A recent email from Ingrid Fetell Lee opened with an intriguing question, ‘Do some cultures experience more joy than others?’ Fascinated by her query, we read on.

Whilst Ingrid acknowledges that there’s not a lot of data that exists ‘on whether there’s a difference in the small, daily joys people find around the world’, she believes that ‘there are certain places where joy sits closer to the surface’. This became especially apparent as she found herself flicking through the pages of a new book ‘Joie: A Parisian’s Guide to Celebrating the Good Life’. The book explores the French notion of joie de vivre (the exuberant enjoyment of life), which Ingrid found herself looking in upon with ‘a pang of envy for what it must be like to live in a culture that fundamentally believes joy matters’.

She sat down with the book’s author, Ajiri Aki, to learn more. Together, they unpacked some of Ajiri’s thoughts on what it means to experience the joy of living, and how it manifests in the daily life of the French.

Having now lived in Paris for 12 years, Ajiri has come to realise that the French tap into simple pleasures every day, ‘buying flowers, buying food that pleases them, having a meal’, and all without constantly worrying whether those acts would be considered ‘good’ or ‘bad’. They simply partake in them for the pleasure they provide.

In fact, pleasure is paramount to the French as Ajiri found in some of the simple turns of phrase commonly used by the French. At the end of a meal, instead of asking ‘Are you done?’, they say ‘Did it please you?’. When issued an invitation to a social event, they’ll often respond with ‘avec plaisir’ which translates to ‘with pleasure’.

The French have found a way to take the guilt out of what are sometimes considered guilty pleasures and as such, move through life without the same constraints other collective cultures impose on themselves. They make experiencing pleasure and joy a primary focus, ensuring they prioritise small, repeatable moments of pleasure that can be found day in and day out.

So, next time you pick up needle and thread, instead of chastising yourself for what didn’t get done in place of stitching, being critical of how much you completed or how well each stitch was laid, find your ‘inner Parisian’, and simply ask yourself, ‘Did it please me?’. And we think for the most part, your answer will be a resounding ‘Yes’!

This week’s Have Your Say sees us taking a walk through some recent issues of All Stitched Up! as we share some of the conversations that were continued by members of the Inspirations Community, closing with a stroll Phyl is taking through all things needle and thread that she’s hoping we might be able to help her with.

We opened ASU #378 with some thoughts on focus and how it can help us to navigate obstacles we may find on the path before us. Denise joined in on the conversation by sharing what she uses to remind herself to focus on her focus.

‘My friend, who has now passed away, used to tell me to focus. We both had gold hoop earrings, so when I need to remember to focus, I simply wear my earrings and think of what she would say. This is particularly helpful when I am designing a new project.’

Denise, not only do the earrings remind you to focus, but they provide an ongoing connection to someone who was integral to your journey with needle and thread – who could ask for more from a simple piece of jewellery?!

ASU #380 saw us looking for more time to put needle and thread to fabric as we shared some of the ways in which Debbie Preissinger makes the time to put stitching at the top of her To Do List. Our conversation encouraged many an idea to be shared.

Whilst Darcy has tried the ‘wake up earlier’ method Debbie suggested, she quickly came to realise that she’s not a morning person! Her solution? Zoom.

Darcy has taken to Zoom, holding stitch-ins that are anywhere between 90 and 120 minutes long. Her Zoom Calendar now includes two stitch-ins for her EGA region – one fortnightly and one monthly, as well as follow up stitch-ins to classes she’s taken with her ANG Needlepoint Guild that encourage her, as well as the other attendees, to finish what they started. She also attends a Zoom stitch-in, sponsored by another group, every Sunday afternoon.

The relatively low cost of Zoom allows Darcy to host and attend stitch-ins as often as she likes for as long as she likes. This means she has scheduled numerous additional hours for her stitching each week, all whilst enjoying the company of other stitchers.

Gillian reminisced about her time spent stitching at Bustle & Bows in Warrandyte, Australia that meant an entire day was spent with needle and thread each week.

‘When I lived in Melbourne, I attended embroidery classes at the wonderful Bustle & Bows. Spending a whole Saturday with other amazing stitchers was a real joy, and to have Ana Mallah as our teacher was wonderful as she was so encouraging. I really miss those classes but thank you for including Ana’s designs in Inspirations, I have bought some of them as future projects - for when time allows!’

