Inspirations Issue 116

SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS ‘We should try to hold on to the Christmas spirit, not just one day a year, but all 365.’ MARY MARTIN Christmas, perhaps more than any other time of the year, sees us bombarded with clichés, catchcries and slogans, sometimes to the point where we just want to shut off from them completely. It is almost the end of the year; everyone is tired and there are a hundred things to be done. Depending on where you live, you are shivering in the cold or struggling through a heatwave. There are visitors coming, house repairs that need to be done, presents to be bought, cooking and cleaning to be sorted out, and so on. It's exhausting! Perhaps in those moments when we feel most overwhelmed it is worth recalling…

Please make a note of the following correction and insert into the respective magazine. Issue 112 – Seeing Red – Sheet 1, side 1 The step-by-step instructions included on page 22 for making the two-colour twisted cords do not work with the number of strands and lengths listed on the pattern sheet. To use the number of strands and lengths listed on the pattern sheet, use the following method to make each cord: 1 Tie one end of the red threads to one end of the white threads so that you have one long length with a knot at the centre (red one half, white one half). 2 To make the twisted cord, secure one end and twist the second end until the length of threads begins to kink (or a little less…

MEREDITH WOOLNOUGH'S freehand machine embroidered artworks inhabit a world between art and science. Between esoteric whimsy and scientific reality. Between fragility and structure. As a child, Meredith had a fascination with animals and bugs. She loved the outdoors – camping, climbing trees, collecting interesting leaves. Nature fascinated her to such an extent that she considered becoming a marine biologist or a zoologist before setting off on the path of fine arts. It was during her honours year of her Fine Arts degree in 2006 that Meredith explored and developed her embroidery techniques. “That was the pivotal year for my practice. As I kept exploring embroidery and developing my artistic style my work became more and more nature-focused. I was interested in learning all about corals and their environment. I liked to depict…

As an experienced high-school teacher, it was only a matter of time before Meredith added another talent to her creative mix. Although she has been doing workshops and in-person classes for a while, she migrated to online courses during 2020. “Online courses are a natural extension of the teacher in me. I love to teach. I always have. I am also very passionate about this kind of embroidery so I love to share it with others and see the joy they get from creating with it. I originally thought online teaching would feel a bit less personal because I wouldn't have the student in front of me. But I have found that because I spend more time with my students in the online course – six weeks rather than a single weekend…

Kimberley becker is a self-proclaimed formidable woman and feminist artist who believes in a woman's right to autonomy. As a twelve-year-old, she already knew that she would become an artist and would study at Rhode Island School of Design, but it was only when she first set foot on campus as a new student that she considered textiles as a major. “It was thrilling to think I could work on a loom, at a printing table, and with needle and thread for my college experience. My grandmother was a cross-stitcher and knitter and I remember cherishing anything that she made for me growing up. Fibre is something I gravitate towards when expressing myself.” Kimberley's series of whimsical embroidered art dresses, called House Dresses, is the culmination of a number of lifechanging…

RSN: Fine Whitework Jenny Adin-Christie | Search Press 2022 | Softcover 192 pg ISBN 9781782217022 | RRP: $49.99 Fine whitework has long held a position as one of the most refined and exquisite forms of embroidery. Unencumbered by the distraction of colour, its beauty is fully revealed with clever choice of technique, a careful play of light and shade and perfectly executed stitches. It offers few places to hide an illconceived design, worn threads or poor workmanship. It is hardcore, extreme embroidery that offers up a defiant challenge to the curious and committed stitcher. For those willing to take it up, you could ask for no better companion to guide your head and your hand than Jenny Adin-Christie. A graduate of the RSN, Jenny has built an enviable reputation for excellence in…