Inherently we know the benefits our time with needle and thread affords us. However, it is possible to become all too familiar with these over time, and sometimes it takes an insight from someone else to remind us of what we once consciously knew to be true.

In her most recent book, The Light We Carry, Michelle Obama did just that.

At the onset of the COVID pandemic, Michelle found herself working through feelings of being overwhelmed. Given what many around her were experiencing, she unquestionably recognised her own luck and privilege, but still struggled with the stillness and isolation the pandemic imposed.

Having spent a lifetime being busy, the first months of the pandemic stripped away the previous structure of Michelle’s days leaving her a little lost in the process. Suddenly there was time to overthink and ‘the tidiness she’d always relished was replaced by a cluttered sense of unease’.

Michelle found herself in a particularly low place when she finally got around to picking up the two beginner-sized knitting needles she’d randomly ordered online at the onset of the pandemic.

As she knit and purled, purled and knit alongside YouTube tutorials, she found her focus narrowed and her mind felt a little at ease. She realised that when her hands were busy, her mind would slow, detouring her mind from anxiety.

There was ‘something in that tiny and precise motion on repeat, the gentle rhythm of those clicking needles’ that moved her brain in a new direction. It helped her regain a sense of steadiness and clarity amidst the uncertainty.

Even to this day, when Michelle feels a sense of agitation rising as she struggles with her ‘not-enoughness’ against what the world can sometimes throw at her, she ‘picks up the knitting needles and gives her hands a chance to take over, to quietly click her out of that hard place’.

Michelle’s words reminded us that needle and thread are so much more than just a way to while away our hours of leisure, they help us navigate the inevitable hardships that come our way.

Whether the ‘hard’ we face is big or small, may we always remember to turn to the healing power of needle and thread.

Orts can be defined as ‘leftover snips of thread that remain when you are done stitching’. This week we’re sharing some lingering snippets of conversations that resulted from things we’ve previously shared in All Stitched Up!, hence our orts of thoughts!

Following on from our conversation about worth in All Stitched Up! issue #363, Jane wrote in to let us know that the joy others find in her stitching is one of the ways she’s come to appreciate the worth of her time with needle and thread.

‘Perhaps I’m not the best at what I make with my hands… those points on my quilts aren’t perfect, I see a dropped stitch woven into my knitting, a colour choice that wasn’t quite right in my needlepoint, a counted cross stitch ornament that seems slightly wonky, the satin stitch not laying as beautifully as I’d hoped, and oh, so much is wrong with that Christmas stocking!

As Jane sympathised in her email, the list of our ‘faulty’ stitching can, at times, seem all too long, but she’s come to realise that life is about sharing the fruits of our labours with others, if for no other reason than to simply bring them joy.

Ann both asked and answered a question in her email to us.

‘How do I reward myself after finishing a project? By starting the next one! My projects take me so long that I’m really looking forward to the next new thing by the time I’m nine tenths of the way through the current one.’

There are times all of us need a little motivation to get through the stitching before us, and we can think of no better way than to look forward to starting what’s next for our needle and thread!

Marcia is hoping someone in the Inspirations Community is able to point her in the right direction as she struggles with a recent change in her eyesight – something many of us are all too familiar with as the years pass us by!

‘I enjoy embroidery and cross stitch, but recent cataract surgery has left me far sighted. I am now having trouble seeing well enough to stitch. Although I've bought magnifying glasses and a hands-free headband magnifier, I’m wondering what others do when they have vision problems with their stitching.’

We know Marcia would love to hear from anyone who’s found a solution to stitching through the inevitable changes in eyesight that eventually come our way.

In ASU #364 we helped Edna tame her sometimes untameable threads as we shared the ways in which the Inspirations Community avoid those all too easily created bird’s nests many of us have found at the bottom of our stitching bags on at least one occasion!

Edna wrote in with a note of thanks:

‘Thank you for the articles on storing threads while working. It is good to know that I am not the only one to have a bird’s nest when using multiple threads. I would like to thank all the members who took the time to answer and will certainly try many of the methods suggested.’

Sandra was also ‘pleased to read of all the solutions to birds nesting’ as she is ‘definitely one who creates nests!’ Sandra is also going to take the time to try some of the suggested methods she thinks will suit her.

But wait, before we close the conversation on taming threads, Chantal wrote in to let us know how she controls her cotton!

‘To keep threads from getting tangled, I make thread drops using backing board from my embroidery stash with a large die cut punch, which can be found in the scrapbooking section at craft stores.

At the start of each project, I look through the thread drops I already have and grab the colours I will be using. I then make and label any that are needed for new colours. I keep my skeins, spools, and bobbins in a separate zippered pouch where they can’t come into contact with the threads and get tangled.’

Chantal, we appreciate you joining in on the conversation and love both the form and function your solution provides to bring unruly cottons back under control.