Gillian, we’ve had the absolute joy of visiting Bustle & Bows on more than one occasion and think it’s one of the most idyllic places to while away the hours with needle and thread, and to do it under the expert guidance of Ana Mallah – oh my!

After following the discussion about making the time to stitch, Lindsey shared her solution.

‘I have a storage trolley, and whilst mine was from IKEA they’re also available in places like Kmart, that had been idling its time away in the shed, unused and unloved until I had a bit of a brainwave.

I have tried lots of ways to store my embroidery - boxes, bags, baskets, but this for me ticks all the boxes! Top shelf: needles, books, and threads in use. Second shelf: a variety of optional threads to choose from. Bottom shelf: hoops, completed panels, stabiliser, and such.’

‘How does this give me more time to stitch? Everything is at hand so while I drink my morning coffee, it’s beside me. Afternoon tea out in the sun, my trolley wheels out with me. Off to our TV room in the evening, it’s beside my chair. I can indulge in five minute blocks of time, or maybe a little more while dinner cooks or my husband gets ready for an outing!

It has honestly changed my life. My husband has Parkinson’s and stitching is my meditation which now I can just pick up anytime. Thank you for a wonderful magazine and all the lovely items you sell. I have quite a collection of tins that are useful for threads, needles, and thread organisers - as well as one that holds my nest of threads!’

Lindsey, we love that such a simple solution has had such an impact on your time with needle thread - we even have it on good authority that you would take it to the hairdresser if you were able! Who knows, maybe stitching while getting your hair done might just encourage those around you to pick up needle and thread too?!

After reading issue #380 of the newsletter, Carol appreciated afresh how ‘too much work can slow you down just because you are worrying about all the work, all the time.’

This was a lesson Carol learnt while working corporately, and the solution she came up with then, Carol now applies to her time with needle and thread.

‘The problem is not the work, it's the time. When I decided to allocate my time for everything that needed doing first thing in the morning, I found out that I had time left over. When I have a finite amount of time to finish one piece of a project, I can focus on that, knowing that all the other work for the day is going to get done and I don't need to worry about it. It's magic!

I use this system today except I have attached a place to the time slots.’

‘My first time slot is coffee in bed while listening to the news, with a stitching project that lives on my bedside table. I have paper pieced a couple quilts during this time. My second slot is scheduled after I am dressed and ready for the day. So, I wake at 6:00 and by 8:00 I have stitched for an hour, gotten dressed and had breakfast.

Using this system, while the place itself may change, I can still complete the allotted activity. I also have a project in my car so that I can stitch while I wait to pick up the grandchildren or am assisting others with transport and running errands. It's amazing how much I can get done while living life with family and friends.

So, I live with my alarm set each day in the knowledge that my stitching gets stitched, my grandkids get picked up, my bills get paid, my grocery shopping gets ordered, my lunch and dinner gets made, and my present and future stitching projects get planned.’

All that and stitching to boot! Sounds like you’ve found the system that’s just right for you Carol.

Meg wrote in with a simple note of thanks for our reminder to make the time for needle and thread.

‘Thank you so much for the snippet on making time to stitch. I too have been struggling to find time to stitch. By the end of the day, I am exhausted both mentally and physically after caring for my husband with Alzheimer’s and our three dogs. I now know though that I need to carve out some me time as I have a long journey before me.’

Meg, we hope you’ll take the reminder to heart, and perhaps some of the suggestions put forward in today’s newsletter will help to ensure needle and thread become a part of your tool kit for navigating the journey before you.

As mentioned, we’re closing this week’s Have Your Say with Phyl who has a task before her that all of us have either already experienced or will have to tackle at some point in our journey with needle and thread.

‘I am in an emotional quandary. I am attempting to pack up 60 years of wonderful stitching and collecting of embroidery memorabilia. It is an extremely emotional journey as I have always had a dedicated sewing space, with my current one having lots of bookshelves, so there is also a lifetime of collecting wonderful books.

We are downsizing and although there is an extremely active Embroiderers’ Guild Branch in my town, they cannot take all my books, so the local Rotary Book Fair are taking many of them off my hands. I do so love that someone is going to have a lot of good reading ahead of them.

Whilst many of my patchwork fabrics have found a new home, it has been very hard to let them go. This sorting is taking quite some time as I mull over what should stay or go, and I’m finding it all quite hard.

