Emily Bittner

‘I was a long-time cross stitcher when I came across the Embroiderers’ Guild of America’s national seminar where I lived, in Chicago. I took every class I could and especially loved my time with Kathy Andrews, who taught The Queen’s Pomegranate at that seminar. What a glorious introduction to crewel work!’

‘At the time, I was the new parent of a very small daughter and I desperately wanted her to have a sibling, so I put extra significance into that pomegranate as the symbol of fertility and dragged it to all of my many, many IVF appointments. Four rounds of IVF later, I finished that gorgeous piece into a pillow and won a Best in Show for it at the state fair!’

What a wonderful and incredibly sentimental introduction to crewelwork, Emily. It’s so wonderful to hear that your embroidery supported you through what was no doubt a challenging time. Your stitching is remarkable; anyone would think you’ve been doing crewel work for years. Your award was very well deserved; keep up the excellent work.

Maddie Loizou

‘I thought I'd share these bookmarks that my mum commissioned from me recently. They depict a daisy, a thistle, a small bough of blackberries, and a vintage wild rose.’

‘They are in mini hoops (about 4.5cm diamater) and were stitched using Au Ver A Soie soie d'alger threads and Piper's Silks threads. They took me a long time to do and I'm so pleased with them that it was almost a shame to give them over to my mum. She was very appreciative of them though!’

These are simply adorable Maddie, and so intricate. Your mum was certainly once lucky recipient; it’s clear how much work and love went into creating these. Finding different ways to display embroidery is always a hot topic, and this is a wonderful example of embellishing something frequently used with a needle and thread. We’re so thrilled you chose to share this with us.

Becky Brewer

‘I received my Great Escape blanket kit around the 20th of April and my grand-niece was due May 21. I finished the embroidery the day Adeline was born (on the 21st) and finished the backing and got it in the mail by the 23rd. Just in time!’

‘This was my first project using wool and my niece loved the whimsical design. I knew if I didn’t have a firm date for completion it might languish so I was happy to have a clear goal and such a great kit to guide my project.’

Becky, what a gorgeous gift for your new grandniece; she is certainly one lucky little girl. We echo your niece’s love for the whimsical design on Great Escape and congratulate you for completing your very first project using wool (though we would never have guessed!). Thank you for sharing this with us.

Have you recently tried your hand at a new technique? Do you enjoy finding new ways to display your embroidery or embellish everyday items with needle and thread? Or have you recently stitched a gift for a new member of your family?

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