As we looked at our To Do Lists and tallied the mounting number of ‘To Dos’, not only at Inspirations HQ but also personally as the festive season fast approaches and the end of the year beckons, we couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed. However, a quote from Dr Caroline Leaf crossed our desks with a timely reminder.

‘Stop stressing to finish the year off strong. You can finish it off grateful, relaxed, slowly, peacefully. The idea that we always need to be doing and achieving only creates cycles of anxiety. Rushing will not solve your problems. Rest will.’

Whilst we would usually take to needle and thread upon hearing such words, we decided to take a moment to catch up on some emails we’d missed reading as they came through and we’re so incredibly glad we did.

As we read Janine’s email from Uppercase Magazine, it opened with an exasperated ‘it's too much’, a feeling we could absolutely relate to at that moment! As Janine then went on to echo Dr Caroline Leaf’s sentiments, we knew we had to keep reading.

Janine then went on to express the why behind her what of creating a weekly email newsletter and we found her words echoed our exact sentiments about All Stitched Up! – a serendipitous email indeed!

‘I respect and appreciate your time and attention.’

‘These messages are about building a relationship, first and foremost.’

‘I hope what I share is helpful to you, whether that's seeing some uplifting art, getting previews of upcoming projects or finding a connection over my general musings about running a creative business.’

Janine’s musings put words to how we feel about the newsletter you’re now reading in an incredibly eloquent and precise way. So much so in fact, it made us appreciate afresh the process we go through each week to bring you All Stitched Up! All whilst reminding us that it’s not about building a library of newsletters, but about building a genuine connection to those who share our passion for all things needle and thread.

So, we hope that amidst the hustle and bustle of one of the busiest times of the year you’ll find, or make, the space for some quiet time, and we genuinely thank you for allowing All Stitched Up! to become a part of your quiet time ritual.

With only two more weeks of All Stitched Up! left for the year we thought what better way to send us into the new year than with some stitching stories from you, our fabulous needlework community!

In ASU #405, we mused over ‘Andrea’s Impressions’ from the September-October issue of Needlepoint Now Magazine. We asked the question, why it is you stitch and how your journey with needle and thread began - and the responses we received were amazing.

Firstly, we heard from Subhra, from New Delhi, India. She enjoys learning about fellow stitchers from across the globe and is delighted by how similar and yet unique all our experiences with needle and thread are.

‘I was introduced to needlework at the age of seven, as part of the instructional curriculum at the St. Joseph's Convent, Patna. Along with half a dozen other Indian girls from elite families we were sent to acquire an education that kitted us for becoming the wives of military and civil servants in our adult years.’

Lindsey was five when her stitching journey began. ‘I went to a convent school in Sussex, where we were taught needle craft. We had to bring a shoe box and four cotton reels (old fashioned wooden ones) to make a bed for a doll. We had to make sheets and blankets for our doll and we learned to hem… neatly, running stitch, blanket stitch and various stitches for decoration of the bed linen.’

Having enjoyed playing with embroidery techniques since she was a young girl, Sandie took up counted stitching for a while. However, she found it took her years to finish a project and required too much undivided attention.

‘In 2018, I discovered threadpainting. It didn’t require intense focus, but I found it very relaxing. It became a means of pain control for me, as I’d been on narcotics for years, and I found that while it didn’t take away pain, it helped me focus on something more pleasant.

Then in 2022, I got cancer, so my stitching gave me peace, hope and something to focus on besides the misery of treatment. I’m now in remission and recovery stage and have several beautiful pieces to remind me of my ability to stitch though my trials as well as my joys.’

Finally, we received Cíça’s story. Cíça is a 63-year-old Brazilian, born in the capital of São Paulo.

‘It is with great joy and gratitude that I come to tell you how I started with needle and thread.

When I was three years old, I lived in the countryside of a state in Brazil called Paraná, because my father worked with coffee there. The place was inspiring. My house had a huge balcony that faced the street. That's where my mother sat every day in the late afternoon to wait for my father to come home from work. She did everything: knitting, crocheting, embroidery... I was delighted to see her work.

So, for a long time I watched her from behind the chair. I would stand and watch, and she would work. Mesmerised and delighted. I wanted to do it, but she wouldn't allow it, because she was afraid that I would hurt myself with the needles and scissors.’

What a wonderful account of your introduction to needlework Cíça. We were glued to our screens when we received your email, the scene you described is truly beautiful. Thank you to everyone who shared with us their personal stories, we feel privileged to share your history with everyone in our community. We will see you next week for Part 2 and the last issue of ASU for the year!

For bead embroiderer extraordinaire, Margaret Lee, Christmas is about family and friends as well as the Christmas Star symbolising the birth of Jesus, and the festive celebrations represented by tinsel, sparkles, baubles, and fairy lights.