I have a full set of all Inspirations magazines from the very first issue but am keeping all of these as I love looking through them for inspiration, as do my small stitching group which has inevitably become smaller over the years as the oldest member is now 96, with the youngest ‘just’ 70 years old.

I’m hoping someone in the Inspirations Community may have some suggestions to make this clearing out simpler, I would love to hear from them!’

If you’re able to point Phyl in the right direction as to how she can tackle the task before her, we know she’d appreciate your thoughts. Simply email us, and as we know Phyl isn’t alone, we’ll look to publish your responses in an upcoming issue of the newsletter so we can all benefit from the pearls of wisdom shared.

Further to our recent announcement that the Inspirations 2024 Calendar was available for pre-order, we have an update for you…

Having received a shipment into our warehouse just this week, we are ecstatic to report that the Inspirations 2024 wall calendar is now officially in stock and available for purchase.

It was the very first time our team have had the opportunity to see a finished copy of the calendar and it was so beautiful it knocked our socks off!

Twelve of our most popular and breath-taking projects are featured, one for each month of the year.

This is the only publication we release with images of this size, meaning you can see all the intricately fine details of the designs as if you were looking at the original project itself.

For those who have pre-ordered, your calendar is already on its way to you now. For everyone else, there is every possibility these calendars will sell out before 2024 arrives, so click below to order your copy today.

Susan Clarke’s adorable charms consistently prove to be a crowd favourite – so much so that keeping them in stock proves to be quite the task for us!

At the time of writing this newsletter we do have most of the new range of Susan Clarke Originals charms still in stock; however there are only a few of each remaining.

The new charms still in stock include a beautiful blue bobbin, a delightful bee and beehive you may recognise from Carolyn Pearce’s Home Sweet Home, plus we also have a pink butterfly and yellow daffodil available.

Cuteness is addictive... click below with caution!

Last week we included a step-by-step guide to get the most out of using the filters in our Digital Patterns section of the website to make it easier to find what you’re looking for.

We have our extremely popular ‘Learn’ booklet series featuring easy to follow guides for learning bead embroidery, crewel embroidery, stumpwork and more. This series is perfect for those new to the world of needlework, or those looking to expand their embroidery skills in particular techniques.

We also have Jill Newton’s vibrant and beautiful ‘Quilting Through the Garden’ available as a digital book, featuring her stunning queen size quilt inspired by her country garden.

You can also find our latest Inspirations magazine index, a few out of print titles and a couple of other surprises waiting for you under our Digital Books category.

Happy browsing…

The A-Z series includes some of the most well-known books that Inspirations has ever produced and this week we're thrilled to have the super popular title ‘A-Z of Crochet’ back in stock.

Including everything you need to know about crochet, starting from the basics and working through some more complex techniques, this book is perfect for beginners or experienced stitchers looking to expand their repertoire.

If you’re an animal lover, look no further that ‘Bonnie the Cow & Friends’ or ‘Birds, Butterflies & Little Beasts to Knit & Crochet’. If you prefer to recreate flora with your crochet hook, ‘Stylish Succulents to Crochet’ is the perfect find.

Either way, our range of crochet books is bound to house some inspiration for your next crochet adventure.

Any needlework fan loves a good excuse to pull out their threads or yarns and stitch up a storm, and the recent King’s Coronation was no exception.

Heather Howarth and her friends from Hurst in England, suitably titled the Hurst Hookers, decorated the 29 posts surrounding their local community pond with a uniquely festive display.

Using only their crochet hooks, knitting needles and wool, Howarth and co. recreated King Charles III and the associated royal characters attending his Coronation. His woolly ensemble included the Queen Consort, the Archbishop of Canterbury, plenty of Grenadier Guards, and even Paddington Bear, paying honour to the film he and Queen Elizabeth II shared tea in.

The Hurst Hookers began amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and met every few weeks when lockdown rules permitted. The 18 women began conceptualising their Coronation display in early September and installed it around their local pond in April.

Dressing the poles in the early evening to avoid too many prying eyes, the group’s attention to detail is unmissable. Each of the medals on the guards are from different campaigns, Charles’ chest insignia is a crocheted replica of the real one, and they even included the St Edward’s Crown.

