Hi <<First Name>>,

Welcome to Embroidery News Issue 18.

This week we are keeping it simple with only two headlines to report: 1/. – We are running out of ‘What Are You Stitching’ projects to share! Since Embroidery News started 4 months ago we have showcased more than 75 projects, all of which have been stitched by YOU, our community. Those of you who have been stitching for years and years and years will have probably completed more than 75 projects of your own! So this week we’re calling out for more. More photos, more stories and more projects to share please! In the event you have already sent something in for us to share and you have not seen it appear in ‘What Are You Stitching’, feel free to send it again, it’s possible we missed it with the large volume of correspondence we receive.

2/. – We REALLY appreciate your support.

Thank you to everyone who has recently ordered Monograms, purchased magazines, digital patterns and renewed your subscription. As mentioned a few weeks ago, Embroidery News is only possible thanks to those who support us financially by purchasing our magazines, books or any of our needlework patterns. So if you enjoy this weekly newsletter, please help us keep it going by subscribing to Inspirations here and/or shopping online at our new Stitch.ology website here. The entire needlework community thanks you for it!

Do you have something you can share with the Inspirations community? We’d love to hear from you, please email us at embroiderynews@inspirationsmagazine.com.au

Inspirations Issue #88 is our all singing, all dancing Christmas spectacular and is now only 4 weeks away.

This week we begin our series of teaser images from Issue 88 to whet your appetite, starting with the mast head from the front cover above… it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

PLEASE NOTE: The images below are close ups of segments from the project only and do not show the full piece which is featured in the magazine.

HARMONIES Deborah Love Graceful Deerfield design for home décor

LACEWING & DOGWOOD Jane Nicholas Beautiful stumpwork study

ON THE SECOND DAY Susan O’Connor Threadpainted ornament to celebrate the Christmas season

WINTER’S SONG Trish Burr Sweet threadpainted robin

More sneak peeks from Issue #88 next week…

What an amazing response we had to Gillian’s creased blanket problem from last week’s Embroidery News. Gill has recently finished ‘The Loved Ones’ by Jan Norman from Inspirations Issue #09 and needed our help to remove the creases. There were so many responses that we can’t name everyone individually, but a BIG thank you to everyone who joined in on the conversation!		Gillian’s Creased Blanket

The suggestions were many & varied & will take us a couple of issues of Embroidery News to share them all. To get us started, here are just a few we’ve received so far :

The Loved Ones - Inspirations Issue 9		• Rewash the blanket and then add fabric softener to the rinse cycle. • Damp press the blanket by placing a completely wet sheet or towel over it and then ironing until the wrinkles come out. • Soak the blanket in a thoroughly diluted solution of hair conditioner and water. • Take the blanket to a dry cleaner’s to have it professionally steamed.

• Block the blanket with the right side facing down on a board covered with a towel and steam it, ensuring the iron is held no lower than 2.5cm from the work & then leave it to dry on a flat surface.
• Peg the wet, but unspun, blanket on the line with many pegs for support and then gently pull the blanket into shape before allowing it to dry naturally.
• Steam the blanket over an electric kettle or pot of steaming water and allow it to dry flat.
• Spray the blanket with starch & then iron with baking paper on top to ensure the iron doesn’t leave any marks on the fabric.

Gillian we hope there are some ideas there you are yet to try and good luck getting those creases out. We look forward to hearing which solution offered the best results and we’ll be back in the next issue of Embroidery News with further suggestions.

Now to some answers for Kathy who is also in luck as we heard from Marva who suggested a visit to Marceria Santa Ana while she is in Barcelona.

The store is located at Avenida Portal de L’angel 26 08002 Barcelona and Marva was so taken by the store that she couldn’t find the words to adequately describe it! We’d love to hear from you Kathy if you manage to make it there on your travels.

This week we’re encouraging you to join in on the conversation and help Kate from Virginia who is hoping someone will recognize the app that is being used in this YouTube clip here.

As Kate suffers from dyslexia, she has spent years enlarging patterns and then highlighting each and every stitch as she completes them, but is looking for this particular app as it would be a godsend to her!

Make sure you email us at embroiderynews@inspirationsmagazine.com.au if you can help.

Do you have a problem that needs solving? Email us
embroiderynews@inspirationsmagazine.com.au.

Butterflies are an extremely popular choice of subject matter with artists and designers and they certainly appear with regular frequency in stitching projects both in Embroidery News and in Inspirations.

These beautiful insects come in over 24,000 species and yet on average only live for a month, so what better way to enjoy them all year round than to capture their beauty using a needle and thread.

Part of the attraction of incorporating a butterfly into any design, is the myriad techniques, thread types and colours one can chose from to help replicate their intricate and striking wing patterns.