By now, all our readers of this newsletter will know how adorable the Corinne Lapierre range of felt kits are, and the latest project we’ve just added to our website is no exception

Inspired by her love of Scandinavian folk designs, this gorgeous Birdhouse features intricate details embellishing the leaves, the bird and the eves of the house itself.

Using high quality super soft wool mix felt and 12 specially chosen DMC threads, the kit includes everything you need to complete a birdhouse of your very own, including a full-scale template, instructions and a stitch guide.

Use the link below to purchase your Folk Birdhouse today or click HERE to view our full range of Corinne Lapierre’s kits.

A Low Stock Report may not sound like a very fun category to have in your favourite needlework newsletter but think of this as more of a public service announcement!

When our wares team mentioned there are a few products we’re about to run out of, up jumped your trusty newsletter editors and said:

So here are 5 wares categories with products that have 5 units or less remaining:

Collectable Tins

Our collectable and giftable tins are perfect for storing all kinds of needlework bits and pieces or they make great gifts. With less than 5 of each left, now’s the perfect time to get one, two or a few!

These luxurious Japanese hand-crafted sewing accessories have proven immensely popular, so it’s no surprise we have quite a few items with less than 5 left. Including a tape measure, Momen tool case, mini scissors, marking pins and our range of spools, we recommend getting in before they’re all gone.

Many stitchers know and love DMC threads – they’re one of the most popular threads available. Did you know DMC also make a range of macrame kits? Easy to complete, versatile to use, a lovely addition to any home and made with quality DMC threads. Grab one for you and one for a friend while stock lasts.

For those with a special little one in their life, our child-sized felt hats are perfect to embroider your own design and create a beautiful, personalised gift. Available in a range of colours, and with only a few left, it’s first in, best dressed!

We’ve previously shared our love for the world-class Tulip products including embroidery needles, beading awls and pins, just to name a few. With stock selling out, now’s the time to discover for yourself why Tulip is so highly regarded.

Our second instalment of Inspirations issue #87 Digital Patterns is here. Showcasing a range of techniques, this collection of projects will encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and try something new.

Hazel Blomkamp’s exquisite Jacobus Rex is a tablet cover featuring traditional weaving patterns to create uniquely embroidered flowers and leaves, embellished with intricate needle weaving.

Meadow Bloom by Anna Scott is a gorgeous crewel cushion, featuring exquisite flowers and a vibrant array of colours. Utilising twenty-five different stitches, this piece has a uniquely intricate and eye-catching surface.

Each PDF file includes the instructions, requirement lists, stitch diagrams and full-size pattern sheets, as they originally appeared in the magazine.

With this final instalment, all issue #87 digital patterns are now available on our website to purchase and download individually.

We don’t know about you, but we’re enjoying the little bit of extra fun this new segment is bringing us each week as we discover fabulous and sometimes quirky new products courtesy of our retail store The Bobbin Tree.

This week the fun continues with a range of Wildlife Garden hooks. These hand-carved hooks are creative depictions of animals from around the world.

Our range includes a wombat, kookaburra, donkey, kangaroo, rabbit and more. A playful addition to your home, these sturdy hooks can be utilised to hang clothes, towels, bags, accessories and more.

With over 10 animals to be found on our website, it’s beginning to look a little like a zoo!

Adopt your own animal hook to take home today…

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

You know that feeling when you purchase something new and you can’t wait to try it out? It might be a kitchen appliance, a sewing machine, a new piece of technology or maybe even a sports car – you’re just itching to take it through its paces and find out what it’s capable of.

This may seem like a strange analogy to describe this week’s feature project ‘Rare Bloom’ but stay with us and we’ll explain what we mean…

First, some facts:

Publication: Inspirations magazine issue #117
Designer: Hazel Blomkamp from South Africa
Project Name: Rare Bloom
Project Type: Framed Embroidery
Technique: Needle Lace & Surface Embroidery
Fabric: Cotton/Linen Blend
Design Transfer Required: Yes
Threads: Stranded Cotton, Perlé Cotton & Seed Beads
Dimensions: Finished design 11cm x 13cm wide (4½” x 5”)

The floral design for Rare Bloom borrows its DNA from Jacobean style needlework, meaning it’s a fantasy flower. So, for the avid gardeners among us, no you’re not about to discover an exotic new species of flower, but while you can’t plant one of these beauties, you sure can stitch one.

Hazel Blomkamp’s designs are renowned as a stitcher’s delight. She gifts us with striking designs that are first and foremost works of art in their own right, and then Hazel sets about jamming in every kind of needlework pleasure and stitching surprise you can think of.

Think of Rare Bloom as an exercise in creating a stitching sampler that focuses on filling stitches utilising two types of needlelace, two styles of surface embroidery and a weaving technique for a total of 22 different stitches in all.

