This week you may notice a distinct theme running through the newsletter.

We’re celebrating the magnificent technique of bead embroidery as well as one of our generation’s most prolific designers in the art of bead embroidery Japanese-style, Margaret Lee.

We have some wonderfully innovative and creative projects to share from our What Are You Stitching? files, and… due to overwhelming demand… we are bringing back a little something at the end of our newsletters that the omission of caused quite a stir.

It turns out that the weekly quotes that appeared at the end of each newsletter, were a very popular and uplifting inclusion that you, our loyal readers, firmly enjoyed.

We trust you enjoy its return and everything else we have prepared for you this week…

If you are ever looking for an example of what the power of conviction can achieve, just take a look at the body of work Margaret Lee has contributed to the needlework community over the past 25+ years.

Margaret’s passionate commitment to translate and teach traditional eastern embroidery techniques to the western world, continues to be a personal mission that she is fulfilling every day.

Here at Inspirations Studios, it has been our great honour to partner with Margaret and play a small role in helping her achieve this dream, by publishing her books and projects.

For everyone who enjoyed Margaret’s first book teaching the art of bead embroidery Japanese-style, the following announcement will make your day…

Nine stunning new beading projects complete with student case studies showing different colourways and construction options, combine to demonstrate bead embroidery Japanese-style in a way you’ve never seen before.

Pre-order your copy of the book today using the link below.

If you are not familiar with koma, they are an essential tool in Japanese embroidery. In fact, if you’ve ever tackled this technique without koma, using one for the first time may well be life changing!

These wooden wonders act as a second set of hands, ensuring even tension while couching threads and beads - a true game-changer in your stitching toolkit.

To use, wrap the thread around the koma then place it on your needlework or hold it in your non-stitching hand and feed the thread from the wooden spool. Keeping the koma close to your needlework helps you maintain control over your thread as you couch it down.

Thanks to their square ends, koma stay put, eliminating the frustration of chasing rolling spools while you’re stitching.

Upgrade your stitching experience today with a pair of koma, now available on our website.

Looking for a unique way to display your embroidery?

Tailored to fit any 24cm x 16cm (9 ½” x 6 ¼”) embroidered piece, the Daisy Wooden Display Box includes a removable wooden lattice insert under the glass lid.

Designed by Margaret Lee and featuring quality craftsmanship, this beautiful display box provides a perfect practical application for your finished needlework.

PS – if you’re looking for a ready-made design that has been created specifically for the Daisy Wooden Display Box, here is one we prepared earlier… well one that Margaret Lee prepared earlier! It’s also available as a digital pattern HERE.

Memories by Margaret Lee is a celebration of the Christmas spirit and is one of those projects that could easily become a family heirloom used to decorate the festive table for generations to come.

It’s a table mat designed to be a centrepiece, sumptuously worked with Japanese-style bead embroidery and features festive shades of red, gold, white and silver.

You can read all about this fabulous project HERE and order your kit using the link below.

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

‘I like to do tiny things; I draw the bouquet on the linen hankie and then I try to think of a unique way to include the bride and groom’s names and date and any theme on the other corner. These were for a Christmas wedding.’

What a great idea, Vicki! We’re sure the bridal parties that receive these magnificent hankies will treasure their everlasting bouquets and appreciate having them as a keepsake from their special day.

You have recreated Full Bloom splendidly, Pat. We love the colour of your box, what a clever idea! We’re sure you’ll find some treasures to store in it and don’t be too hard on yourself about the proportions, having the negative space around your rose actually helps to hero your embroidery, so you’ve done well.

‘Then a small piece of felt was added inside so I could add more French knots. The rocks are padded felt, the ‘sticks’ are floss wrapped wire. Turkey work, wired slip butterfly, stumpwork flowers, leaves, a tiny ladybug, a bee, there’s even a little spiderweb if you look real close. A bit of dye lace for the fungi you find on stumps.’

Nina, your story reminds us that sometimes we need others to push us to challenge ourselves! It sounds like we might have to give some of the thanks to your grandson for this wonderful piece. We are in awe of the level of detail you have executed and the texture you’ve created with different stitches. Well done! Do you stitch on hankies? Have you constructed a box to hold your treasures? Are you set challenges by your family?!

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

Fun fact – one of the all-time best-selling projects that Inspirations Studios has ever published, is the delightful, beaded purse Sakura from issue #105 of the magazine.

What makes it so popular? Three words: Size. Beads. Lee.

Before we explain further, this week’s feature project, Jacobean Flower from Inspirations magazine issue #121, is as closely related to Sakura as you can get.

It too, is a delightful coin purse adorned with a sparkling floral motif worked using Japanese-style bead embroidery.

Like its twin sister, Jacobean Flower has the same three elements that are destined to make it oh, so popular – size, beads and Lee. Let us explain…

SIZE

There is a reason that anything small is cute. If you’ve ever been tempted to buy a puppy, a kitten or even have another baby, it’s easy to fall in love with something when it’s in miniature form!

Jacobean Flower, as a finished purse, measures 11.5cm x 10cm wide (4 1/2” x 4”) which means it’s small and cute. It also fits nicely in the palm of your hand yet is still large enough to be practical.

As an embroidery project, it’s also just the right size to tackle beading for the first time, or to create a special gift for someone (who might just be yourself!).

BEADS

Working with beads is mesmerising. If you’ve never tried it, you simply must. Jacobean Flower makes use of gorgeous seed beads in shades of emerald, ruby, topaz, cobalt and aqua to fashion the flower, while gold bugle beads form a striking background lattice.

Beads glisten and dance in the light, so when finished, your purse will be a truly distinctive piece of fashionable stitched art.

LEE

The Margaret Lee factor here cannot be overstated. Margaret’s trademark design skills are unmistakably evident in the intricate beauty of each element, its harmonious relationship with others, the interplay of colours, the meticulous layering, and the impeccable proportions.

There is a reason that Margaret is an authority on this technique. Decades of study, training, application, designing and imparting all that she has learned to thousands of stitchers the world over, puts her at the very top of this magnificent style of embroidery.

SISTER RIVALRY

After all the superlatives are written and the accolades read aloud, in the end we have been gifted a gorgeous new member of the Japanese-style beaded embroidery family.

Jacobean Flower is a stunning coin purse with a spectacular stylised flower borrowed from the 17th century mirrored on both sides, masterfully stitched together from a superbly curated range of sparkling glass beads, and finished with a quality metal purse frame construction.

If sister rivalry between these two becomes a thing, watch out Sakura, Jacobean Flower is bringing some stiff competition your way!

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.

Lotus by Margaret Lee from the Handpicked Collection harmoniously combines Japanese goldwork and bead embroidery in this stunning flower design.

Hanabatake by Margaret Lee from Inspirations issue #95 is a dazzling zipped case with Japanese-style bead embroidery.

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.

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

This stunning hand-turned, oak pincushion base with three wooden feet includes the cushion area already built for you, all you need to do is stitch any project with a finished stitching area measuring 10cm (4") in diameter.

Fleurs Sauvage by Lorna Bateman is a sturdy pincushion adorned with a dainty circlet of flowers.

The Allotment Basket by Nicola Jarvis features stunning stumpwork moths resting on a floral basket.

~ Unknown ~

For a list of upcoming needlework events, click HERE.