Pomegranate Needlefold by Margaret Light

Earlier in this issue and over the past few weeks, we’ve been indulging in many of the sights, sounds, and delights of Margaret Light’s latest book A Fine Tradition 2.

Inspired by her international travels and interest in history, art and architecture, A Fine Tradition 2 is a celebration of culture, design and, of course, the finest of embroidery.

Inside you will find some epic needlework pieces befitting a worldwide adventure, but right now we want to help you discover a hidden gem.

For those of you who already have the book, turn to page 42. You may have flicked past this gorgeous project on the way to some of the larger designs, which is not surprising, as the Pomegranate Needlefold is in fact the smallest project in the book.

You can read all about the inspiration behind why Margaret chose the pomegranate as the hero motif for this project on page 43, but for now we want to highlight some of the wonderful nuances in this piece that you may not have noticed.

To begin with, we want to actually bring your attention to the fact this project is in the book! With everything you need to know contained in just six pages plus construction, it can be easy to miss, but having a smaller piece to work on is always a nice instant gratification hit when you’re in between some of the more involved designs Margaret has created.

From the striking diamond grid pattern that forms the outer skin of the large pomegranate, the use of Mill Hill ruby beads to emulate the fruit seeds or arils, through to the wide diversity of colours and finishes used in the leaves, there is so much clever stitching on display it is a true joy to both stitch and behold.

We love the ric rac trim, the use of warm natural linen to contrast again the bold red, even down to little surprises like the fact that this is a needlefold without the usual pages inserted. Instead, Margaret has chosen felt for the lining, which means you can house your needles quite comfortably directly in the inside of the fold itself.

The Pomegranate Needlefold is such a beautiful piece, we have loved finding this hidden treasure to share with you all.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Pomegranate Needlefold by Margaret Light is a delightful depiction of a pomegranate from flower to ripe fruit for needle storage.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Pomegranate Needlefold includes everything* you need to re-create this intriguing needlefold: Fabric with pre-printed design, wool felt, interfacing, cotton tape, ricrac, sewing thread, embroidery threads, beads and needles.

*Please Note: To cater for flexibility of purchase, instructions are not included with our kits. For step-by-step directions on how to create this project, please refer to the book.