What Are You Stitching?

After writing about Margaret Lee’s project, Yuki, goldwork seemed like a perfect theme for this week’s What Are You Stitching?, and we have received quite a few projects from everyone to show you. What is interesting about them is how different they all are, despite them all sharing a common technique. We hope you’ll enjoy the stories around each of these pieces. Inspiration can come from everywhere!

We showcased some of Ana-Maria’s wonderful stitching only a couple of weeks ago when we featured Trish Burr’s O, Tannenbaum. When she wrote to us, she included several other projects, including multiple versions of Dasher by Karen Newbrook from Inspirations issue #108 that were stitched with her close stitching friends!

Ana-Maria and her friends Marsha and Bridget from the Canadian Embroiderers’ Guild, Guelph all got together in person and virtually to stitch these stunning goldwork projects. They’ve all done such a wonderful job. What a great way to remain motivated and to share the pleasure of stitching, no matter what the circumstances.

‘This is my sampler to document 2020 as my COVID-19 year. It started as Hands Across the Sea sampler entitled Mary Eliza McMillan 1869 – A Little Gem,  but I kept changing everything to reflect the experiences I was encountering throughout the year including lost pedicures, my spring garden, coffee with friends on the deck, even Cynthia Jackson’s Boleyn Bloom that brought five of us together weekly on Zoom.’

What a wonderful way to document a tumultuous year, Darcy. The personalised sampler is fantastic and will become a family heirloom. The fact you completed that as well as Cynthia Jackson’s gorgeous design is very impressive!

‘My thread journey started with my Grandma and a primary school teacher, both of whom encouraged my interest. I used to stay at my Grandma’s for an occasional weekend and she soon realised that when I was sewing, I would actually sit quietly!’

‘I love trying new techniques, which is what has inspired me to try some of the designs from the magazine. I completed Simply Irresistible by Cynthia Jackson from Inspirations issue #105, as I liked the mix of embroidery and goldwork.’

‘My other favourite thing to do is what I call doodling. I just make a random pattern, choose a colour scheme and fill it in with whatever stitches I fancy which makes a break from following a pattern and ‘having to do’ what it says.’

Your doodling project is fascinating Helen, what a wonderfully liberating idea – and your needlework skills are amazing! We’ve only featured a couple of the projects Helen has sent in this week, so look out for more of her work in a future issue. You’re guaranteed to be impressed.

‘I recently finished Jenny Adin-Christie’s Blackwell Roundel from the book A Passion for Needlework 2 | Factoria VII. I bought the kit when I attended her workshop in Bath at the Bath Literary and Scientific Institute in 2019.’

‘Having time on my hands last year, I started it. It was an absolute joy to stitch. I purchased the box that Jenny had made by a craftsman in Cornwall to mount it. It is now in its forever home in my orangery where I do my stitching. It’s a thing that has brought me pleasure in the making and continues to do so every time I look at it.’

This is an exquisite project, Kelvin and you have re-created it beautifully. It is no wonder you get such pleasure out of looking at it.

Do you love goldwork, metal threads and anything sparkly? Or do you prefer your colours matte but still glorious? Do you mix techniques, move across techniques, or stick with a single technique? Or are you simply open to whatever takes your fancy?

Whatever you stitch, we’d like to see it. Send us a photo of your work and a bit of information about your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com