What Are You Stitching?

This week we feature the work of stitchers who have said yes. Yes to new techniques, new opportunities and new adventures with needle and thread…

Mary Gervase | USA

‘I have been so inspired by the work of those in the Inspirations community over the past two years! I had fiddled around with one embroidered piece while in college, but never finished it and, in fact, gave it away. I decided to take the craft up again two years ago when my husband and I planned an 8,000-mile (12,875 km) road trip in our little truck camper and I couldn’t stand the thought of sitting for that many days and not accomplishing anything!’

‘So, I came up with the idea of trying a cross stitch as I could stitch a design that was pre-drawn. I chose to do a picture my friend drew of a scene from Tibet. I found cross stitch was not a good fit for me, so on the trip I started an embroidery and that set the ball in motion! I drew and traced artwork that I was passionate about onto cotton and started from there.’

‘Next we took a 9,000-mile (14,485 km) road trip to Newfoundland from Idaho. Then we backpacked in Europe in September and I drew another picture to embroider. So, not only do I feel productive and creative, I have a beautiful reminder of our voyage.’

Mary, we love that saying yes to the adventure of travel has rekindled your love of needle and thread! Your pieces are indeed beautiful reminders of your voyages.

Melanie Missin | UK

‘I have recently finished my City and Guilds Level 3 Patchwork and Quilting, Design and Craft. I have a studio and I now teach workshops and classes in Textile Art. A dream come true.’

‘I will be attending The Festival of Quilts this year in Birmingham UK on the Quilters in Action Stand with Mary McIntosh who was my City and Guilds Tutor. Another dream come true!’

‘I work with lots of mediums but the fabric bowls are made using Interfacing Transfer Dyes, sheer organza, stitch and a soldering tool. The stitching at the end just brings the whole piece alive!’

Melanie, dreams come true only occur when we say yes to the opportunities that lay before us and do what we have to do to make them possible. Your bowls are spectacular! Creative, distinctive and unique.

Sabine | Belgium

‘I’m a new subscriber and have just received my first All Stitched Up – it’s informative and fun. While the French edition of Inspirations is no longer available in Belgium, I discovered the magazine still exists and I’m waiting impatiently for my first English issue to arrive.’

‘Inspirations is a sumptuous magazine, suited to all kinds of embroiderers. It gives you the desire to discover new techniques and pushes you towards new projects. It makes you feel like you’re able to do anything!’

‘I’ve learned traditional embroidery, ribbon embroidery and thread painting and love the work of Helen M. Stevens and Trish Burr. I now want to start crewel embroidery – and this is thanks to your magazine. In Belgium, we are just like those of you everywhere else who have many works not finished, but always wanting to start a new one – I need many lives to do all my projects!’

Sabine, we’re honoured to hear Inspirations has played a role in your stitching journey and are so glad you’re part of the ‘family’! We love the enthusiasm with which your willing to say yes to new techniques and projects alike and can’t wait to see what’s next from your needle and thread.

Wendy McKie | Canada

‘I began stitching when I received a pre-stamped cross stitch table cloth for Christmas in the early 1990’s and my obsession started. I went on to cross stitch on Aida cloth until a friend said that I should try linen and I have never looked back. I was a member of the Semiahmoo Needlearts Guild for many years and learned a great deal from the women in this group.

I now do an assortment of needle arts and enjoy them all, but I do like a challenge, and I found that Hazel Blomkamp's designs are very challenging!

I have done five or six of her designs to date. I also enjoy doing Trish Burr designs and a photo of my Partridge in a Pear Tree is below. I always read your magazine from cover to cover before I pick a project to stitch.’

Wendy, we think enjoying a challenge makes it easier to say yes to the opportunities that lay before you. Your years of stitching have served you well, as your Partridge is as graceful and carefully stitched as Trish’s original.

Have you been inspired to say yes? We’d love to see photos of what you’ve created with needle and thread along with a few details about your stitching journey to date. You can email them to news@inspirationsstudios.com