It’s no secret that we’re passionate about all things needle and thread here at Inspirations HQ!

Not only do we relish the practice of laying stitch after stitch, but we love taking in all things needlework, whether they be in written, oral or visual form, and that’s one of the reasons ‘Andrea’s Impressions’ from the September-October issue of Needlepoint Now Magazine captured our attention.

Andrea opened her piece by mentioning a question many of us have either asked or been asked, ‘how long have you been stitching?’. Questions such as these elicit stories of how needlework journeys began and continue, and we love hearing each one of them as we look for similarities and differences in our own time with needle and thread, all the while learning from other people’s experiences.

Andrea went on to unpack her journey with needle and thread, which began at the age of just eight. Like many of us, her stitching style and choice of threads changed over the years as her repertoire of stitches and stash grew. As the years moved along, there was also another significant change for her. ‘It became more than just stitching. It went from a craft to a hobby to a passion.’

Then, after posing the question, ‘what is so appealing about it and why do we stitch?’, Andrea went on to share her observations in relation to the subject. For her, it’s a relaxing hobby, and as such Andrea tries to ensure she stitches daily, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Whilst this wasn’t always possible, depending on the season of life she found herself in, stitching has now become a daily practice making sure that, no matter what her day is like, Andrea makes time for needle and thread.

As Andrea also asked, ‘isn’t that part of the reason we stitch?’ Our answer to that question was a resounding yes!

We’d love to hear why it is you stitch and how your journey with needle and thread began, because as Andrea mentioned in her closing sentence, ‘everyone’s stories add to the layers of our needlework community’, and we’d love your story to become another layer of the Inspirations Community.

Email us HERE, we can’t wait to share in your story of stitch.

Have Your Say this week features a collection of responses we’ve received over the past weeks. Spanning eight different issues, we’ve loved putting these together and revisiting our continuing conversations!

In All Stitched Up! #392, we looked at the power our stitching has to transport and inspire. Leanne was compelled to share her own experience of transportation while stitching.

‘I spend a lot of my stitching time in front of the TV, sometimes just to keep my hands busy while resting, other times it just provides background noise while I focus on my stitching. The remarkable thing I’ve discovered is that when next I come to pick up a piece that I was working on while some TV show/movie was playing, no matter how long ago it was, and no matter what else is going on, I’m always reminded of that particular program. I can sometimes even ‘hear’ the dialogue playing in my head but at the very least I remember the storyline.

The really strange part is that if you’d asked me outside of my stitching, I would have barely recalled the TV program, since it was my stitching that I was focusing on. It just goes to show our brains absorb a lot more then we realise.’

Wow that is amazing… maybe this can be your special skill, Leanne?!

We opened ASU #394 with some thoughts on choosing happiness in our stitching and packing away projects that are joyless. Adrienne emailed to let us know she was chuckling to herself by the end of the segment and here is her ‘choose joy’ story:

‘I have, frequently, put a project into ‘hibernation’ because I just wasn't having fun. But almost as frequently, when the project was then taken out of hibernation I had, at most, just a couple of hours of stitching left to complete the work. I always wonder why I do that - and then I shake my head, laugh at my goofy habit and find the joy in finally... finally... finishing the project, or at least finishing a part of a project that lets me move onto the next phase of it.’

We also heard from Jackie after reading ASU #394. She has an interesting self-discipline technique that helps her complete projects. ‘I confine my work to a 15cm (6") hoop and finish my designs in the space of four weeks. Then a friend will visit me for a day of happiness, with our needle and thread from the previous month completed!’

What a wonderful way to celebrate your stitching accomplishments each month, Jackie!

After reading the opening to ASU #395 about maintaining our momentum with needle and thread, Donna wanted to add another suggestion. She says getting a simple egg timer and setting it for 15 minutes each day helps her make time for her daily stitching. She adds, ‘Sometimes it's not so much about motivation (although it's a mix) but about finding a time when you're motivated.’

ASU #396 had another theme of joy, looking at Ingrid Fetell Lee’s workbook of joy. We received a wonderful passage from Lalah who is 89 years old. She is finding joy in things that don’t require action and wishes to share the feeling with everyone.

‘For nearly 80 years I have found joy in embroidery and sewing. As the years rolled on, I have picked up other enjoyable hobbies like knitting, needlepoint, fabric painting, lapidary, silver smithing, gardening, playing my dulcimer, even a couple of years of sports car racing.

