Medha Sarkar has been quoted as saying that ‘Books have the power to transport us to new worlds and different times.’

We recently had such an experience, albeit with a magazine instead of a book, but still the sentiment rang true!

When the latest issue of Needlepoint Now crossed our desks, it was a particularly wintery day at Inspirations HQ in Adelaide, Australia. The skies looked especially threatening as the rain fell hard, the wind was blowing, and the heaters were working overtime. We were looking for any excuse to stay inside, and to say we were feeling a tad sorry for ourselves would be somewhat of an understatement.

But then, Andrea Santiamo transported us to a completely different season and place with her editorial.

‘I am writing this piece while sitting out on my back deck in Duane. The view overlooks the water and has a priceless view of the skyline of NYC. Could I ask for a more inspirational outlook? I find sitting looking out at the water to be very calming and peaceful. A good place to think, observe life, regroup, recharge and most of all, a place to gather much inspiration. At this time of year, it is my happy place to stitch.’

As Andrea described the weather around her and the view before her, her words transported us from Adelaide to Duane instantly and we felt as if we were sitting on the deck with her.

As we felt the figurative clouds rise from around us, we appreciated afresh how words have the power to transport and inspire. We found our enthusiasm renewed as we gathered needle and thread for some much needed ‘summer’ stitching… that is, of course, until the relentless heat of the Australian summer arrives, and we find ourselves wishing we were where the grass is much greener and somewhat cooler!

After experiencing the power of Andrea’s words to inspire our stitching anew, we’d love to find ourselves transported to where you pick up needle and thread and hear what it is that inspires you. We look forward to receiving your email and travelling with you to wherever it is you find yourself with needle and thread in hand.

The legacies continue! Last week we shared some of the responses we received to All Stitched Up! issue #387 regarding our needlework stories. We’ve got a few more to bring you this week, with an undeniable passion for thread that running through them all.

Born to work with fibres of all kinds, Janet believes she received the ‘arts’ gene in her family… ‘My maternal grandmother quilted, crocheted and repaired runs in nylon stockings (ok, yes, I am dating myself - I wore stockings & she fixed them).

My paternal grandmother was an embroiderer. My mother did all of it - she quilted, knitted, crocheted, sewed all my sister's and my clothes, taught tailoring and alterations, had a business doing alterations, wrote a self-published alteration book and was a partner in a business designing a basic pattern for altering before cutting clothes out. My sister did not get the gene, but I did.

Next, Lindsey shares with us her story which dates back three generations and includes the effects of historical events: ‘My paternal great grandmother was descended from a French Huguenot who arrived in London in 1760, apparently hidden away in a barrel to escape persecution.

A weaver by trade I like to think that maybe there is a ‘handmade’ gene. My paternal grandmother was a cutter during the depression. A highly skilled job that entailed cutting the fabric to the pattern which was then made into clothes. She was a highly skilled needle woman in her own right.

Turning 86 last month, Margaret wrote a wonderful passage describing her childhood and her first knitting attempt: ‘I grew up in the mountains of Colorado with an altitude of around 5,280ft. My father built our home, from cutting the logs to finished product with our own ski hill, and it included a rope tow. I went to grade school in Grand Lake where skiing was a ‘class’ we could refuse to learn but, the alternative was the dreaded Math. So, of course, everyone learned to ski.

I had no sweaters, only two long-sleeved shirts and a wool coat. I don’t believe that parkas had been invented yet. I found a pattern book that showed a neat looking sweater and I decided to make my own. My parents bought me the woollen yarn and knitting needles. Thinking back, I cannot imagine how I thought I could make a sweater, but I did, I taught myself to knit.

I don’t remember having any but one problem. It’s the same problem I have today and have to think about every time I knit. When I put something together, I put it together for life.

