Celebrating 100 Issues

14th December 2018

This week it’s Fiona Freund’s inspirational story of her journey with Inspirations that is helping us to celebrate 100 issues of Inspirations Magazine…

I am very proud to say that I am the owner of the entire collection of Inspirations Magazines and almost all the other books you have published, including the A-Z Series. I first got my love for embroidery from watching my grandmother spend every spare minute either knitting or embroidery in various styles. It fascinated me as a small child how a handful of beautifully coloured threads could be turned into a piece of art or a unique usable item. I now have several of her works and treasure them dearly.

 After getting married, my husband and I struggled to fall pregnant and a doctor suggested I take up an interest to help relax me, so I turned to embroidery. Looking for inspiration for a project to start, I came across a copy of an Inspirations Magazine in an embroidery shop, Lyn’s Fine Needlework. From that day I was hooked on embroidery of all styles! I fell in love with all the gorgeous, lush, colourful threads as I found they warmed my soul.’

‘From then on, I waited excitedly as every three months would tick by for my next issue of the magazine to arrive. I also decided to seek after old editions, so I rang the Inspirations office in Adelaide to try and get my hands on the missing copies that I had yet to find. Luckily there were some editions they still had, but they could not supply me with all the copies I was missing. Nevertheless, I ordered and paid for the magazines they did have and was grateful that my collection was growing, yet a little disappointed that it was not yet complete. One day at work, maybe a month or so after I received my back issues from Adelaide, a young man rang me and said that he was from Inspirations and that he had been doing a clean out in a storeroom and had come across a pile of back issues and was wondering if I was still interested in buying these past issues. I know this may sound silly but that was a very exciting call and a day I still look fondly back on, especially while I am thumbing through my collection looking for a new project!

While trying to fall pregnant I joined a class at my local store. I loved the common interest we all shared and the warmth of the group. I was in my late twenties while most in the group were retired. Embroidery and my fellow classmates were a huge support and distractor for me while I undertook years of IVF and endured many miscarriages. Back then, I loved embroidering baby blankets as they gave me a sense of hope. My favourite was The Woolly Sheep from Inspirations issue #18.

Now, to my delight, my ten-year-old daughter, my second born who was conceived naturally, loves embroidering too. I cherish the time we sit sewing together.

Congratulations on your 100th Issue and I look forward to 100 more!’

Sitting and stitching with your daughter must be a beautiful full circle moment Fiona! We’re honoured that Inspirations has been part of your stitching journey and love that stitching became a companion and support through a difficult time. We appreciate you taking the time to share your story which reminds each us to take refuge with needle and thread though the difficult seasons in life.

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