Our first ‘What Are You Stitching’ project for this week is a brilliant blue and purple butterfly embroidered using gold work. We’ll let the artist herself tell you more about it, as well as showcase a range of other projects she has been busy stitching…

“Hi my name is Jan Lineker I live in Portland, Western Victoria, Australia and I just love embroidery and sewing. Here are some things I have completed this year starting with the butterfly which was a cyber class I completed with Alison Cole – it was my first gold work embroidery project.

This is the ‘Wild Strawberry’ cushion by Nicola Jarvis which I especially loved doing from Inspirations issue #84. I used a fringe along the edge as I was unable to get the pom-pom in the right colour.

This elephant is a wall hanging for my friend as a house warming gift as we both love elephants and the slippers are embroidered on wool felt then made up with sheepskin inner and leather soles and binding. Thanks for the great magazine I always find something to create!”

Wow Jan what an amazingly diverse range of projects you have completed this year – awesome effort! Special mention for the gold work butterfly, what a terrific result for a first time attempt at that technique. We loved it.

Do you love gold work? Or interested in giving it a try?

As Jan mentioned Alison Cole runs Cyber Classes which you can check out on her website here

Also we have some terrific gold work projects available as a digital download on the Stitch.ology website, as well as a thread painted Ulysses butterfly.

Pure Gold by Hanneke Schoeber Issue 76 – Gold Work Purchase Digital Download here

Silver Star by Jennifer Spindler Issue 71- Gold Work Purchase Digital Download here

The Honey Bee by Kelley Aldridge Gold Work Pattern from Issue 72 Purchase Digital Download here

Ulysses by Helen M Stevens Thread Painting Pattern from Issue 72 Purchase Digital Download here

Next up we have another popular project which appeared in Inspirations Issue #85. ‘Precious’ by Irina Rudneva is a glorious beaded cuff that has inspired many Inspirations readers to create their own customised versions. Susan Ann Richardson has sent in a great photo of her bespoke cuff and tells how her gorgeous piece came about.

“Here is my completed beaded cuff as recently featured in Inspirations. I undertook the project at my weekly embroidery class in Bolton, England run by our talented tutor, Lucinda Allwood. I will be wearing this at a special New Year's Eve function. I really enjoyed this project and am very pleased with how it has turned out particularly as it the first time I have attempted a project like this.”

Susan we love the colour palette you chose for your cuff and congratulations on being brave enough to try something new – we have no doubt you will razzle and dazzle everyone when you wear it on New Year’s Eve. Please send us a photo from the night, we’d love to see you wearing it.

Sharon Shetley from Modesto California USA is a very talented Brazilian Embroiderer. She has been stitching Brazilian embroidery for over 35 years, teaching for 33 years and designing for over 30 years. This week for your viewing pleasure we have four of her projects she has sent in which are all equally stunning:

“Attached are some pictures for 'What are you Stitching' The first is ‘Bird of Paradise’ in Brazilian embroidery & Stumpwork The second is ‘Rings of Enchantment’ which uses all the weights of Edmar rayon "Z" twist thread and all basic BE stitches. I use this design as a Beginner Kit. Third is ‘Sierra Snow Rose’ and I will be teaching this design at the Nordic Needle Retreat next April. Here I have used Brazilian embroidery, Stumpwork and Silk ribbon embroidery.

Finally my fourth piece is ‘Friends and Family Tree’ in Brazilian embroidery.

I look forward to Embroidery News every week. Keep them coming.

Sharon Shetley
www.ThreadsinBloom.com

Thank you Sharon – our favourite piece is ‘Friends and Family Tree’, just delightful.

Last week in ‘What Are You Stitching’ we shared Peggy Kimble’s story about how she re-created one of her early family photos of her children having a garden party, into an embroidered piece. You may also remember how impressed we were that Peggy was doing all this at the age of 92.

Unbeknown to us, this was not the first time Peggy had been featured in Embroidery News. You see back in issue 11, Carla Crowther sent us a terrific report about a new group that formed to celebrate World Embroidery Day. Here is an excerpt from that issue:

‘A group of five of us celebrated by joining together for a delicious potluck picnic at noon at a lovely little park on the shores on Georgian Bay. We had a wonderful 'share and show' and then onto some stitching.

For some of us, it was the first time meeting each other, but already we plan to spend time together over the coming year. Our mentor is Peggy Kimble, 91 years young, who now lives in Thornbury. She invited us back to her home which abounds in beautiful handwork that she has both created and taught over the years.'

