What Are You Stitching?

Its official, we just can’t get enough flowers! Maybe it’s because of the warm weather in the northern hemisphere, or maybe it’s because we’re well past the shortest day of the year here in the south and we can sense that spring is on the way. Or perhaps it is simply because when all is said and done, embroiderers and flowers go together like the moon and stars. Who could imagine one without the other?

Joanne Loebig

‘This is a project inspired by Jo Butcher’s Summer Days found in Inspirations issue #101.  I painted the background fabric with watercolours and included a teapot and teacup.’

‘And as you can see, I have a tea set in my own front garden!’

Your garden reminds us of white rabbits and Alice in Wonderland, Joanne – how fabulous! And your interpretation of Jo Butcher’s design is just as magical.

Marjee Zeier

‘This is a portrait of a Centaurea maculosa bloom sliced through to show the interior of the pistil. Spotted knapweed is an invasive and noxious weed where I live and property owners are required to remove it, but I photograph these plants and use them as models for works of art.’

‘It is stitched on quilting cotton that is backed by a fusible, woven stabilizer. I have dyed the edges. The margins are left raw as that is a characteristic of woven fabric and an element of my designs.’

Marjee, your work demonstrates that all nature contains beauty, even if as humans we have deemed it a weed! We love that you’ve found beauty within something where others wouldn’t perhaps think of looking.

Alicia Clark

‘These pictures show a Jacobean pillowcase in shades of blue and a corner of a linen handkerchief I embroidered with poppies.’

‘The pillowcase is from a kit purchased seventeen years ago and the flowers on the handkerchief were a piece of a 19th century wallpaper design.’

Such wonderful colours, Alicia. These show that even old designs never lose their appeal.

Are you in love with flowers as much as we are? Have you found yourself falling in love with pattern after pattern featuring flowers? Or are flowers just not your thing? In any case, we’d love to see your work. Send us pictures of your projects, along with a few words about your stitching journey to news@inspirationssstudios.com