Inspirations #114 Out Now!

Any time of year is the right time to get out in nature. It doesn’t matter whether the sun is shining, the rain is dripping from the leaves, or the ground is covered in snow.

One of the joys of life is to take a walk in nature and enjoy earth’s beauty. Another is to sit down with the new copy of your favourite magazine and immerse yourself in some of the world’s most beautiful needlework projects.

The theme of Inspirations issue #114 is Nature Walk and it is packed with gorgeous projects inspired by nature.

On the cover is Jarrah & Grass Blue Butterfly by Denise Mackey, a stunning stumpwork study of elegant eucalyptus leaves dotted with gum nuts. The three stages in the life of the grass blue butterfly are displayed amongst the foliage – caterpillar, chrysalis and the final, stunning, purple winged butterfly.

If you would like to try your hand at an amazing mix of stitches, sequins and beads, you’re going to love Bush Beauties by Melissa Horton. These two, modern projects give you the opportunity to experiment as you create a colourful Major Mitchell’s cockatoo or a sinuous lyrebird.

Little Brown Hen by Anna Scott is an adorable stumpwork project featuring a plump hen watching over her tiny chicks. It includes everything you need for a needlebook edged in beads and a framed panel to decorate your wall.

Mike Parr has designed an elegant whitework project entitled Dresden Lace. This technique combines both counted and surface stitches in a flower filled heart shape, offering something for everyone.

If you love colour, you’re going to adore Rainbow Bee-eater by Wendy Innes. The brilliant plumage on this tiny bird has been worked exquisitely in rayon thread and is set off by a riot of gorgeous, blue, stumpwork sun orchids.

Taetia McEwen has produced yet another of her delightful bedside lamps with Dream a Little Dream. Dotted around with a band of merry frogs and character-filled insects, the lyrics to this well-known song will serenade any child to sleep perfectly every night.

For fans of stitching accessories, Kim Beamish has designed Victorian Hearts, an elegant, heart-shaped trio stitched using a range of counted stitches. The needlebook, pincushion and scissor fob are all edged with detached blanket stitch loops and decorated with twining stylised heart-shaped flowers.

Inspirations magazine isn’t just about the projects though. It is also filled with stories. You can read about embroidery artist Sue Vickery whose ground-breaking embroidery projects embrace all manner of contradictions. From puppet making and embroidery to animation, she’s a woman to be admired.

You can also read about artist Stephanie Neville who uses embroidery and other textile works to express her love of the ocean and the natural world that surrounds it.

If it’s not there yet, Inspirations issue #114 will be landing in subscribers’ letterboxes soon, and will be in the shops shortly thereafter.