What Are You Stitching?

Mary Trounson

‘I thought that I’d share my latest finish with you. Festive Fruit by Denise Forsyth from Inspirations issue #96. Thoroughly enjoyed the project despite occasionally having a bit of trouble with the red on red.

I found the needle woven picots very therapeutic and relaxing.

Denise’s idea of the use of paper while stitching the picots was a godsend and picked up by other stitchers at a Stitching group as something they will try in the future.’

‘While the magazine only had 5 patterns and suggested a mix and match of patterns for the 6th, I stitched 12 strawberries. The first pattern in the project I repeated at right angles on another strawberry and the other patterns are fan stitch, honeycomb, Elizabethan half and turn, wave, window filling, Algerian eye.’

‘I had a lot of fun deciding on the additional patterns, I chose some from a Schwalm project I did with the Wellington Embroiderer’s Guild, the Elizabethan half and turn from the RSN stitch bank and a couple from Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches by Jan Eaton.’

‘The wooden bowl is a hand turned Rimu bowl made by a member of Kapiti Wood Turners.’

12 strawberries, Mary! You’re practically a strawberry farm, with each one so beautifully stitched. You have wholly embraced the concept of this design and truly made it your own, including adding your own range of patterns. Denise will be absolutely delighted to see all your different versions of ‘Festive Fruit’!

Robin Pool

‘I loved seeing the octopus and the travel holiday card montage in ASU #419. It inspired me to send photos of a project I just finished.’

‘I found this beautiful 1960s crewel work pillow at an estate sale, but it had 10 holes and one of the grapevine tendrils was in shreds! I crocheted medallions with vintage crochet thread to patch the holes.’

‘Then I re-embroidered the shredded tendril using cotton floss instead of wool and a chain stitch instead of the original stem stitch (to make it clear it was a repair done by a different hand.) I feel like I’ve collaborated with the original artist to create a brand-new work of art. And I’m very satisfied to have rescued her many hours of beautiful work from the landfill!

Thank you for letting us share our projects and for creating this beautiful community.’

What a lovely restoration project, Robin! You’ve done a beautiful job of bringing it back to life and what a creative idea to patch the holes with crocheted medallions. We love it. We’re sure you’ll enjoy having this cushion for many years to come, many more than if it had suffered a different fate…

Lucy Byford

‘I found a very simple line drawing on a pattern at a London Stitch Fair and decided it could be the basis for a project.’

‘I added to it as I went along, including many of the trees, flowers, and the sheep on the back field. Much of it was created freehand on the needle as I stitched. Hope you like it.’

Lucy, your idyllic landscape is divine indeed. We love the freestyle approach you used to stitch it, such a wonderfully spontaneous and creative way to design. Well done!

Have you stitched fruit? Maybe vegetables? Or do you find projects in need of restoring?

Whatever you are stitching, we’d love to see it! Email photos of what you’ve created with needle and thread along with a few details about your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com