Now that I am pushing 89 with arthritis in my hands advancing and sight in my eyes getting dimmer, I find that my joy comes from things that don't require as much agility, but I still sew and even embroider. It seems that joy can be found in many places. For instance, a gentle summer rain that cools the air and makes plants grow, or the sound of one of my cats purring as it sleeps in my lap.

After a spell of bad health and everything seeming to go wrong, I am finding joy in so many small things.

This is a lovely message Lalah, we even found joy in your words and hope everyone appreciates your sentiment of slowing down and enjoying the little things.

In response to ASU #398, where we looked at obligations and chores, we heard from Ann. She says she and her husband tend to put off jobs that need to be done but that are not ‘run of the mill’.

This is because, she says, ‘we are anxious that we are not sure we know what we are doing or worried that we’ll get it wrong. Usually, when we eventually force ourselves to get on and do it, we find that our worries and anxieties were unnecessary, feeling that the chore/task was a lot easier than we expected it to be. Mind you it’s not often that we remember this lesson and tell ourselves to ‘just get on with it’.’

In issue #393 Elizabeth posed a question, asking what reactions people get when they say they are an embroiderer. We heard from Mary in ASU #399, who said she had attended a class where the teacher said asking a quilter to hem your pants was equivalent to asking Picasso to paint your garage!

Elizabeth smiled at Mary’s comments and wanted to add to the conversation: ‘I suppose it doesn’t help that embroidery is often referred to as ‘sewing’ when it really isn’t. I’ve taken to saying they are very different, even though the two things use broadly the same set of materials – needles, thread and fabric. I always make sure to add that neither one is better than the other, although each uses very similar materials, the skillsets are very different indeed.’ Elizabeth hopes other people might share their ‘I am an embroiderer’ reactions and stories to keep the conversation going.

Finally, we received a lovely message from Lee who had just read the Busy Bees article from ASU #401 which featured some of Susan O’Connor’s extraordinary portfolio. ‘How I remember those beautiful slippers in Inspirations issue #1. I have been a follower of Inspirations since that first edition, and have drooled over so many of your designs, and have even finished a few of them. Thank you for so much joy and inspiration over 30 years.’

We are so glad to provide you with joy and inspiration, Lee. Thank you everyone for your words - we wouldn’t have this wonderful segment without you! We look forward to seeing what might spark the next conversations…

If you’ve got your eye out for some inspiration for a Christmas stitching project, look no further.

A vibrant seasonal tablecloth, a handmade stocking for the mantlepiece, or perhaps a small Christmas tree ornament displaying your handiwork… the options are truly endless!

The measurements for each product are specified on our website, so head over to find your perfect Christmas inspiration now.

As stitchers, we all know the importance of picking the right tools for each project, and this includes scissors.

After a great response to our recent article about goldwork scissors, this is your reminder to save yourself the hassle of blunt scissors or poorly cut metallic threads and buy yourself a pair of goldwork scissors.

Perfect to have on hand for that moment when you need a pair, or just what you need to kit yourself out if you’re getting into goldwork for the first time.

When it comes to getting into the spirit of Christmas, every now and then we all need a little help to embrace the season.

This week we’ve put together a special selection of Christmas-themed Digital Patterns to help bring out your inner jolly!

From stockings to tree ornaments, themed home décor, and gift bags and boxes, we have 50 projects for you to choose from.

We’ve even included a Christmas inspired scarf and brooch to help you really get that Ho! Ho! Ho! feeling.

Each Digital Pattern is available for immediate purchase and instant download as a PDF file.

So, what are you waiting for? Your Christmas stitching joy awaits…

We like to think of the Inspirations wall calendar as a piece of artwork that adorns your wall. It displays the most exquisite embroidery, with the additional benefit of getting a new stunning design to gaze upon every single month.

Offering the largest printed image we ever produce at 30cm x 30cm (12" x 12") the detail in each image is truly magnificent.

If you’re yet to purchase the Inspirations 2024 wall calendar either for yourself or as a Christmas gift, the link below is just one click away!

Back in November 2022, you may remember we posted a lovely story about Jodi Bager in ASU #355. She was creating a large elephant embroidery to be printed on silk scarves as a fundraising initiative for an elephant charity.

After eight months and 1,800 hours of needlework, Jodi’s stitching for a cause is now complete and she emailed to let us know that the piece is now finished and has been printed onto the scarves!