It was these three elements and a souvenir candle from Finland in the shape of a snow crystal, that served as design inspiration for her beaded table centrepiece Memories that features in our latest book The Design Collective | Christmas.

The snowflake design in the centre represents the Christmas Star and is purposefully stitched with metallic threads instead of beads to allow a stable area for a pillar candle or a vase of flowers.

The corner designs incorporate Christmas baubles and small flower and leaf patterns symbolising traditional seasonal decorations. The gold baubles in the corner designs are painted onto the taffeta with metallic gold acrylic paint.

Finally, what is Christmas without fairy lights? Margaret has cleverly incorporated them around the edge of the design using gold lustred beads in green and gold.

The beads are stitched using the Japanese style of bead embroidery, which uses two needles. One needle holds a doubled thread and is used to lay the beads down and the second needle, containing a single thread, is used to couch the line of beads in place.

This wonderfully festive design is stitched on scarlet silk taffeta, lined with felt and finished with an adhesive vinyl backing.

Glass beads have been part of the history of cultures from around the globe and date back to around 2400 BC. They often represented power, wealth, and spirituality and have been used as adornment as well as currency.

For many years Italy monopolised the glass seed bead industry, first in Venice and later in Murano. By the 19th century bead production relocated mostly to Bohemia and today the best beads are manufactured in the Czech Republic and Japan.

Margaret chose a dazzling array of beads including fire-polished, glass, cut, and seed beads in colours ranging from bronze to green to rose gold, as well as brick red and transparent lustre.

This is a true celebration of the Christmas spirit and will become a family heirloom decorating the festive table for many generations.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Memories by Margaret Lee is a centrepiece table mat sumptuously worked with Japanese-style bead embroidery.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Memories includes everything* you need to re-create this festive mat: Fabric (with pre-printed and hand-painted design), adhesive felt, adhesive vinyl, sewing threads, embroidery threads, beads and needles.

Treasure by Margaret Lee from The Handpicked Collection is a pretty card wallet embellished with sparkling beads.

Sakura by Margaret Lee from Inspirations issue #105 is a delightful, beaded purse featuring a cherry blossom.

Making the world more beautiful one stitch at a time is a group effort. In fact, it takes an entire global community!

By way of a short multiple-choice survey, we’re hoping to get your feedback to help better inform our decision making.

To participate, simply click on the link below, answer each question by selecting your preferred option, leave your name and email address (optional), then click submit.

We look forward to polling the results!

While the Inspirations online store is all about providing our community with the highest quality needlework tools, accessories, publications and kits, nestled among our hundreds of products available, we do have some giftables for stitchers and non-stitchers alike.

So, if you’re soon to embark on some online Christmas shopping, here are some products we have that might pique your interest and help check off your gift list…

Morris & Co have a wonderful range of gifts for the travellers in your life. These wonderful travel accessories are perfect for anyone, but stitchers in particular will recognise the exquisite William Morris designs featured.

One can never have enough tins for storing needlework accessories or general knick-knacks around your home.

High-quality, stylish and practical, this Cohana tool case is a thoughtful and elegant gift for any artist or creative.

Leaving you with smooth, hydrated hands, Udderly Smooth moisturising cream is perfect for friends that love a bit of pampering.

Busyness and stress seem to always be running high, and though needlework is a wonderful way to slow down and be present, another popular de-stressing hobby is colouring! Give the gift of relaxation with this Inspirations colouring book and pencils giftpack.

It’s hard to believe that this time last year we were all abuzz about the release of our latest A Passion for Needlework book, The Whitehouse Daylesford. Time really does fly by!

Featuring 12 exceptional designs, the fourth book in our Passion for Needlework series includes some of the most exquisite projects we’ve published to date. Showcasing a range of designers, techniques and styles of embroidery, this extraordinary book is all about indulging in your needlework passion.

With a range of ready-to-stitch kits to accompany the wonderful projects from the book still available, if there are any designs you’ve got your eye on, now’s the time to purchase a kit before they’re all gone.

Our most recent issue of Inspirations, #120, was a celebration of many things, including the remarkable career of the highly talented Susan O’Connor.

Having been with Inspirations since the very beginning, and now residing as our Editor-in-Chief, Susan has amassed an impressive body of work during her tenure.

This week we’ve put together a collection of Susan’s projects for you to enjoy, all of which have been released as digital patterns. With over 50 stunning designs, this body of work features some of the most impressive embroidery of our generation.

Click below to browse the gallery and if any of the projects take your fancy, you can purchase and download them as a PDF file instantly.

This week, we have a Public Service Announcement for everyone: if you’ve had your eye on any of the below kits and have been waiting for the perfect time to treat yourself, it’s now!