The seams on my sweater were so tight I could ‘just’ just put it on. I had to rip all the seams and put it together again - it was still too tight, but I could wear it. And as I said before, I still have to stop and tell myself to not make seams tight, they need to be loose enough to match the looseness of the knitted pieces. But looking at our ski hill now — well the sight of it is about half or less than half the size I remember it being but, the memory…’

Our next legacy story is from Judy who is sure her inspiration for sewing and needlework came from her mum: ‘My mother made all my beautiful clothes when I was growing up. She had an old treadle sewing machine that my Dad eventually converted to electricity! We would look at the Seventeen Magazine and make those beautiful dresses that were illustrated across so many pages. Everybody thought my dresses were beautiful! And they really were. That, I am sure, started my love for sewing and needlework.

Mum would also crochet simple rugs from scraps - using a crochet hook my Dad had carved out of ‘black palm’ - a tropical plant found in the jungles of Panama (we lived in the Panama Canal Zone in those years). When I got older and moved to America, I learned to crochet and knit.

When I grew up and married, my husband was a salesperson for sewing machines, so I sewed quite a bit myself - but I could never have come close to my mum’s beautiful creations!

Now, at the age of 80 these activities still interest me. Quilting is the art I have been most interested in. Being elderly, I enjoy making lovely items for our home. It is indeed a real joy to see some of the items I have made around our house.’

Our final contribution comes from Carol who started knitting at the age of five and would go on to make ‘pleated skirts’ for her dolls, thumbless mittens for her newborn cousins, and even neck scarves for aunts:

Thank you so much to everyone who sent in your stories, you have certainly captivated us all with your words. While many of us come from different backgrounds, one thing we each have in common is the desire to continue spreading the joy of stitching.

When it comes to finding creative ways to display our embroidery projects, sometimes it’s easy to overlook some golden oldies.

To help you find just the right size and shape, we’ve got a range of quality paperweights to choose from.

Whether you’re looking for something for your home or a gift for a friend, a paperweight project can be a wonderful, personalised piece that is a joy to stitch.

Use the link below to browse through all the different options we have available, with each product listing the dimensions to help ensure you’ll choose just the right one… or two… or three!

While we’re on the subject of unique and creative ways to display needlework projects, another fabulous option is to mount your finished design in a box.

From Sudberry House we have a selection available in Whitewash, Mahogany and Natural Oak finishes, plus a bespoke panel display box featuring a daisy design with a removable wooden lattice insert.

With a range of options to suit your personal style, each box is perfect as a thoughtful gift or a beautiful addition to your own home. Order your embroidery display boxes today using the links below.

A normal wall calendar has the primary task of helping you keep track of the day and date. But that’s boring. We’d much rather have images of the world’s most beautiful needlework hanging on our walls… the whole date thing is just a bonus!

Give yourself another excuse to be surrounded with stitched beauty and purchase a copy of the Inspirations 2024 wall calendar. Featuring twelve of our most popular and spectacular projects, you can enjoy a new piece of stitched art each month.

With Christmas looming large, now is the perfect time to get the jump on your shopping list and purchase this artwork with dates for yourself, a loved one or your entire stitch and chat class.

This is the largest printed publication we produce, which means you get to enjoy each project up close and personal in stunning detail like you’ve never seen before.

Just think of it like you’re buying 12 posters that hang on the wall with some dates on the bottom!

Are you on the search for a beautiful new project to begin? Do you love all things bright and striking, or perhaps the colour red?

This week we have a collection of Ready-to-Stitch kits that are both bright and striking as well as themed around the colour red.

Margaret Light’s Redwork Pincushion & Chatelaine is an eye-catching collection of needlework accessories embellished with gold paillettes and sparkling beads.

Ana Mallah’s Little Birds and Mushroom Magic are flora and fauna inspired ornaments and a pincushion, simple yet striking in their stunning use of colour.

Red Treasure Box by Di Kirchner is an elegant, counted thread etui with matching accessories, stitched in breathtaking red counted thread work on natural linen.

Have your needles at the ready and grab your favourite bold and striking kit today.

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

It’s always a joy to welcome a new contributor to the Inspirations family and this week it’s both a joy and an honour to welcome Colleen Goy.

While Nature’s Delight, which appears in Inspirations #119, is Colleen’s first project to feature in the magazine, many of you will recognise her name and realise her debut has been a long time coming.