Partnering with Elephant Family, based in the UK, who protect elephant populations and the communities that share their habitats, purchases of the scarf will contribute directly to their conservation projects and efforts.

So how can you get one of these beautiful scarfs to wrap yourself in?

The official launch date is December 4th, which is World Wildlife Conservation Day, but you’ll have to be quick as the scarves will only be put on sale for one week. To be the first to know, you can sign up to their newsletter HERE or follow their Instagram account HERE.

For all our readers in Adelaide, don’t forget to join us at The Bobbin Tree this coming Saturday 18th November from 10am to 2pm to shop yourself some bargains.

We’ll have a range of stock from both The Bobbin Tree and the Inspirations online store that has been heavily discounted, just in time for Christmas.

For store location, click HERE.

Also, we’re thrilled to announce that The Bobbin Tree by Inspirations is welcoming home one of our own to teach at a new weekly class.

You’ve seen her gorgeous projects adorn the pages of Inspirations magazine and having just returned from teaching at The World Needlework Convention in London, Taetia McEwen will now be teaching a class every Friday morning!

For more information about Taetia’s class and our weekly timetable, click HERE.

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

Hazel Blomkamp’s charming designs are known for their vibrant, colourful, and intricate surface embroidery depicting creatures large and small. With her latest project, Cinnamon & Sugar from Inspirations issue #120, Hazel has chosen a slightly more subdued approach, using subtle colours in shades of grey, beige, and white to create a stunning stylised floral design.

If you have ever felt inspired to try your hand at needlelace techniques but found bigger designs too daunting, this project is the perfect one to start with. It is small and manageable, yet it gives embroiderers ample opportunity to experiment with new techniques.

The project produces a small cushion made of a cotton/linen blend and decorated with stranded cotton thread and beads. In addition to needlelace techniques, it uses variations of back stitch and outline stitch, as well as beaded Palestrina stitch, detached chain, French knot and trellis couching. It can be used as a pincushion, or as a fragrance sachet.

The leaves and petals are stitched using four different styles of needlelace as well as long and short stitch and trellis couching. Accent and dimension is created by adding beads and contrasting outlines using outline stitch and different variations of back stitch and beaded back stitch.

Needlelace originated in Italy in the 1500s and was popular among the elite of Venice where lace was regarded as a valued asset.

Although this little cushion is humble in comparison, the clever use of understated but rich colours combined with the sparkling bead accents and stylised floral design lend it an air of grandeur, fit for the courts of Venice.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Cinnamon & Sugar by Hazel Blomkamp is a small cushion with an elegant motif showcasing four needlelace patterns.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Cinnamon & Sugar includes everything* you need to re-create this decorative cushion: Fabric (unprinted), embroidery threads, beads and needles.

Rare Bloom by Hazel Blomkamp from Inspirations issue #117 is an ornate flower combining surface embroidery and needlelace.

The Frog Prince by Victoria Laine from Inspirations issue #98 is two fun, frog purses created with embellished needlelace, inspired by historical designs.

Dragonfly by Hazel Blomkamp from Inspirations issue #110 features a winged beauty depicted in needlelace and beading.

Little Gem by Catherine Barley from Inspirations issue #86 is a fabulous strawberry fob created with needlelace.

Inspired by this week’s featured project Cinnamon & Sugar by Hazel Blomkamp from Inspirations issue #120, we have collated some cushions stitched by the Inspirations community, great and small!

Two beautiful cushions Ann, superbly stitched as always! We’re so glad to have provided the inspiration for your needle and thread!

We love your ‘dressed up’ Squarely Check, Chris, it looks fabulous and has been fabulously stitched. It’s certainly fitting to share your project which features an extra bit of *sparkle* when talking about Inspirations magazine turning 30!

We’re sorry for your loss, Maureen. The pretty parterre garden, which you have stitched so beautifully, treasured by your sister can now serve as a reminder of your loved one. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Finished stitching a cushion? Have you added some extra pizzazz to a project? Or have you got any projects tucked away that you haven’t already sent to us?

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!

If you’re looking for some luxury to add to your sewing room, we have the perfect product for you. The DMC Vintage Chest is an exquisite bespoke storage unit, and includes and assortment of 120 skeins of DMC threads.

Christmas Wreath by Di van Niekerk is a wreath with Christmas reds and greens, framed in a hoop bound with hand-dyed silk ribbon.

White Christmas by Di Kirchner is a white hanging ornament with a garland of leaves, beaded berries and twigs.

~ Sharon Daloz Parks ~

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