Have Your Say

This week we’re sharing some of the conversations that were inspired from past issues of All Stitched Up!…

Agne Zemugne

After pointing Sarah in the right direction for her trip to Lithuania in All Stitched Up! issue #142 HERE, we recently heard from Agne again who let us know about a virtual exhibition that’s available online from The Embroidered Heaven. Whilst we may not be lucky enough to have Lithuania appear on our travel itineraries, each of us can now explore some of their rich embroidery heritage from the comfort of our own home towns HERE.

Image courtesy of The Embroidered Heaven | Church Heritage Museum

Fran Boyes

‘Thank you for your newsletter All Stitched Up!, I am so glad I signed up as I had forgotten that I used to have time for embroidery many, many years ago! I lived in the NW Highlands of Scotland and joined the Women’s Institute. Every year there was a big competition for the whole of Scotland. I had an idea in my head to do fine grasses from a field on a cream piece of material with contrasting tall black grasses. I was quite excited when we made the 3-hour drive to Inverness to buy the thread, but I was so surprised to find all the thread was so thick.

So, I came back empty handed as I had no idea that the thread could be divided into strands! Every stitch was then done with cheap black cotton, I made a black backing and sewed a little rim around the edge.

Imagine my surprise when I learnt that I had won First Prize in the Edinburgh show.

The village was so proud of me, but they may not have been if they saw the back of my stitching!’

Image courtesy Scottish Women’s Institute (source)

Nella van Niekerk

‘After recently reading issue #192 of your newsletter HEREin which you wrote about the New Zealand farmer, Neville Simon, who does embroidery I wanted to share the following…

A couple of years ago I came from South Africa to visit my daughter and her family who live in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. She took me to the township of Aldgate and into the Greenhills Toy Shop to meet the shop owners Mr and Mrs Malcolm Hill. Mr Hill’s hobby is stitching tapestries and he has developed a particular method of stitching that is different from traditional methods – he portrays people and animals from photographs.’

Mr and Mrs Hill from Greenhills Toy Shop

‘During his lifetime he has won three consecutive gold medals at the Royal Adelaide Show and a silver in the national Dame Mary Durrack Craft Competition held at the Queensland Art Gallery.

My daughter collects all the Inspirations Magazines and brings them to me on her annual visits to South Africa. Her own 13-year-old daughter, Melissa, won a medal at the Royal Adelaide Show last year with her piece of embroidery of a flamingo.

Your magazines are eagerly awaited by my embroidery group in Onrus River near Hermanus in the Western Cape and many pieces have been stitched from these magazines by various members.

We learn a lot from your very clear instructions. Keep up the good work and the high standard of your magazine, it is much appreciated in South Africa!’

As always, we love it when members of the Inspirations Community join in on the conversation! If you’d like to start, or continue, a conversation email news@inspirationsstudios.com – we can’t wait to hear from you!