The Hurst community showed plenty of love and admiration for the display, with all signs pointing toward the fat sergeant being their favourite character. A lovely reminder that any festive celebration is made even better by those who wield needles and thread!

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

When an artist begins the process of creating or designing something new, one of the tools they may reach for in their tool kit is pairing.

This may involve pairing two opposing elements in juxtaposition to create a tension that wouldn’t exist otherwise. Think sweet and sour.

Or taking two harmonious components that once combined create a synergy that elevates their appeal beyond what is achievable on their own. Think peaches and ice-cream.

Whilst the approach of pairing is perhaps most prevalent in the culinary world, there are needlework artists who are frequently pushing boundaries by pairing different techniques to discover new possibilities.

Think Trish Burr pairing whitework with colour or Christine Burton combining blackwork with colour and then using it on a three-dimensional embroidery to create her Limonera Pear.

No-one had seen work quite like this before and it helps to expand our collective thinking as we ask ourselves, what else is possible?

The genesis of her two selections were simple – an opportunity to employ her two favourite counted techniques, Bargello and blackwork.

On the surface, the idea of combining two counted techniques sounds logical and straight forward and from a stitching perspective that is very true. It’s when you consider the design styles typically associated with Bargello vs blackwork that you start to wonder how they will look when paired together on the same piece.

Think ‘70s brightly coloured flame patterns meets austere intricate motifs.

This is where a lifetime of experience and design skills shine forth as Betsy very cleverly taps into the strengths of each style and, rather than try and give equal weighing, she dedicates 85% of each panel to Bargello, 15% to blackwork and marries the two beautifully through the use of uniform colour palettes and variegated threads.

The end result is a wonderfully harmonious four-sided box with a pin cushion insert and matching scissor fob that is so pleasing you wonder why no-one has paired these before!

Love the design but not interested in a pincushion? That’s ok, just make an extra base, use it for a lid and you have a stunning storage box.

Love the design and love pincushions? You’ve come to the right place. Check out our Put a Pin In It Gift Pack that includes Bargello & Blackwork, two other pincushions and some extra goodies all at 40% off!

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Bargello & Blackwork by Betsy Morgan is a tall, elegant pincushion worked in counted thread embroidery.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Bargello & Blackwork includes everything* you need to re-create this matching pincushion and scissor fob: Fabric (unprinted), fusible interfacing, interlining, comic board, green sewing thread, fibre-fill, embroidery threads and needles.

Giraffe with Barbara Streisand Eyes by Trish Burr is a beguiling giraffe with dreamy eyes in whitework with colour.

Topiary in the Border by Jo Butcher from Where Meadows & Gardens Grow features perfect topiary spheres rising above a colourful sea of iris, geum, verbena and echinacea flowers, on a painted background.

Coastal Banksia by Julie Kniedl from the book Botanica showcases the stunning seed pod and leaves of a banksia, finished using a ‘found’ branch.

Whitework with Colour by Trish Burr features 17 projects ranging from complete beginner to more advanced. No special skills are required, but a little practise will go a long way in helping you master the technique.

Following on from featuring the wonderful, counted work of Betsy Morgan, we rounded up a few projects stitched by the Inspirations Community to add to this issue of All Stitched Up! to complete the counted work equation…

‘I loved the use of the cylinder inside the DMC perlé cotton ball. Great recycling. I won the scissors in a Guild raffle last year and they are the perfect colour for this etui.’

Your hard work has paid off Mary, your etui is stunning. The orange scissors provide just the right pop of colour to bring it all together! Well done.

‘I also added my initials to the scissor case. I must admit I had a real great feeling of accomplishment when it was all done.’

You’ve recreated it beautifully, Norah! Not only is the stitching and construction impeccable, you’ve earned the problem solving tick of approval with your handmade spool. We’re sure you will enjoy using your new stitching accessories for many years to come.

These are splendid, Paulina. We love that embroidery is your favourite hobby, so with talent like yours we look forward to seeing what you stitch next!

Is embroidery your favourite hobby? Do you like counted thread work? Have you had to make items for a project that were no longer readily available?

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!

With another 50 exquisite designs now on offer, Chrissie Juno Mann’s new book is a blackwork lover’s dream!

Victorian Christmas by Kim Beamish is a set of pretty sewing accessories embellished with delicate pulled thread work and festive holly.

~ Françoise Sagan ~

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