We now know that this is the same Peggy from last week and she even made a cameo in Issue 11 in the photo (bottom middle). How did we figure this out? Carla sent us this email:

‘Received the latest Embroidery News and the Peggy Kimble that is featured in your issue - is exactly our Peggy who was at the Thornbury picnic event for world embroidery day. Certainly the world is getting smaller and that allows us all to get to know one another.’ Carla

Thank you Carla for contacting us this week and joining the dots for us. No doubt we’ll hear more about Peggy as she continues to make her mark in the needlecraft community and is showing no signs of slowing down.

If you liked the ‘Wild Strawberry’ cushion or the ‘Precious’ beaded cuff pieces which were shown above, you can still purchase printed copies of the Inspirations magazine these projects appeared in below:

‘Wild Strawberry’ by Nicola Jarvis Pillow Project from Issue #84 Purchase Printed Copy of Magazine Here

‘Precious’ by Irina Rudneva Beading Project from Issue #85 Purchase Printed Copy of Magazine Here

What are YOU stitching?

Send us your photos, details about your project, where you live and a little about yourself to: embroiderynews@inspirationsmagazine.com.au

If you haven’t received the current issue of Inspirations #87 pictured here, either your subscription has expired or maybe you haven’t joined us yet! With no minimum commitments and a simple pay per issue subscription system, you’ve got nothing to lose except beautiful. So don’t let beautiful pass you by… become a subscriber today.

Past Subscriber? If it’s been a while since you have purchased a copy of the magazine, we’d love to have you back. Inspirations continues to evolve and push the boundaries of needlework and we don’t want anyone to miss out on the stitching revolution! Why not buy a copy and see if we can entice you back?

READY TO SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW?

> Option 1 PRINT SUBSCRIPTION Simply fill in our secure online form with your details. It’s so easy and quick, you’ll be done in 5 minutes. Click Here > Option 2 DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION To purchase a digital copy of Inspirations you can buy it either through Zinio direct here or you can purchase it through the Inspirations APP which can be downloaded via the iTunes or Google Play stores, by searching ‘Inspirations Magazine’.

Current Issue - #87

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KITS REMINDER! – If you plan on purchasing any kits from Inspirations #87, just a reminder that several of the kits were only available in limited quantities and the Meadow Bloom kit has already sold out, so to avoid disappointment purchase your kits this week by clicking here.  

15% OFF - As a subscriber you receive a 15% discount on all Inspirations kits. Don’t have the discount code?  Email us at subs@inspirationsmagazine.com.au and we’ll send it to you!

We have recently come across this fascinating exhibition called ‘Speaking With Threads’ which only has a few weeks left to run, but for those of you living near St. Louis Missouri USA, it might be worth the effort to check it out.

Speaking with Threads features seven artists whose work incorporates utilitarian skills like embroidery, knitting, and sewing, and elevates them to a state of fine art. All these artists, although different in their aesthetic sensibilities and subject matter, build their work up from simple linear elements — small stitches become intricately detailed images. Visitors to the exhibition can expect to see embroidery that overtakes comic book imagery, creates detailed landscapes, “tattoos” stuffed arms.

There is vibrantly colored mixed media work and photorealistic sewn images plus several pieces made from human hair.

Artists exhibiting include Mark Newport, Kathy Halper, Benji Whalen, Cindy Hickok, Mary Bero, Carol Shinn and Sonya Clark.

The exhibition is at the Craft Alliance in the Delmar Loop, 6640 Delmar Blvd 63130 and runs through to October 25. Entry is free.

What: The Fabric of India
When: 3 Oct to 10 Jan
Where: Victoria & Albert Museum, London UK
Details: Click here

What: Threaded Treasures Embroidery Exhibition
Where: Cedar Centre - 36 Baker St, Toowoomba Queensland
When: 9 & 10 Oct (1000 to 1500)
Contact: Cheryl - cannek113@gmail.com

What: The Como Marina Craft Nook 20th Anniversary
Where: 2 Cremona Road, Como NSW
When: 11th Oct
Contact: Ann - pentecosts@optusnet.com.au

What: Embroiderers’ Guild of ACT Annual Exhibition
Where: Albert Hall, Yarralumla ACT Australia
When: 11 to 12 Oct
Details: Click here

What: Lecture | Xtreme Embellishment
Where: The Art Institute of Chicago – 111 South Michigan Avenue
When: 20 Oct (1100 to 1200)
Details: Click here

What: Cape Embroiderers’ Guild Members’ Exhibition
Where: Nova Constantia, Klein Constantia Road, Constantia Cape Town South Africa
When: 20 to 24 Oct
Details: Click here

Send us details about events, exhibitions and celebrations happening in your place of stitch and we’ll include them in Embroidery News. Contact us at embroiderynews@inspirationsmagazine.com.au

Happy Stitching
The Embroidery News Team