Celebrating 100 Issues

To help celebrate the 100th issue of Inspirations Magazine we set out to hear from as many Foundation Members as we could. An Inspirations Foundation Member is a reader who has supported the magazine from the very beginning and has a complete collection of all 100 issues. In gratitude for their commitment to helping us make the world more beautiful, one stitch at a time, we have created an honour roll to thank each one of them.

The honour roll is printed on pages six and seven of Inspirations #100 and can also be found on our website HERE, where we continue to add the names of the Foundation Members who make themselves known to us.

Through the process of collecting the names of our Foundation Members, we also had the privilege of hearing about their journeys with needle and thread. We’re going to share some of these journeys over the coming issues of All Stitched Up! and hope they’ll inspire you as they did us.

Barbara Roberts

‘My embroidery story began around the same time as Inspirations issue #1 was published. I was unfortunately involved in an extremely traumatic incident where I worked in 1991. Without going into detail, there were three people shot at my workplace in a violent sniper attack. For three years I continued to work but the PTSD, recurrent and chronic health problems forced me into medical retirement in 1995 when I was only 38 years old.’

‘In 1993 I had begun purchasing Inspirations when issue #1 first appeared. I had enjoyed embroidery as a child in school and this magazine reminded me of far happier times and taught skills I have always admired.’

‘At first after my retirement, I was unable to leave my house, so I sewed and embroidered at home. Inspirations become my inspiration. I completed several embroideries on my own and my skills began to grow. Eventually my health improved, and I attended TAFE as a full time Fashion Technology student and excelled. I continued to collect every Inspirations and always found something to do or something to truly get me thinking. After TAFE I began attending embroidery classes locally. Soon my embroidery skills and yearning for more embroidery knowledge saw me attending embroidery conventions and workshops whenever I could.’

‘The rest is now history. I am an avid convention attendee in Australia and abroad and attend workshops as often as I can manage. I find great strength and pleasure in looking at how my embroidery skills have developed over the years. They tell such a story.’

‘It is not just the improvement in my skills, but the places the embroideries have taken me and the relationships that have been forged along the way. The one absolute constant throughout that journey has been Inspirations Magazine.’

‘When I look back through older issues I think of where I was skill wise, geographically and health wise. Inspirations serves as an infinite source of knowledge and a map of my life. Inspirations is definitely a long-term friend! I am proud to be able to say I am an Inspirations Foundation Member.’

Barbara, we admire the steps you took to start and continue your recovery from PTSD and are proud that Inspirations was able to accompany you throughout your journey with needle and thread.