Inspirations #119 Out Now!

With Inspirations soon to celebrate our 30th birthday with upcoming issue #120, we’ve been reflecting on the incredible people we’ve had the opportunity to meet, the numerous stories shared with us and the countless number of exquisite, stitched pieces we’ve been privileged enough to publish over the years.

We especially noted the unique backstory of each project, and how no piece of embroidery is created by accident; rather, every thread is purposefully chosen, each stitch meticulously placed.

The latest Inspirations magazine issue #119 is fittingly titled Stitching Stories and celebrates the inspiring, unique and often magical stories behind each piece of embroidery.

So, without further ado let’s begin with the eye-catching cover project. Tatiana Popova’s The Blue Bead is an intricate, flowing design created using a magnificent variety of embroidery techniques. Inspired by a whimsical children’s tale, there’s even more to this exquisite piece than meets the eye.

Littleleaf Sensitive Briar by Katherine Diuguid is a delightful study of fern-like leaves embellished with goldwork techniques, with Summerberry by Taetia McEwen an elegant summer garland created with an array of ribbons, silks and beads – each project finds sophistication in their simplicity.

Nature’s Delight by Colleen Goy is a vibrant symphony of florals, leaves and little pollinators, while Ana Mallah’s Hydrangea captures the magic of this single stunning floral with her beautiful pastel stumpwork petals, embellished with ornate beads.

Traditional embroidery techniques and historical settings and artefacts are another rich source of inspiration, demonstrated by a few projects showcased in this issue.

Di van Niekerk’s Myosotis, based on a 19th century book brought to life with her needle and thread, features enchanting ribbon forget-me-nots, adorned with shimmering metallic threads and beads.

Both Fiori by Maria Elide Melani and Terrazzo by Christine P. Bishop pay homage to Italian heritage. Maria’s elegant table mat is worked in Deruta Sfilato, a traditional Italian lace technique, and Christine’s intricately textured counted thread mat has inspiration drawn from 15th century Italian patterned wall tiles.

Seamlessly following our issue’s theme, Ansie van der Walt’s Inside Story details the inspiring story of Cath Janes, who embroiderers internal body parts including muscles, intestines, and skeletal joints.

Taking Flight dives into Lesley Bergen’s process for creating her adorable, embroidered birds; choosing their colours based on how she’s feeling, each bird tells the story of a different time in her life.

Telling the story of Women in the Winterveld the article Mapula Embroidery Trust explains how their handmade quilts are inspiring and supporting embroiderers from South Africa.

All that, and we haven’t even mentioned Ansie’s new Loose Threads article, ‘Story Cloths’ or our book reviews. If you are new to Inspirations magazine, this is the perfect jam-packed issue to welcome you. Simply click on the link below to secure your very own printed copy of Inspirations issue #119.