Table of contents for Issue 119 in Inspirations

World of Embroidery Any quilter will tell you a quilt starts with lots of small pieces of fabric. The pieces look insignificant and oddly shaped, come in different colours, shapes and patterns, and to the untrained eye, look like scraps. But in the hands of a master quilter, these scraps, when pieced together, can turn into a masterpiece. Looking from afar, we see a well-balanced, overall design, but closer inspection reveals quirky details, many fine stitches, hidden patterns, and corners that don't quite match. Like any master quilt, it is backed and padded with sturdy foundation layers, invisible but essential to the stability, strength, and longevity. The Mapula Embroidery Trust is such a quilt. The small pieces are the women of the Winterveld, a sprawling urban area in Twane outside…

Smooth lines of satin stitch and a lacy puntino stitch border edge the centre and the mat is finished on the outer edge with Italian four-sided stitch and a dainty crocheted picot edging. Shown here worked as a mat, this lovely design would also be perfect used as a cushion front. before you begin See the pattern download for the embroidery chart We recommend that you read the complete article All embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread requirements Fabric 40cm x 50cm wide (16" x 20") piece of ivory Bissone linen, 9 threads per cm Supplies Slate or roller frame to fit fabric Lacing thread (slate or roller frame) Contrasting sewing thread Fine sharp embroidery scissors 1.5mm (UK 2½, US7) steel crochet hook Needles No. 20 tapestry No. 24 tapestry Threads Ritorto…

Worked onto off-white linen with a palette of more than sixty colours, this large design would be suited for use on a cushion or as a framed piece and ideally lends itself to any colour or thread changes the stitcher may choose to make. this design uses Blanket stitch pibwheel | Bullion knot | Colonial knot Cretan stitch | Detached chain | Fly stitch | French knot Long and short blanket stitch | Long and short stitch | Pistil stitch Satin stitch | Split stitch | Stem stitch | Straight stitch requirements Fabric 55cm (22") square of off-white linen Supplies Slate frame or stretcher bars to fit fabric Lacing thread (slate frame) Thumbtacks (stretcher bars) Tracing paper Fine black pen Fine heat-soluble fabric marker Needles No. 22 chenille No. 7 crewel No.…

Tiny flower and cup sequins plus matte glass beads add subtle texture and colour highlights and the sheen of the silk background is echoed by the lustrous gimp cord stems and gold metallic ribbon. Shown here in a conventional frame, the embroidery could also be mounted in a hoop. before you begin See the pattern download for the embroidery design We recommend that you read the complete article All embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread this design uses Couching / Detached chain French knot / Ghiordes knot Satin dot stitch / Satin stitch Stem stitch j Straight stitch requirements Fabric 30cm (12") square of soft gold silk dupion 30cm (12") square of fine white cotton Supplies 23cm (9") embroidery hoop Dressmaker's awl 4mm (5/32") cream buttons (9) Tracing paper Fine black pen Fine…

In Profile Canadian artist, LESLEY BERGEN has been surrounded by art, creativity, and nature her whole life. Encouraged to be creative by her schoolteachermother, Lesley always had access to art supplies, even on their hobby farm in the middle of the North Ontario woods where beavers, bears, wolves, and the glory of nature surrounded them. Lesley first experienced the joy of stitching in year five, when she was introduced to embroidery. "We were just learning stitches on a piece of burlap with a pattern of flowers on it. I remember enjoying it immensely, so much so that I think the memory of the sheer joy of it would make me go back to embroidery years later." Although Lesley studied Art in Merchandising, which taught her about visual display, interior design,…

Paint with thread: a step-by-step guide to embroidery through the seasons Emillie Ferris / David and Charles 2022 f Hardcover 128 pg ISBN: 9781446308486 / RRP: $69.99 Take a handful of stitches and a designerwho communicates about embroidery, particularly threadpainting, in a friendly and enthusiastic style, and you have key ingredients for an excellent introduction to this expressive and artistic style of stitching. Add five colourful, dynamic designs, and complete the recipe with detailed instructions and designs supplied as iron-on transfers, and anyone will be ready to set out on a new needlework journey, either as a beginner or as someone reinvigorating their forays into creating with stitch. Emillie Ferris is an embroidery artist who shares her passion for stitching across a range of online platforms, and with this book,…

Stranded cotton in solid and variegated colours is used to stitch the petals, leaves and stems and glass seed beads add a little sparkle at the centre of each flower. Stitched onto ivory linen, a pair of fallen petals completes the design. before you begin See the pattern download for the embroidery design and templates We recommend that you read the complete article Alt embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread unless specified this designs uses Blanket stitch Long and short blanket stitch Long and short stitch Raised stem stitch Split stitch | Straight stitch Wrapping requirements Fabric 40cm x 30cm wide (16" x 12") piece of ivory linen 40cm x 30cm wide (16"x 12") piece of calico (muslin) 15cm x 30cm wide (6" xl2") piece of white quitter's muslin Supplies 10cm (4") embroidery hoop 25cm (10") embroidery hoop 35cm (14") lengths of…

Original image from the book 'The Language of Flowers: An Alphabet of Floral Emblems’ London; New York: T. Nelson and Sons, 1857 Based on an illustration from a 19th century book printed onto linen, silk ribbons, stranded cotton and beads are used to add texture and dimension, bringing the flowers and foliage to life. Regarded in Victorian times as a symbol of remembrance and true love, forget-me-nots remain a garden favourite with their pretty colour and ability to prolifically self-seed. requirements Fabric 30cm (12") square printed* linen panel 30cm (12") square of white cotton voile *The printed linen panel is available to purchase at inspirationsstudios.com Supplies 20cm (8") embroidery hoop Silk pins Needles No. 10 beading No. 18 chenille No. 22 chenille No. 8 crewel No. 10 crewel No. 13 tapestry Threads, ribbons & beads DMC…

A classic tale of good versus evil and the value of friendship, The Blue Bead tells the story of Karolcia who finds a small blue bead in her old home and when she cleans the dust away, it magically turns into a ball that speaks to the little girl. They become friends, conquering an evil witch, and discover what true friendship really is. before you begin See the pattern download for the embroidery design We recommend that you read the complete article All embroidery is worked with TWO strands of thread unless specified this design uses Back stitch / Bullion knot / Blanket stitch / Chain stitch Corded detached blanket stitch / Feather stitch j Fly stitch French knot / Heavy chain stitch / Flungarian braided chain stitch Interlaced back…

Growing as a sprawling vine with a prickly stem, the plant displays compound leaves with pairs of leaflets that immediately fold together when touched, and mauve pompom flowers. The subtle use of gold threads adds gleaming highlights to the stitching and emphasises the interesting form of this perennial herb. before you begin See the pattern download for the embroidery design We recommend that you read the complete article All embroidery is worked with THREE strands of thread unless specified this design uses Couching / Detached chain Straight stitch The finished design measures 12.5cm x 6.5cm wide (5" x 2 1/2"). requirements Fabric 30cm (12") square of natural linen 30cm (12") square of white cotton Supplies 20cm (8") embroidery hoop Contrasting sewing thread Blunt-tip tweezers Cutting pad Goldwork scissors Mellor Silk pins Tissue paper Fine sepia marker with archival ink Needles No.…