Summerberry by Taetia McEwen

Imagine if needlework was a building with many rooms. Within each room is a different stitching expression you can experience, ranging from techniques, designs, construction methods, materials to use and more.

There could be an entire floor of the building dedicated to lace techniques, another floor where surface embroidery is located and when we get to the materials floor, well that might have dozens of rooms across multiple levels.

Silk threads, stranded cottons, ribbons, beads, linen, canvas – room after room of variations with myriad projects behind each door, waiting for you to explore.

It all sounds a bit like the needlework equivalent of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory!

When you take a moment to break down all the individual permutations needlework has to offer, it’s a truly awesome thought. The options are endless. That’s before you even begin to consider the exponential expansion that occurs by putting combinations together.

We share all of this as a preamble to introduce the project Summerberry by Taetia McEwen Inspirations issue #119.

In this piece, it’s as if Taetia visited our Willy Wonka needlework building, stopped by the materials floor and worked her way through room after room collecting an amazing assortment of goodies before getting to work.

To an outsider Summerberry is a graceful garland replete with plump berries, dainty blossoms, golden leaves and pretty seed pods that beautifully captures the delights of a summer day.

To a stitcher, Summerberry is a riotous adventure exploring the use of a wonderful array of new and uncommon materials.

For example, several stems work their way in a circular motion to give the wreath its shape. This has been achieved by using hand-dyed gimp created by The Thread Studio. Never used gimp before? It’s essentially a thread core that is wrapped in more thread to create a stiff cord, which in this instance has been couched in place.

Next stop on our textiles adventure, Taetia deploys metallic mesh ribbon. This ribbon comes in tubular form that you unfurl and here Taetia fashions it into the shape of a leaf that is outlined and couched in place.

Then, we even have buttons that are overstitched and covered in ‘first blush’ coloured silk thread to form the berries delicately placed at regular intervals.

The list goes on, but all in all Summerberry is a gorgeous example of a restrained and intricate design coupled with a vivacious appetite to introduce a plethora of new fibres and textures to magnificent effect.

Wonderful to behold, a delight to stitch. This is one project that is guaranteed to expand your materials repertoire!

Make Your Own Summerberry

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Summerberry by Taetia McEwen is a summer garland in soft, shimmering shades using silk, beads, sequins and metallic mesh ribbon.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Summerberry includes everything* you need to re-create the delights of a summer day: Fabrics (unprinted), buttons, embroidery threads, beads, sequins and needles.

*Please Note: To cater for flexibility of purchase, instructions are not included with our kits. For step-by-step directions on how to create this project, please refer to the magazine/digital pattern.