Pansy by Susan Casson

There is a great saying that goes ‘find something you love to do, and you’ll never work a day in your life’.

The only catch, however, is it doesn’t say how much you get paid to do the thing that you love!

We often refer to needlework as a pursuit of passion and, as we all know, passion doesn’t always pay the bills, but it is such an amazing gift when it does. Then again, what price do you put on love?

Not all the designers that we publish work in the needlework industry full time. Many stitch as a hobby and enjoy embroidery as an after-hours escape from their demanding professions.

One such designer is Susan Casson, whose gorgeous needlework we have had the privilege of publishing since her Inspirations magazine debut back in issue #82.

As Susan has an extremely busy life outside of her needlework, the number of projects she creates is limited to the time she has available. But when she does find time, the results are extraordinary, so we always look forward in eager anticipation to her next submission.

In fact, looking back through Susan’s impressive catalogue of work we have published to date, every single design has been highly sought after.

Susan’s project Pansy is the next piece to add to our line-up of her published work that, once again, showcases her marvellous talent and appears in our upcoming release The Handpicked Collection 4.

The pansy is a favourite flower of gardeners and embroiderers alike, providing a splash of colour over many months and its distinctive markings give it a cheerful demeanour.

Representing loving thoughts, its vibrant colouring and unique flower form make it an ideal subject to stitch, allowing the beauty of the garden to be brought indoors all year round.

Susan has captured every aspect of this floral cutie perfectly by creating violet and yellow petals using stumpwork, both in full and partial bloom.

Fresh green leaves provide a further realistic touch, and a hovering bee adds more than just a little magic.

Perhaps it’s the simplicity of the design, the flawless execution of the embroidery, the striking colour palette, or a combination of all three that somehow draws you in and makes you want to pick up your needles and stitch your very own Pansy.

And isn’t that what the world’s most beautiful embroidery is all about – inspiring us all to stitch!

Special Note

As this design has been released early, at present Pansy is the only project from the Handpicked Collection 4 available online.

The good news is, Ready-to-Stitch kits for Pansy are out now and, as they come with instructions included, we can ship them to you straight away.

Books for the Handpicked Collection 4 are currently available to pre-order HERE and will ship mid-March.