Gwen Babcock

‘I’m submitting some pictures of four freehand cross-stitch pieces I did for my family and friends for Christmas last year. The first one I started from a DMC floss box that my mother had picked up for me, and it had some patterns inside of flowers and trees.’

‘It inspired me to do the single hibiscus flower design but, when I didn’t feel like following the pattern completely, I started to go off on my own creative twist.

By the time I got to the final project of the house with the lane, I was fully creating things from my mind’s eye, and it was a lot of fun!

It also propelled me into needlepointing. From needlepointing, I fell in love with how different the texture of yarn is from floss and I also love the rustic look and colour of spun yarn.’

‘That curiosity lead me down a path to take a spinning class and purchase a Schacht spinning wheel. My goal is to spin my own yarn to needlepoint.

The reality is that I have a long way to go to get there, however the confidence I gained from going off pattern and letting my creativity flow has made me a much happier and more content woman.’

‘My mother is an exceptional seamstress and fibre artist, and having watched her over many years from when I was a little girl to now has surely influenced me.

Although we both enjoy fibre arts, she and I do completely different types of work. It is fun to compare notes with her on something I’m working on and something she is working on, and often we find solutions together to any hangups either of us may have.’

How lucky your family and friends are to receive such heartfelt and creative gifts, Gwen. We can all take inspiration from your excitement and willingness to try new things, even if it might take a while to get where you’d like to be. Hearing about the shared passion and creative problem solving you share with your mum is wonderful, and we hope you can both continue this for many years to come.

Madhulika Desai

‘My name is Madhulika, and I'm from Bangalore, India. I've been a subscriber to Inspirations magazine over the last several years. Embroidery has been my passion since childhood.’

‘It was my mother who introduced me to this wonderful art form. Not only did she teach me how to stitch, but also the importance of neatness and elegance in embroidery.’

‘I have also learnt a lot by following books and websites by Trish Burr, Hazel Blomkamp, and Mary Corbet among others. I have now begun to design my own projects and would like to share them with you - I hope you enjoy these pictures of my latest work.’

Madhulika, your mother’s teachings of neatness and elegance shine through your pieces, and your creativity and use of vibrant colours make your designs such a joy to experience. Thank you for sharing these with us.

Anne Shields

‘This is the fourth year I have made a smocked Christmas dress for ‘Capitol Christmas’, a fundraising event for our town’s Capitol Theatre.

The theatre, the first built for talking movies in the area, is now a live theatre. Its beautiful interior is like a Norman castle courtyard, complete with ceiling star lights.’

‘Local merchants decorate over a hundred Christmas trees and wreaths and a few artisans donate their work. Visitors by the hundreds visit the theatre and purchase raffle tickets to deposit in the boxes beneath the articles they desire. I’m now 86 and still loving smocking and sewing.’

What a beautiful town tradition, Anne, it sounds like a wonderful community. Your smocking looks as beautiful as your description of the Capitol Theatre! Your generosity to donate such an elaborate gift of a handmade smocked dress is a remarkably kind gesture. We hope the fundraiser was a success and that you can continue to love smocking and sewing for many years to come!

Have you recently tried your hand at a new technique? Do you enjoy designing your own projects? Or has your stitching benefitted a local cause?

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