details.
The striking red breast of the pigeon and the pops of white and red flowers from the Christmas bush are all the more vivid against the perfectly chosen black background.
Few designers have the depth of experience and the rich history spanning so many decades as does Helen M. Stevens. To help capture her life’s work Helen has recently launched a brand-new website you can check out HERE that is a joy to explore.
To help capture her life’s work Helen has recently launched a brand-new website that is a joy to explore. You can check it out HERE.
Make Your Own Crowning Glory
Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Crowning Glory by Helen M. Stevens is a silk embroidery featuring a colourful crowned pigeon and Christmas bush.
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 116
 
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Crowning Glory
 
Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Crowning Glory includes everything* you need to re-create this colourful crowned pigeon: Fabric with pre-printed design, embroidery threads and needle.
 
READY-TO-STITCH KIT
Crowning Glory
 
*Please Note: To cater for flexibility of purchase, instructions are not included with our kits. For step-by-step directions on how to create this project, please refer to the magazine/digital pattern.
Looking for More Helen M. Stevens?
Seasons in the Sun
Seasons in the Sun by Helen M. Stevens from the Handpicked Range is a magical circlet of seasonal blooms and berries.
 
PRINTED PATTERN
Seasons in the Sun
 
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Season in the Sun
 
A Kingfisher Christmas
A Kingfisher Christmas by Helen M. Stevens from Inspirations issue #104 is a vibrant kingfisher in silk embroidery amongst foliage featuring holly, ivy and mistletoe.
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 104
 
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
A Kingfisher Christmas
 
Bird of Paradise
Bird of Paradise by Helen M. Stevens from Inspirations issue #43 is a glorious peacock worked in silk and gold threads.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Bird of Paradise
 
Red Robin
Red Robin by Helen M. Stevens from Inspirations issue #67 is a vibrant threadpainted picture featuring a scarlet-breasted robin amongst a charming garland of foliage and berries.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Red Robin
 
What Are You Stitching?
It is said that ‘birds of a feather flock together’, inferring that people with the same tastes and interests can be found alongside each other. And so it is in this week’s issue of the newsletter. Having shared Helen M. Stevens’ ‘Crowning Glory’ as our Featured Project, we’ve now gathered up some of the birds we have in our What Are You Stitching? files so we can ensure that birds of a feather are indeed flocked together!
Adrienne Forsyth
‘This is my finished ‘Nigel’ by Hazel Blomkamp. He was fun and interesting to stitch, although he did go into hibernation for a bit while I worked on some other things.’
‘I am looking forward to working on another of Hazel's creatures in the not-too-distant future with hopes that my needle lace technique will have improved somewhat!’

Adrienne, we were particularly taken with Nigel’s poise and grace and we look forward to seeing which of Hazel’s creatures you put your needle and thread to next.
CaLynn
‘I thought I would share a textile collage bird I made through a workshop with Mandy Pattullo. Thank you for being inspiring!’
CaLynn, your selected fabrics, threads and stitches have brought your Hermit Thrush to life. The bird is alert and inquisitive and looks every bit as if it’s about to alight from where it stands. It was a joy to read your blog and share in your journey with needle and thread. The banner your Hermit Thrush now calls home is simply spectacular.
Claude Lecerf
‘I have recently completed two embroideries from Laurence Lieblich and so appreciated the detailed tutorials she puts online. Discovering her is an opportunity for all people, no matter where they live, to be able to learn.’
‘I have always liked to embroider and thanks to Laurence I feel encouraged to keep stitching.’
Claude, your birds are instantly recognisable as Laurence Lieblich’s designs. We love that the internet has provided a place where the world feels a little smaller and has allowed you to learn and stitch as if you live in close proximity to Laurence. The results you’ve achieved speak for themselves and you should absolutely feel encouraged to keep stitching!
Jan Snow
‘Last Fall I bought the Little Bird digital pattern from Inspirations issue #103.’
‘I am relatively new to embroidery and as I stitched, I kept thinking of other stitches that I could use. So, when I finished the initial bird, down the rabbit hole I went!

By the time I got to the last bird, I stitched the ‘The End’ bunting first to make sure it was indeed the last bird!’
‘Then what to do with the individual birds?! Although I didn’t have a plan when I first started, I drew on past bookmaking experience, pulled out the sewing machine and put the flock together as an accordion book. There were lots of mistakes along the way, lots of ripping out stitches I didn’t like, but most importantly I learned a lot.’
‘I felt the birds needed a protective ‘nest’ so I sewed up an envelope and now the project feels complete.’
Jan, ‘Same Bird, Different Stitches’ may just be the most creative stitch sampler we’ve seen to date! We love that you allowed yourself to go down a rabbit hole and simply stitch. The book not only allowed you to explore myriad techniques but will provide a fabulous reference for years to come.
Have you stitched a bird that’s longing to be part of our flock? If so, we’d love to see it! 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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You May Have Missed
Be Charmed with the Most Charming of Charms
A selection of gorgeous Susan Clarke Original charms are now available on our website.
Beetlemania
Beetlemania by Jane Nicholas from Inspirations issue #88 is a stunning goldwork diving beetle.
 
DIGITAL PATTERN
Beetlemania
 
The Egyptian Beetle
The Egyptian Beetle by Wendy Innes from Inspirations issue #40 is a stunning, three-dimensional masterpiece featuring three Egyptian icons – the scarab beetle, Ra, the sun, and the lotus blossom.
 
PRINTED MAGAZINE
Inspirations Issue 40
 
Birds, Butterflies and Little Beasts
Birds, Butterflies and Little Beasts to Knit and Crochet is a delightful book featuring a menagerie of miniature bugs and beasts.
 
PRINTED BOOK
Birds, Butterflies and Little Beasts to Knit and Crochet
 
This Week on Social
 
Rachel Gooden's Spanish Moon moth - the wings alone took 45+ hours!
 
Sue North's first attempt at crewel work. The project is 'Floral-Sprigged Sewing Fold' from Margaret Light's book A Fine Tradition. Beautiful work Sue!
 
Quote
‘The difference between something good and something great is attention to detail.’

~ Charles R Swindoll ~

What's On
Stay informed of upcoming needlework events taking place all around the world in our What’s On page on the Inspirations Studios Website HERE.
If you’re holding an event or would like to suggest one to be added, we’d love to hear about it. Email us the details at news@inspirationsstudios.com
INSPIRATIONS
© 2022 Inspirations Studios

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