Hi <<First Name>>,

Welcome to Embroidery News Issue 38. Have you ever thought about the saying ‘The World of Needlework’? Is there really a whole needlework world? We live in a modern era of headlines, buzz words, tech jargon and all kinds of one liners that often over embellish and exaggerate a situation just to get a reaction or people’s attention. When it comes to the statement ‘World of Needlework’ however, we believe it’s no exaggeration! In the physical world, there are many different lands to explore, exotic cultures to discover, flavoursome cuisines to indulge in, and a fabulously diverse culture of people to immerse ourselves in. Needlework really is much the same; with so many different techniques and stitching styles it’s like visiting different countries. Each technique has its own culture or origin or even a modern adaptation being expressed, the threads and fabrics we discover along the way are a feast for the senses much like food is to our taste buds, and in each geographic region of our needlework world, await new friends and kindred spirits for us to meet.

So yes there really is a ‘World of Needlework’ and it’s waiting for you to get out there and be an explorer, a pioneer and go somewhere new, try something different and ‘boldly go where no needle artisan has gone before!’

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.

We’ve again found ourselves inspired by the personal stories we’ve received expressing how needlework is benefitting the Embroidery News Community in very real and tangible ways. This week we hear from London where Sue found needlework to be a vital part of her path to recovery . . .

‘Around 18 months ago, after almost 3 years of undiagnosed health issues, I became depressed. I needed to be in hospital for 3 weeks and whilst it was a voluntary stay, what would I take with me to occupy my time?  Having lost interest in my normal activities, I had done no needlework of any kind for a long while. Still, I filled a box with fabric, thread and a few tools.

Through my recovery, my needlework played a hugely important role. The meditation of stitching and watching the piece grow stitch by stitch was calming, and increasingly helped switch off anxious thoughts that allowed me welcome breaks from the mess in my head.

Later at home, I was encouraged by my therapist to knit when I found myself experiencing an interval of panic or anxiousness. I found that I could be very anxious and tearful, not knowing where to turn, but would see my knitting or embroidery by the side of the sofa and within just a few minutes my mind and thoughts would calm and I could find the space in my head to think things through in a more logical, rational and most importantly, less emotional way.

I am now fully recovered, and planning a new wardrobe - via my almost forgotten dressmaking skills and now always have some knitting and a piece or two of embroidery on the go!  Kind regards to the team of an amazing magazine and books . . . Sue.’

If you have a story about the benefits of needlework you would like to share, email us at embroiderynews@inspirationsmagazine.com.au

> Printed copies of the BATB 2016 catalogue are still available – Order HERE
> Digital PDF of the catalogue available to download for free – Click HERE
> Registrations are now open, we’d love you join us, to sign up – Click HERE

Sue Forrest is a terrific needlework talent scout.  One of the gazillion things Sue does at Inspirations is search the internet high and low for the world’s most beautiful needlework to share on our Facebook page.  Last year Sue came across the work of Elisabetta Sforza from Italy and shared it with our FB community, and wow! did it get a great response.  We were all so taken with her stunning designs that we approached Elisabetta and commissioned a project for the magazine.  And here it is… the debut piece in Inspirations from Elisabetta Sforza ‘Love Letters’.

‘Love Letters’ by Elisabetta Sforza – Inspirations issue #89

Now… once we’ve all taken a moment to admire this beautifully elegant floral monogram, the article in the magazine is far more than a ‘mutual appreciation’ write up for this project.  In fact, what you will find is a tutorial showing you how to go about designing your own bespoke work.

We find that many in our community love the notion of designing their own projects, but just don’t know where to start.  Love Letters is the PERFECT project to teach you the design basics.

This is how achievable it is - the pattern sheet in the magazine includes all 26 letters of the alphabet, so you start by taking your chosen letter and tracing it onto your fabric. 

Pattern sheet includes all 26 letters

From there you follow Elisabetta’s process of tracing the outline for the larger flowers onto your letter first, followed by the smaller flowers until your letter is covered.  When you break it down in this way, you will discover that what on first glance appears to be a complex and intricate design, is in fact a series of 2 large flowers, 4 smaller flowers and 2 types of leaves, repeated across the letter.

You can even choose from 1 of 3 colour schemes included in the article which allows you to really create something just to your liking.  To make it even easier, Elisabetta has included a completed design for the letters C, E and F you can use for reference.

Reading Elisabetta’s article in Inspirations is just like taking a monogramming class with her in Italy (only less expensive!), and will equip you with all the basic skills you need to create your own version of each letter. 

GETTING YOUR ELISABETTA SFORZA FIX

Here are 3 ways you can enjoy Elisabetta’s work:

1/. – Purchase a copy of Inspirations issue #89

Inspirations Issue #89 Includes ‘Love Letters’ by Elisabetta Sforza as well as the following projects: Chatelaine Still Life With Flowers Windflowers Les Hirondelles Florentine Flowers Of The Sea Curtain Call Click HERE to order.