Learning just the nuances associated with the needlelace filling is fascinating. Rare Bloom uses two different patterns that are both worked using detached blanket stitch, yet the outcome is completely different based on the pattern you work up.

Within the surface embroidery category we have trellis with cross stitch couching, which creates dense geometric patterns, and then there are padded elements that are worked with satin stitch.

Then, to top it all off, we have what may be the most exciting element of the project, the outer centre of the main flower.

Random freestyle stitching abounds with three-petal detached chain buds, nine-petal detached chain flowers, trellis couching, partial blanket stitch pinwheels, eyelet variation, sheaf stitch, single raised chain stitch and single weaving.

All this punctuated with French knots to soften the effect and fill the small spaces. And just a reminder… this is all in just one section of the piece!

Now… we want you to imagine that your needle and thread is just like that new purchase we mentioned at the beginning of this article. It’s a brand-new piece of equipment that you can’t wait to put through its paces to see what it’s capable of.

Rare Bloom is the perfect project for such an application. If you ever wanted to know just what your needle and thread was technically capable of… ladies and gentlemen, we present Rare Bloom.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Rare Bloom by Hazel Blomkamp is a spectacular flower, filled with an array of stitches and techniques.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Rare Bloom includes everything* you need to re-create this ornate flower: Fabrics (inc. with pre-printed design), wool felt, wadding, cardboard, sewing thread, embroidery threads, beads and needle.

Reflection by Hazel Blomkamp from A Passion for Needlework 4 | The Whitehouse Daylesford is a stunning cushion with sophisticated stitch combinations enhanced with beading.

Poppy by Hazel Blomkamp from Inspirations issue #107 features a flamboyant bird with engaging stitches and techniques.

Sweet William by Hazel Blomkamp from The Design Collective | Pincushions is a gorgeous pincushion featuring sparkling, three-dimensional beaded flowers and leaves surrounding a lattice on a circular design.

Mandala Musings by Hazel Blomkamp from Inspirations issue #93 is an opulent, beaded Jacobean design with needleweaving and needlelace.

What Are You Stitching? is all about themes and techniques this week. Some of us stitch within a specific theme while some prefer a certain technique. Others accidentally discover a re-occurring theme or technique in their work after stitching multiple projects and then look back to realise a pattern forming they never knew they were creating!

Jane, you were certainly right - we absolutely wanted to see your recent works so thank you for sending them in. These are beautiful pieces and such a tranquil theme to be stitching. Hopefully you can get back to your garden soon!

‘My work with needle and thread encompasses several areas: cross-stitch, embroidery, quilting, needle felting, and knitting. This means my studio bookshelves are filled with books and magazines on all of those topics -- plus design, composition, colour theory, water-colour, drawing, dyeing fabric and yarn, beading...

In recent months I've been culling them a bit, but only when I'm certain I'll not need to refer to any of them ever again - largely because of a change in style or approach or interest.

It hasn't made much of a dent in my collection (!) but it has led me to organise the titles - especially my magazines - for easier access. I'm less inclined to dig out a publication if the sources are hidden in a jumble!’

‘It was inspired by a photo I took of 'Fairy Hydrangea' in a garden at Clan Donald House in Scotland, which I visited on a tour in 2017 to celebrate my 65th birthday.’

How lucky you are Margaret to have such a plethora of knowledge right at your fingertips – it’s no wonder you can dabble in so many creative areas. Your needlework is beautiful and the different disciplines you practice really help to add a complexity and depth to your work.

This is a wonderfully creative way to showcase all of your stunning pieces, Daphne. You’ve used so many different techniques and materials and we love all the colours and compositions of each piece, all of which have been so thoughtfully positioned together.

Have you tried combining techniques for a project? Do you have a theme in mind before you start stitching or does one appear once your projects are complete?

Whatever you are stitching, we’d love to see it! Email photos of what you’ve created with needle and thread along with a few details 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!

A Fine Tradition 2 is due to be released very shortly. Pre-order now open. More soon…

The Queen's Pomegranate by Kathy Andrews is a stylish cushion with a regal pomegranate in crewel embroidery.

Interlude by Di Kirchner from Inspirations issue #111 is a stunning crewel cushion featuring a vibrant pomegranate.

Redwork Pincushion & Chatelaine by Margaret Light from A Fine Tradition is a collection of handy needlework accessories including a barrel pincushion featuring a luscious pomegranate.

Tudor Rose & Pomegranate by Cynthia Jackson from the Handpicked Range features a stunning pomegranate in 16th century goldwork and silk embroidery techniques.

Persian Bounty by Anna Scott from Inspirations issue #108 is a beautiful pomegranate study using a variety of stumpwork techniques.

~ Michelle Obama ~

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