Jacobean Flower by Margaret Lee

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.

*Instructions – As this kit does not include instructions, for step-by-step directions on how to create this project, please refer to Inspirations magazine issue 121 or the Jacobean Flower digital pattern, both purchased separately.