Each of the following kits have less than five units remaining, so to avoid missing out, get in quick…

Margaret Light’s Deerfield Chatelaine includes six elegant needlework accessories made with stunning shades of blue thread.

Crowning Glory by Helen M. Stevens is a magnificent, vibrant crown pigeon surrounded by colourful Christmas bush.

Good for the Goose is an exquisite, counted thread work box, easily recognisable as one of Betsy Morgan’s exceptional designs.

Featuring colourful and intricately shaded crewelwork, Di Kirchner’s Four Corners is a wonderfully elegant design on sturdy linen twill.

Ana Mallah’s wonderful Sweet Succulents features a beautiful stumpwork succulent atop an adorable handmade trinket pot.

A few weeks ago, in All Stitched Up! issue #402, we shared a little about the life-changing contribution Fine Cell Work makes to prisons in the UK.

Teaching prisoners and prison-leavers high quality needlework skills through their rehabilitation programs, Fine Cell Work has formed the largest workforce of hand-embroiderers in all of Europe.

In 2022, 265 individuals returned to work after attending one of these programs. Helping improve the mental health of adults both recently released and currently in prison, Fine Cell Work is sharing the healing power of needlework while helping close the gap between prison and further employment.

To learn more about the incredible work Fine Cell Work do click HERE and if you’d like to extend your love of embroidery and help others learn to stitch, donate to their wonderful cause HERE.

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

This was Katherine Diuguid’s explanation of her fascination with how metal threads and colour embroidery influence each other when Ansie interviewed her for a front-page article in Inspirations issue #113.

With Katherine’s latest project, aptly named Christmas Cheer, Katherine continues her experiment with colour, this time combining metal threads with multicoloured beads instead of embroidery threads.

It was the approaching festive season during lockdown that inspired Katherine to recreate this simple childhood joy. By combining metal thread embroidery with a selection of glass beads and crystals, she created a Christmas tree hanging decoration brimming with holiday cheer.

The project measures 10cm (4 “) in diameter and is stitched on a background of pale linen woven with a lurex thread, adding extra sparkle.

Strings of bead ‘lights’ adorn the branches and decorations are added with larger beads. Loops of seed beads decorate the outer edge. The ornament can be hung from a loop of red satin ribbon.

The project includes back stitch, beading, couching, stem stitch, as well as chipping – a technique that is worked using very short lengths of cut purl, called chips, stitched in place at different angles to catch the light. This works best with check purl rather than smooth purl as it creates a more effective texture.

The added joy of using coloured beads and crystals to create this tree decoration is, by changing the colours of the beads, it is easy to make a variety of different decorations, multiplying the Christmas Cheer.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Christmas Cheer by Katherine Diuguid is a sparkling Christmas tree ornament embellished with metal thread, beads and crystals.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Christmas Cheer includes everything* you need to re-create this sparkling ornament: fabrics (unprinted), wool felt, wadding, card, ribbon, tissue paper, embroidery threads, beads and needle.

Season's Greetings by Ana Mallah from Inspirations issue #96 is four enchanting Christmas decorations including a cute Christmas tree.

O, Tannenbaum by Trish Burr from Inspirations issue #108 is a Scandinavian-inspired Christmas tree using an elegant palette of white, blue and gold.

For What Are You Stitching? this week, we look at some projects recreated from our magazine, stitched by some clever Inspirations community members!

‘I look forward to seeing each issue of the magazine and deciding what I will make next...’

Ann, we love that you enjoyed making Summer Blooms and constructed them with such success! As we type this, the next issue of Inspirations is being printed and we look forward to seeing which design tickles your fancy…

‘I changed the design a little but kept most of the design by Laurence Lieblich. I absolutely loved stitching it and I have called mine ‘fluttering by’. It reminds me of a beautiful summer day! I intend to have it framed and hang it in pride of place.’

We’re so glad you sourced the requirements too, Lynn, as you have re-created Laurence Lieblich’s design beautifully! We love the creative licence you have employed to truly make it your own and once hung in place, it will be an absolute standout feature in your home.

I enjoyed this project so much I have ordered the Favourite Things kit from issue #120.’

Helen, you’ve stitched Betsy’s project magnificently and we’re so glad to hear you challenged yourself with the construction as you certainly have triumphed. We’re sure you’ll get many years of stitching joy from your beautiful needlebook and scissor fob.

Have you finished a project from Inspirations magazine? Or have you stitched a project from a new designer?

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!

The latest book our team has been working on, the first volume of Life in Seasons by Nicola Jarvis, is available for pre-order!

Favourite Things by Betsy Morgan is a counted thread sampler featuring favourite stitches, motifs and colours.

~ Susan Taylor ~

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