What Are You Stitching?

One of the incredible privileges of working at Inspirations is seeing the projects that appear in our books and magazines in real life. As good as the images in our publications are, they often don’t do justice to their size, intricacy and workmanship. Seeing each piece individually is one thing, but it takes your breath away when, on a rare occasion, a collection of pieces is seen together! Inspired by a collection of Julie Kniedl originals that we’ve recently had the privilege of photographing, this week’s ‘What Are You Stitching?’ looks at some of the collections the Inspirations Community have created with their needles and threads.

Diane Martin | New Zealand

‘I have stitched since a young girl and still have my first piece which is a Semco canvas of Little Bo Peep done in soft cotton. In 1979 I joined the Embroiderers and Lacemakers Guild in Auckland New Zealand as I wanted to learn to make lace and continued with lace for about 20 years. I now enjoy Betsy Morgan’s work as I do like the challenge of construction. I am yet to construct Gloriana and I am also stitching her Tooth Fairy Boxes from Inspirations #99 for our grandchildren.’

‘I loved stitching Strawberry Fayre – all the separate components, threads and beads. It was very emotional to finally finish – sad to have finished such a lovey project, but excited and thrilled to see it all completed. Thank you, Inspirations, and to the lovely tutors out there who keeps us so inspired.’

Diane, you definitely love a construction challenge! What an incredible collection of intricate sewing accessories you’ve created. We look forward to seeing Gloriana and the Tooth Fairy Boxes once they’re complete.

Hilary Graham | UK

‘Thought I would send a picture of the work I have done from your wonderful Inspirations Magazine. The last one I completed was Carolyn Pearce’s Strawberry Fayre. I loved doing the embroidery, but assembling it was very tricky! I also made Carolyn’s Home Sweet Home as well as Julie Kniedl’s Succulent Spool and Susan O’Connor’s Evening Bag – Caprice.’

Hilary, we love that your needles and threads have assembled a collection of Inspirations projects! Each one of your pieces is as picture perfect as the original.

Judi Standfield | Australia

‘I have been sharing my love of embroidery and many other crafts with a small class of very enthusiastic ladies. Each year I design a Christmas project for my students and this can be quite challenging considering some have been in my class for 20 years!

‘This collection started out as being just the decorative camels, then came the wise men and of course the rest of the nativity scene followed.’

‘Embellishing this 100% wool felt with embroidery, beading and fabulous trims has been very rewarding and so much fun!’

Judi, we love that your nativity scene has grown over the years, and what a bright and festive nativity it is! No pressure, but we look forward to seeing what Christmas 2018 heralds from your ladies’ needles and threads.

Norah Jackson | Canada

‘My Sewing Box, My Treasures from My Mom… In the fall of 2010 I was on my weekly visit to my Moms’. I had plans to visit a friend who runs a stitching store in her home as I had several things that I needed. We arrived just after she had opened a package from another stitcher. My Mom was quite taken with the work and how beautiful it was. She talked at length to my friend about it. While I was in my own world looking for what I wanted, my Mom had asked Kim to make up a kit for her because she wanted to give the box to me as a Christmas gift. This was all arranged without my knowledge.’

‘You can imagine my surprise when I opened this Christmas gift which I did not know anything about, what was in it or where it came from. You see after my Dad died, Mom depended on me to do all her Christmas shopping and wrapping, so I always knew what I was being given for Christmas. That Christmas I started work on the top of the box and it was my project for the next while. Mom and I spent many Wednesday evenings talking while I worked on this piece. I finished it just before my birthday that year and my Mom was thrilled when I showed her the finished box.’

‘My birthday saw another surprise as my Mom discovered there was a pattern for all the things to go inside the box and called my friend to put a kit together as a gift for my birthday that year. The only sad thing is that she never got to see all the pretty little things that go inside as she passed away while I was still working on them. After I had settled her estate, I treated myself to a pair of beautiful handmade French scissors. Whenever I use them and the other goodies in my box, I remember my Mom and the wonderful Wednesday nights spent talking and laughing about the old days while I worked on this treasure.’

Norah, what an incredibly touching story! Not only is the piece an incredible labour of love, but it is a beautiful reminder of the thoughtfulness of your Mom and the time spent with her.

Has a collection been created from the work of your needles and threads? We’d love to see it! Email photos of your collection along with a few details about your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com