2/. – Purchase the ‘Love Letters’ Inspirations Kit.

Kits for ‘Love Letters’ have been so popular, we sold out within the first few weeks of issue #89 being released.  The good news is a limited quantity of kits are coming in around 10 weeks’ time, so you can pre-order your kit today to avoid disappointment. Kit costs is AU$64.60 when using the 15% subscriber discount. Click HERE to order.

3/. – Visit Elisabetta’s Blog

INSPIRATIONS ISSUE 89 KITS REMINDER

Kits for Inspirations issue 89 are still available, including:

Les Hirondelles  by Catherine Laurençon features dainty thread painted swallows.		Curtain Call by Susan O’Connor is pretty cross stitch lavender sachet in classic white thread on natural linen.
Kit contains: fabrics, threads, needle.		Kit contains: fabric, thread, needle.
Great value at only AU$67.15 (based on 15% subscriber discount)		Great value at only AU$24.65 (based on 15% subscriber discount)
Click HERE to order		Click HERE to order

To browse our complete range of kits, click here.

Last week we wrapped up our conversation about Claire’s upcoming ‘Destination London Adventure’, solved Carol’s ‘Corduroy Dilemma’ and posed Mary’s next ‘Destination Needlework Location’ – Poland.

‘Polish Wycinanki Flowers’ from ww.etsy.com/au/shop/PatternsCrossStitch

We are yet to hear from anyone in the Embroidery News Community who can recommend anything needlework related in Krakow, Warsaw, Gdanask and the Mazovia Region that will help to make Mary’s upcoming trip to Poland a true ‘Destination Needlework Adventure’, but would love to hear from you if you have something to add to the conversation.

Please email us at embroiderynews@inspirationsmagazine.com.au if you can help point Mary in the direction of all things needlework inspired.

map courtesy of www.etsy.com/shop/galabornpatterns

Whilst on the topic of ‘Destination Needlework Locations’, both Lis and Robyn have their own upcoming travel plans and are hoping the Embroidery News Community will join in on their conversations by pointing them in the direction of all things needlework related as well.

Lis Burgess is travelling to Italy in June and wondered if anyone had any ‘Destination Italy’ needlework ideas she could file away before leaving. Lis is particularly interested in hearing from anyone who may be able to point her in the direction of all things needlework related in Florence and Rome.

Map of Myanmar courtesy of koekoek.etsy.com

Robyn McBeth will be travelling through Myanmar in September this year and is hoping that someone in the Embroidery News Community may know of any thread and/or fabric shops in Yangon, Bagin and Mandalay. Whilst she won’t have a lot of time in each place, Robyn is hoping that your suggestions will make her trip a true ‘Destination Needlework Adventure’.

If you have something to add to the conversations that Lis or Robyn have started, we’d love you to email us at embroiderynews@inspirationsmagazine.com.au. We look forward to hearing from you . . .

This week we’ve added 2 new Inspirations back copies now available in print - Issue #78 & #79.

‘Little Bits’ from Inspirations #78 by Barbara Jackson

Inspirations issue #78 features projects from the following designers: Alison Snepp; Lorna Bateman; Barbara Jackson; Hazel Blomkamp; Di Kirchner; Alison Cole; Jill Newton; Heidi Reid; Nancy Lee and Jennifer Kennedy. To order a printed copy of issue #78 or for more information including a full list of projects with images of each, Click HERE.

‘Gilly Flower’ from Inspirations issue #79 by Betsy Morgan,

Inspirations issue #79 features projects from the following designers: Christine P Bishop; Margaret Light; Betsy Morgan; Lesley McConnell; Anna Scott; Monique Johnston; Patricia Girolami; Maggie Gee; Maria do Ceu Freitas and Meri Almeida To order a printed copy of issue #79 or for more information including a full list of projects with images of each, Click HERE.

But wait… there’s more!  We also have 4 new digital download patterns just added:

‘Papillon’ by Rosemary Frezza An award winning design of lifelike stumpwork buterflies.		‘Nimble Fingers’ by Carolyn Pearce Exquisite needlecase giving you a special place for your needles.
To purchase click HERE		To purchase click HERE

‘Sahara’ by Jenny McWhinney Exotic threadpainted camel.		‘Petit Amour’ by Susan O’Connor An exquisite baby quilt with wool shadow embroidery in soft pastels.
To purchase click HERE		To purchase click HERE

Beautiful Needlework. Sold Here. www.stitchology.com.au

Inspirations issue #89 features two monogram projects ‘Love Letters’ by Elisabetta Sforza and ‘Curtain Call’ by Susan O’Connor.  This week in ‘What Are You Stitching’ we showcase some of your monogram projects recently sent in.

