What Are You Stitching?

In All Stitched Up! Issue #180, we unpacked the last of our featured projects from Inspirations Magazine #101 and thought it a great week to share some of the other projects from Inspirations that have been created with the needles and threads of our incredibly talented community…

Christmas Bouquet | Inspirations #88

Sharon Palermo | ‘For Christmas 2018, I stitched two of Julie Kniedl’s beautiful Christmas Bouquet ornaments featured in Inspirations #88. I made one for myself and gave the other away at the Austin Texas Stitchery Guild Christmas party. This was the most challenging stumpwork I have done but, thanks to your fantastic instructions, I was able to finish both of them and was very pleased with the finished pieces.’

‘I added some ribbons to the ball as I felt it looked a little naked without them! I am now working on two sets of Julie’s Mistletoe Bell from Inspirations #100 as once my daughter saw the Christmas ornaments, she asked if it was possible to do mistletoe – I immediately showed her issue #100 and started stitching! Sharon Palermo.’

Sharon, your version of Christmas Bouquet is bright and festive and anything but naked! We’re glad our Editorial Team’s instructions served you so well and we look forward to seeing your Mistletoe Bells as soon as they’re complete.

Mistletoe Bell | Inspirations #100

Jamie Cerda | ‘My inspiration came from Inspirations #100. The front cover was a bell with mistletoe and when my daughter saw it, she asked me to create it. I found a vintage bell on Etsy and started stitching.’

‘I had just three weeks to complete it! I finished it two days before her wedding photographer took a beautiful photo of the finished piece. Jamie Cerda.’

Jamie, that’s some speedy stitching indeed! We love your unique take on Mistletoe Bell and your daughter’s photographer has absolutely captured the Christmas magic of the piece just beautifully.

Monique Johnston | ‘I thought you might like to see two versions of my bell. The mistletoe has special meaning to me as I am originally from France and we always had mistletoe at Christmas. I couldn’t bear to put my bell away after Christmas, so I thought to adapt Julie Knield’s Red Currants from A Passion for Needlework | Factoria VII.’

I am very happy with the result and am now thinking maybe a new spray for each season?! So, I need to design an acorn spray for Autumn and stitch the Camellia from Inspirations’ new book Botanica for Spring. Monique Johnston.’

Monique, we love the idea of a spray for each season and can’t wait to see Autumn and Spring and no pressure, but we note the leaves have just started turning in Adelaide, so Autumn is knocking!

Pam Debenham | ‘I thought I would share my Mistletoe Bell with you. Having made one for myself, I then made two more for friends as Christmas gifts. This year I will be making another three for friends for Christmas 2019 and will be starting on the Red Currants as soon as my copy of Botanica arrives. Can you tell I am absolutely hooked on Julie Kneidl’s designs?! Pam Debenham.’

Pam, you’ll be able to recreate Mistletoe Bell with your eyes closed by the time you’ve finished your sixth one! We look forward to seeing your version of Red Currants and are sure it will depict Julie’s original as perfectly as you have with Mistletoe Bell.

Have your needles and threads created something from the pages of an Inspirations’ publication? We’d love to see it! Email photos of your stitching along with a few details about your journey with needle and thread to news@inspirationsstudios.com