By the time you have finished reading this newsletter, you will have seen some adorable characters, visited a virtual online haberdashery, checked out a kit hall of fame, seen a gallery of projects stitched by the needlework community, enjoyed a trip to the English countryside and even had some travel advice!

Needlework joy awaits…

For all the Jenny McWhinney fans out there, we bring good news - we’ve just taken delivery of more kits! Jenny’s adorable characters and cute-as-pie designs are highly sought after and her kits are in short supply.

This week we’re releasing a travel pouch featuring an adorable hare leaping amongst Queen Anne's lace, a needlefold with a cheeky emu and two of her feathered friends, plus a gorgeous miniature storage bag perfect for holding bobbins.

And the news keeps getting better – we even have stock of a couple of Jenny’s other designs available as well. Click below to explore our range of Jenny McWhinney kits, patterns and books today.

You all know this already, but there are three essentials when it comes to stitching… thread, needle and fabric. Without all three, it’s pretty hard to get very far when you’re doing needlework!

Today, we’ve put together a little collection you can discover, using the link below, for one of these three essentials – fabrics.

It’s a wide reaching collection that includes premium quality linens, silk dupion, stacks of different cotton prints, panels with pre-printed designs and even fabric with printed backgrounds ready for embellishment.

And what about the love? Well that comes for free every time we stitch! We just have to buy some fabric first…

We’re probably going to get in trouble for telling you this, because it’s something that our kit department want to keep on the DL…

Once they sell out, our kit department does the best they can to source everything again and replenish the kits.

Therefore, if we announce in this newsletter that these popular projects are in stock at the moment, there is a good chance the kit department is going to be very busy next week!

So, don’t tell anyone we told you this, but here are a few of our most popular kits that are actually in stock at present, that are more often than not either sold out or only available on backorder… all on the DL of-course.

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

‘I took a photo from our property and then started the journey from there.’

18 years, Antoinette, that is quite the commitment! You have done incredible work in recreating your photo in stitch, we almost couldn’t tell which one was the embroidery. Well done!

‘I embroidered this frame using only Ellana wool/polyester blended yarn. The yarn was nice to work with. I used satin stitch, Romanian stitch, colonial knots, stem stitch, split back stitch, chain stitch, and raised spider web stitch.

I buttonhole stitched on a piece of wool felt behind the tarnished silver plaque to help keep the satin fabric from being marked. I added Swarovski Rose Montees SS10 beads for bling. You have to have bling! Now I think the odds of this plaque getting lost have diminished.’

This is such a creative way to display the plaque, Bunny! The design is exquisite, and your stitches are beautiful. We love the added bling tying everything together!

‘It is embroidered using DMC thread on linen. I have learnt to stitch from reading many wonderful books by many talented needle artists.’ We’re sorry for your loss, Amalia. Your bird is spectacular, the time and talent you’ve poured into the project makes it a truly special labour of love. Have you finished any long-haul projects? Perhaps stitched a memorial piece?

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

A wonderful landscape piece that we can get stuck into. How fabulous!

There is always so much going on in a good, embroidered landscape design. Lots of little details, different perspectives, a good mix of small and large elements to work on, a diverse collection of techniques at play and, on the whole, a truly satisfying type of project to stitch.

Stitched by needlework royalty herself, Helen M. Stevens, this piece is featured in Inspirations magazine issue #121.

Before we answer some of your burning questions like, why is this piece called Constable Country, is it a real place and can you visit there? Let’s first give you some specifics about the needlework itself.

The finished piece measure 26cm x 35cm wide (10 ¼" x 14"), has been created using a combination of encroaching stem stitch, outline stitch, satin stitch, seed stitch, split stitch, stem stitch and straight stitch and, as it predominantly features Pipers Silks worked with three strands of silk floss, should anyone ask what you’re working on whilst stitching it, you would answer I’m doing a silk embroidery project!

With the wealth of experience that Helen brings to any design, it’s always beneficial when she offers some insight and a tip or two. Here are a couple of thoughts on her design that Helen has shared:

‘Whilst the foreground of this project is worked similarly to my previous designs, I feel, there is an element of individuality in respect of the embroiderer that is to be encouraged rather than otherwise, and so I have left them some leeway with regard to middle and background elements.

Far more so than my ‘close up’ studies, much of this landscape work is ‘impressionist’ and therefore outlines are less definite.’

To help explain this concept further, throughout this project shadow lines are worked first to add depth and definition and are generally placed on the underside of one side of an element using stem, outline or straight stitch.

So as long as it broadly suggests the underside of each element, it does not have to conform exactly to the shown placement.

And her final expert tip is:

‘Use a 45cm (18”) or larger round tambour embroidery hoop. A freestanding quilter’s tambour is perfect, as it allows both hands to be free. ‘Dress’ the inner ring to avoid leaving a mark on the fabric.'

Now, let’s find out more about the name Constable Country:

The area around the valley of the River Stour, on the borders of Suffolk and Essex in eastern England, has long been called ‘Constable Country’ in recognition of the famous landscape artist John Constable (1776 - 1837), many of whose most enduring images were of this region.

Thankfully, much of it has remained the same as it was when it inspired him. Stately poplars dominate the landscape, while the river winds between hedgerow and trees as it always has.

Constable's style as a painter was influential in the development of landscape artworks, particularly during the Impressionist movement. His emphasis on capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere paved the way for artists like Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro.

Ladies and Gentlemen, not only have we published a magnificent embroidery project on behalf of Helen M. Stevens for you to enjoy, but we’ve also done some tourism research for you!

To our delight we discovered a Flatford and Constable country walk where you can ‘explore the picturesque Stour Valley and Dedham Vale on a relaxing walk, visiting the area made famous by the 18th-century paintings of John Constable’

Imagine visiting Constable Country while you’re stitching this magnificent landscape? For more information about the walk and the area itself, click HERE.

Truth is though, this design is so captivating that wherever you stitch it, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to Constable Country anyway.

We have all the materials you need to re-create this project yourself, from easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions to a Ready-to-Stitch kit with everything sourced for you.

Box of Delights by Helen M. Stevens from the book The Design Collective | Christmas is a stunning, large design of hellebores and small designs of sweet pea, fuchsia and morning glory.

Seasons in the Sun by Helen M. Stevens from The Handpicked Collection is a magical circlet of seasonal blooms and berries.

Harvest Time by Helen M. Stevens from Inspirations issue #46 features an adorable harvest mouse resting on stalks of wheat.

Sweet Nigella by Helen M. Stevens from Inspirations issue #48 is a stunning botanical study of lacy foliage and flowers stitched in lustrous silks.

Become part of the Inspirations family by subscribing to the magazine... we'd love to have you join us!

If you’re looking for something fabulous to store your needlework supplies, the Milward Cantilever Storage Box is a great option!

Small Blue Butterfly by Nicola Jarvis is a tiny jewel-like butterfly with banded wing tips.

For a list of upcoming needlework events, click HERE.