First up is Paula Pugh who is both the Treasurer for the Embroiderers Guild Queensland (Australia) and regular contributor to Embroidery News with projects featured in issue #21 and #27. 

‘Hi, I call this my Sara Lee Letter because like Sara Lee pastry it is “layer upon layer upon layer”.  The technique is one I learned from Ruth Stonely in the 1990s and have been seeking a use for ever since.  It is a combination of ribbon, thread and beads.  Kind Regards, Paula Pugh’

Thank you Paula – as always your pieces are stitched to perfection, your technical skills are just amazing.  We love the ‘layered’ texture you have achieved here, it almost gives the illusion of being feathers!  Very clever and beautiful at the same time.

Marijke Namink is up next who shares with us her stunning monogram projects:

‘Hi Embroidery News.  My name is Marijke and I live in The Netherlands.
I embroider a lot but goldwork is one of my favorite techniques.  Recently my sister and brother-in-law celebrated 34 years or marriage, so I have made their monograms in goldwork.   Also to celebrate my other sister’s 65th birthday, I stitched for her a monogram piece in gold work and beads.
Kind regards, Marijke Namink’

Wow Marijke, what lovely ornate design work in your letters.  Such a beautiful sentiment to create personalized pieces for your sisters and brother-in-law, no doubt they are thrilled to receive these gorgeous gifts.

We move from monograms to hussifs now, with a project sent in by Mary Anne Richardson from Canada:

Hi there, I just finished another of my hussifs and thought you might like to see the results.  This one is for my daughter-in-law and was embroidered using a sewing theme.  My hussifs are my own design and as of now every possible sewer in my family has received one (I myself have three - what person in their right mind needs to have that many?!!).  I live in Ontario, Canada and spend every spare moment I can find working on crazy quilting.  I love the fact that it can incorporate so many different forms of needlework as you will notice on this hussif where I've used several different cross stitch patterns (with the help of waste canvas). 

Cheers, Mary Anne Richardson
http://magpiesmumblings.blogspot.com

Thank you Mary Anne – what an incredible amount of detail you have stitched into your hussif.  Each panel has its own amazing story to tell and we love how you have chosen such an eclectic mix of elements, yet when all brought together they just work.  No doubt your daughter-in-law loves it as much as we do!

Susan Hahn from Port Angeles, Washington USA is up next with some pieces of cultural and historical significance for us:

‘Hello, I thought I would send you photos of what I've been stitching lately for Embroidery News. I learned crewel embroidery from my aunt and grandmother when I was a young girl growing up in Mobile, Alabama. I was always stitching something, and had many finished pieces in my 'hope chest.'  My grandmother was a quilter (we come from a long line of pioneer women quilters), and I have completed many of those, but crewel embroidery is my passion.  I have moved clear across the country in my travels, and I'm still stitching, hoping to leave a legacy of work for my children and grandchildren.  

This first piece is of a Native American 'Morning Kachina' which is part of the rich culture of the Southwest Hopi Indians.  This was stitched with a mix of crewel threads and tapestry threads from a vintage kit from the late 1960's.  I am always changing out colors, and stitches, as I did on this one, making it more of my own.   I'm actually working on a whole series of the Kachinas (there are many!) and so far, I've completed seven.

The second piece is of Queen Elizabeth, from another vintage kit, designed by Erica Wilson in the late 1960's.  I stitched it with my own color scheme, incorporating bead work (for the berries on the tree) and some stump work (her ruff & necklace), and turkey work for the grass.  The rest was done with regular crewel stitches, with laid work mixed with gold metallic thread for her skirt.  I framed this one in a vintage standing embroidery
hoop, which I just love.

I love Inspirations magazine, have so many issues, and do enjoy all the beautiful things that so many talented stitchers all across the globe are doing!  And I love Embroidery News, too, it all keeps me going.  The magazine is perfectly named!’

Susan we adore these two projects – they have so much character and charm about them.  Your native American must surely come from a very friendly tribe as he looks somehow playful and full of joy.  One can’t help but smile when you look at him.  Much the same with your Queen Elizabeth, she too looks to be having a great time enjoying her garden.  Job well done, both technically and artistically.

In our opening piece above, we talked about the amazing, diverse world of needlework and encouraged everyone to get out there and become explorers by trying something new.  Sandra Tickle from Walworth, NY USA has done just that and shares with us her inspiring story and amazing gallery of projects:

Bar·rette (bəˈret) noun // typically a bar-shaped clip or ornament for the hair.

‘Hello, I’m Sandra and am sending in photos of some barrettes that I made.  The story behind these is that I have been making my own clothes since I was about 13 years old, and I started creating stumpwork hair barrettes to match my outfits about five years ago.