Colleen is the talented designer behind Roseworks Embroidery Designs based in South Africa that publishes a huge range of stunning designs that have been enjoyed by stitchers the world over for many years.

In fact, you may even remember her name appearing numerous times in our What Are You Stitching? segment as people sent in their versions of her incredibly popular Jade Dragon among other projects Colleen has also designed.

Now that we’ve finally had the opportunity to include a Colleen Goy original in Inspirations magazine, pull up a seat in your comfy chair with a fresh cup of your favourite brew and let us tell you all about it…

Everywhere your eye lands it is taken on this safari of wonder as you follow the trailing vines from one beautiful element to another and then another.

Then you begin to appreciate the scale. This is not a small embroidery. The finished piece measures 35cm x 36.5cm wide (13 ¾” x 14 ½”), which once completed, almost feels like a panel of embroidered Liberty wallpaper, it’s that lush and vast.

In fact, the scale is such that our editorial team have divided the design into four sections to make it easier to follow the instructions.

This has been achieved through the use of big chunky knots, strategically placed beads and by combining numerous different coloured threads at times into a single needle.

Now if some of you did a double take there and are not familiar with using multiple colours of threads in your needle at once, here’s a quick rundown on how that works:

The instructions guide you as to what needle to use when, for example no. 10 crewel for one strand, no. 9 for two, no. 7 for three and no. 22 chenille for four threads. You then thread up, let’s say four colours into your needle, and stitch as you normally would as if using a single strand. As you work, each stitch creates a magnificent, variegated result in beautiful shadings as you follow Colleen’s perfectly chosen colour pairings.

Nature’s Delight is an explosion of colour with over sixty threads masterfully placed and skilfully stitched to arrive at a destination that takes your breath away.

There is good reason why Colleen’s designs are so popular and it’s our great privilege to publish this gorgeous piece for your stitching pleasure. Enjoy!

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Nature’s Delight by Colleen Goy is a glorious collection of flowers and insects with gleaming beads, a rainbow of stranded cotton and metallic threads.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Nature’s Delight includes everything* you need to re-create this symphony of colour: Fabric with pre-printed design, embroidery threads, beads and needles.

Greensleeves by Brenda Sortwell from A Passion for Needlework 4 | The Whitehouse Daylesford is a crewel cushion with abundant flowers, foliage and sparkling highlights.

Nigella & Honesty by Margaret Light from A Passion for Needlework 3 | Blakiston Creamery features gorgeous blooms and seed pods worked using luxurious wool and silk threads.

Seascape by Jo Butcher from Where Meadows & Gardens Grow is a pretty picture of cow parsley, daisies and a scattering of tiny flowers.

Redouté's Sweet Peas by Trish Burr showcases captivating sweet peas reproduced from a 17th century painting by PJ Redouté.

Inspired by Colleen Goy we thought we would look to see what other ‘Nature’s Delights’ we could find in our What Are You Stitching? files.

Wow, Shelia! Reintroducing yourself to stitching has taken you on a wonderful journey. The colours you have used and the stitches in your hoops are stunning. With an hour a day, you will be a master of all the stitches in no time!

‘It's a real pleasure to embroider with these threads. Here's a little work I did for a round robin.’

We love that you’ve used the spoils of your win to create such a fantastic result Jacqueline! We’re looking forward to seeing what else you stitch with your fabulous threads.

‘Our pink cockatoo Pom is also on it. I hope everyone who loves embroidery can stitch a few extra threads on this day each year!’

Nea, what a lovely way to commemorate World Embroidery Day! You have created a delightful sampler with wonderfully bright pink cockatoos.

Have you finished a project in a hoop? Won any stitching supplies you have put to good use? Or did you get any stitches in for World Embroidery Day this year?

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!

Chrissie Juno Mann’s ‘50 Essential Blackwork Patterns’ series now comprises two volumes thanks to her most recent release.

Myosotis by Di van Niekerk is a pretty silk ribbon panel of forget-me-not flowers framed with metallic threads and beads.

~ Ralph Lauren ~

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