What Are You Stitching?

Time to share some more wonderful stitching courtesy of our All Stitched Up! readers. As we were flicking through all the submissions trying to settle on which of the beautiful pieces to show you today, we decided that we just want to put them all in! Alas, we might be here for days however, so for now here are three stitchers and their delightful needlework journeys.

‘My Californian EGA Chapter, Marin Golden Threads, had the wonderful Catherine Jordan bring us ‘A Joyful Garden’ via Zoom.’

‘Catherine’s kit included the unfinished wooden box. We painted the linen sky blue and the box vanilla.’

‘I added a bird house and changed some of the silk ribbon plants. The sunflowers were done as a tribute to Ukraine. I changed the plain Dorset button pull to one with a floral bouquet.

The hardest to stitch were the teensy bees around the skep. Each is just 1/4” long! Oh my poor 76 year-old eyes but hooray for magnification!

The sample showed a cross stitched poem on the sides. I do not enjoy doing counted work, so I found a length of vintage ribbon printed with bees, that was just the right width. Adding gold bead eyes made it perfect to use instead.’

‘I thoroughly enjoyed stitching and finishing this project, and it happily holds my tools and wound threads while working. My favourite project from 2022!’

This a beautiful box, Sara. We love that you have made the project your own with personal touches and that you’ve found a practical use for it. The ribbon was an excellent idea and looks like it was always meant to ‘bee’!

‘I am passionate about embroidery and I taught myself the technique of Casalguidi. This sweet bag was designed and stitched by me using Chameleon threads. Bringing my work to fruition is such a pleasure, and I have had the honour of teaching this technique at two guilds.’

‘Thank you again for the world’s best embroidery magazine.’

This is a beautiful Casalguidi design, Paula. The tassels you’ve added to the bottom are wonderful! We hope you’ve found some lovely treasures to keep in your bag.

‘Here are some of the things I stitched to manage the Covid experience. This hoop work was the first piece I did using my left hand after I broke it. Although there is a slight wobble at the top left, that will always be a reminder of my struggle to do it. There were 57 different stitches in it.’

 ‘This is a Sashiko gift card, simple but good for a birthday card. I did lots!’

‘The second – Sashiko Dreaming – is my idea of a modern-day sampler. In the thought bubbles are different Sashiko designs, and the dragonfly, iris and heron are common Japanese motifs. 

The dragonfly and heron were designed from my photos of them. The dragonfly, pale blue with yellow spots, comes to my garden every year and Iris was my mum’s name. I often include my mum in my work.’

‘My group, the Wymeswold Textile Art Group in England, did a Japanese drawstring bag session over Zoom during lockdowns.’

What a diverse body of work, Lorraine. You’ve definitely kept yourself busy with some lovely projects, even while recovering from a broken arm! That sampler is immaculately stitched and the colourway is fabulous. Your Sashiko Dreaming piece is wonderfully creative and we love the brightly coloured dragonflies in your drawstring bag and the beautiful beads at the ends of the strings. You should be very proud of all your work!

Have you made an embroidered panel for a box? Have you stitched a sweet bag? Do you participate in any online classes? 

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