I first saw stumpwork in an Inspirations magazine and wanted to try this amazing looking technique. I am self-taught with the help of the great detailed instructions in Inspirations and from books. My first try was the butterfly and, while the early ones are not perfect, that is how I learned, by correcting my mistakes.

Stumpwork is now one of my favorite types of needlework. The designs are all my own and I enjoy making the flowers and bugs come to life.  Smocking is another favorite of mine, and so far we have 3 grandsons, but no granddaughters to smock for!  I hope you enjoy looking at what I have done. Regards, Sandra.’

Firstly Sandra – you must have a lot of amazing outfits to match all these beautiful barrettes!  Secondly you certainly have mastered the skill of stump work, and to think you are completely self-taught… congratulations!  All of your barrettes are so creative and each one of them unique in their own way.  It was terrific for us to hear how Inspirations has played a role in expanding your needlework horizons, thank you for sharing your story, we appreciate it.

What Are YOU Stitching?  We’d love to see it… send your photos, a description of the project and a little about yourself including where you live, to embroiderynews@inspirationsmagazine.com.au.

SUBSCRIBERS ENJOY 15% OFF ALL INSPIRATIONS KITS

Don’t forget when ordering any Inspirations Kits to use the promo code on your Fly Sheet at checkout to receive an instant 15% off.

If you are an Inspirations subscriber but don’t have the promo code, that’s easy fixed… just email us at subs@inspirationsmagazine.com.au and we’ll send you one.

WE BRING THE BEAUTIFUL – THE ONLY THING MISSING IS YOU.

Inspirations is the world’s most beautiful needlework magazine. We bring all the beautiful needlework projects from all over the world together for your viewing pleasure 4 times a year.

So if we bring the beautiful, all you need to do is subscribe and we’ll deliver it right to your door anywhere in the world.

If you have never subscribed, we’d love to have you join us. 

For those who don’t have a current subscription – we’d love to have you back.

Either way we’d really appreciate your support.

Beautiful is waiting … subscribe today.

PRINT | For a 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. DIGITAL | For a digital subscription you can purchase it through Zinio direct HERE or through the Inspirations APP which can be downloaded via the iTunes and Google Play stores, by searching ‘Inspirations Magazine’.

CALL US | If you are not sure what option is best for you, have some questions or just like to talk to someone rather than type, we’d love to hear from you. You can call us from anywhere in the world on +61 8 8293 8600 anytime and if we’re not in, leave a message and we’ll get back to you. For anyone within Australia, call us on 08 8293 8600. Otherwise email anytime us at subs@inspirationsmagazine.com.au

Digital Patterns Recently Added:

Susan’s needlework has and continues to be prolific. A small gallery of her stunning pieces are now available to purchase as an instant digital download. You can check out the gallery now by clicking HERE.

Magazines Recently Added:

Did you know that when Susan O’Connor’s book Monograms was first released in 2007, to commemorate the occasion Inspirations issue #55 featured Susan’s monogram project called ‘A Fine Tradition’ which was never included in the book itself.  Printed copies of issue #55 are now available.

Inspirations Issue #55 Still In Print

Projects in this issue include: Charming Mountmellick doily; Stunning silk ribbon embroidered bag; Perfectly stitched monogrammed cushion; Truly feminine sewing bag; Irresistible baby blanket with plush felt animals; Ideal introduction to goldwork; Delicate tambour stitch sachet; Quick and easy embellishment for cardigans; Exquisite beaded poppy

To order a printed copy of issue #55 or for more information including a full list of projects and images of each, Click HERE.

The Ultimate Guide To Monogramming

Now back in print after being unavailable for the past 4 years, you can enjoy a masterclass in Monogramming. Printed copies of her book ‘Monograms – The Art Of Embroidered Letters’ are available for purchase via our website HERE.

What: Slipstitch
Where: Latrobe Regional Gallery, Victoria Australia
When: to 17 Apr
Details: Click here

What: A Stitch in Time – Home Sewing Before 1900
Where: Victoria and Albert Museum | London
When: to 1 May
Details: Click here

What: RSN | Peacocks & Pomegranates Exhibition
Where: Hampton Court Palace
When : to 22 Jul
Details: Click here

What: Muchas Manos Workshop | Beaded Lotus Flower Pincushion
When: 2 Apr
Where: San Diego, California
Details: Click here

What: The Embroiderer’s Guild of Victoria | Threads of Asia Exhibition
When: 16 Apr to 1 May
Where: Embroidery House | 170 Wattletree Road Malvern, Victoria
Details: Click here

What: The Textile Society at The Art Institute of Chicago | Annual Meeting
When: 19 Apr
Where: Fortnightly of Chicago | 120 E Bellevue Place Chicago
Details: Registrations at textilesociety@artic.edu

What: Celebration of Needlework Show
Where: Nashua Courtyard Marriott Hotel | Nashua, New Hampshire
When: 27 Apr to 1 May
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