What Are You Stitching?

Although insects make fantastic subjects for embroidery as a standalone design, sometimes, just the subtle addition of a tiny bee or a colourful butterfly is enough to really elevate a project further. 

It doesn’t need to be the primary focus, but without it, the finished piece wouldn’t quite be the same. The projects featured below all have an insect included, although sometimes you need to search hard to spot them!

‘It is my first attempt at making a bag and I slightly modified it to suit my needs. It was great fun to do the embroidery and to see it emerge from my fingers. It has certainly given me confidence to tackle another project.’

Your modifications really made this project unique, Jennifer. It has been beautifully stitched and constructed and we’re sure you carry it with pride.

‘These are my two recently completed Lorna Bateman projects: Potpourri scissor keep from Inspirations issue #85 and her Lavender and Bees pincushion.’

‘Recently, Lorna taught these two designs to my local EGA chapter in San Diego, USA. Lorna is a wonderful teacher and she encourages you to experiment. The pincushion is a very easy project and a terrific way to learn bullion knots as you get lots of practise!’

‘The scissor keeper has a lot of room for you to do your own thing. I was a little too exuberant with my embroidery and ended up stitching outside the design edges. I had to enlarge the pattern when it came time for finishing. Oops! I really enjoyed designing my initial on the back based on the flowers on the front.’

Your bullions are absolutely perfect, Margaret! Of course, we were taken by the little bees, but the colour and finish of these projects is wonderful. Well done.

‘Attached is a picture of a face mask I made and embroidered to wear when we finally returned to school in Victoria, Australia. It was a long year here!’

2020 was indeed a long year Anne, and we know that even now you’re probably still getting use out of this exquisitely stitched mask.

‘I’m attaching photos of the thimble ‘Mushroom Magic’ by Ana Mallah I stitched recently from the Inspirations Handpicked pattern.’

‘In 2008 I decided to express myself artistically through embroidery, having done only cross-stitch previously. I met a prolific stitcher and overall wonderful woman named Mary Margaret Lovell who lived close to me in Tennessee, USA. 

She took me to the Nashville chapters of the American Needlepoint Guild and the Embroiderers’ Guild of America. I immediately joined and never looked back!’

‘Sadly, she died recently, 8 days short of her 96th birthday. But her legacy lives on in me and the innumerable others whom she mentored. She encouraged me, taught me, shared her stash and so much more.’

We’re so glad that you were touched by such a talented embroiderer in Mary Margaret Lovell, Trish. Your gorgeous work is testament to her mentoring and your own skills and what a treasure it is to have amazing women like that in our lives to instil a passion for needlework.

Do you like to add an extra little motif into your work, whether an insect, a flower or a symbol? Do you enjoy stitching projects filled with tiny, exquisite details which delight both the fingers and the eye? Whatever it is you like to stitch, we would love to see it. Send us pictures of your work as well as a bit of information about the project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com