Celebrating 100 Issues

This week it’s Shirley Luttrell’s journey with stitching and Inspirations that’s helping us celebrate 100 issues of the magazine…

‘My first stitching experience was at six years old when I was allowed to use the big sharp needle threaded with twine to sew closed the bags of harvested wheat on our farm. Primary school sewing classes taught simple articles such as a pin wheel or knitting bag that were hand-sewn and decorated with straight, whipping, stem and chain stitches. Marriage led to baby clothes highlighted with small embroidered designs, cushions and household items all the while teaching myself more stitches.

Then one day at the newsagency I struck gold – a new magazine called Inspirations! After two or three purchased issues, I became a subscriber and am now the proud owner of every issue published to date.

When I retired from paid work, I joined both a church-based craft group and a more serious learning group with friends. While ideas were gained for embroidered motifs – lots of bullions on baby singlets and hand towels or a simple needlebook pattern from the first group who raised funds for Ronald McDonald House and the Royal Flying Doctor Service – the second group was where Inspirations was the source. We made designs as per the original pattern and sometimes sections of a design were adapted for smaller projects. We tried many different techniques and the A-Z Series became essentials in our kits.

Through the years, the arrival of each copy of Inspirations has been eagerly awaited. I make a cuppa and sit down to browse, read, relax and generally delight in that issues’ treasures of design, techniques and increasing knowledge. One cold weekend was ideally suited for sitting down with, at that time, all 96 copies of Inspirations at hand and looking through them from issue #01. What an astounding publishing effort they represent! I am so glad I bought the first of the series and that I have every single one since. I was surprised at just how many featured projects I had attempted and just how many more are of interest – oh, that I could live so long!

Not only have the magazines provided inspiration for many projects but also relaxation and joy – a journey with beauty and imagination.

Whether one’s spirit is soaring or lying in a miserable heap, it is possible to lose oneself in stitching or browsing as I did over that weekend and regain life balance.

So, to everyone who has been responsible for this publication, down through the years, a very big thank you!’

Shirley, it’s all of us at Inspirations that owe you thanks. We appreciate your support over 100 issues of the magazine and thank you for taking the time to share your journey with us. The team at Inspirations have always poured a significant amount of effort into everything we produce, and it makes it all the more worthwhile when we know our publications are so well received, so hearing your incredibly kind words was most appreciated – thank you Shirley!