Tabla de contenidos para Inspirations issue 102 en Inspirations

OUR WORLD IS FULL OF COLOUR – everywhere we go, everything we see, everything we do, we are surrounded by glorious colour. Not just the vibrant hues of a magnificent sunset or the symphony of shades in a glorious summer garden, but also the subtle, understated tones that are found in tree bark or the sea on a stormy day. Colour abounds on television, in magazines, on the computer screen and in everything we wear and eat and stitch. Endless colours in endless combinations! Some of the most astounding are found in nature; the intense, saturated colouration of pansy petals or the incredible iridescence of a peacock or hummingbird feathers, the amazing hues in a rainforest or coral reef, or the delicate nuances of pebbles on a beach. All offer…

Thank you to everyone who participated. We are delighted to announce the following winners: DESIGN DIVA The Design Diva category is where entrants submit original pieces that have been both designed and stitched by their maker. And the winners are… TECHNIQUE: Surface Embroidery 1 WINNER: Jacqueline Weemaels-Michiels from Belgium PROJECT: A Little House in Provence TECHNIQUE: Raised Embroidery 2 WINNER: Chrissie Mann from the UK PROJECT: Stumpwork Figure TECHNIQUE: Counted/Cut/Drawn Thread 3 WINNER: Victoria Laine from Australia PROJECT: Traditional Band Sampler STITCHING UP A STORM The Stitching Up A Storm category is for re-creations of existing designs. And the winners are… TECHNIQUE: Surface Embroidery 4 WINNER: Elma Haley from the USA PROJECT: Partridge and Pear Tree by Sylvia Murariu TECHNIQUE: Raised Embroidery 5 WINNER: Sue Barrows from Australia PROJECT: Elizabethan…

In 2017 the first International Mountmellick Embroidery Competition was instigated by the Mountmellick Development Association, Museum and Heritage Committee. Mountmellick embroidery has its origins in the town of the same name in County Laois, Ireland. The introduction of Mountmellick embroidery is credited to Johanna Carter around 1825 and locally produced cotton materials were used to create the beautiful, highly textured, monochromatic designs that were largely based on indigenous flora. Although many other forms of whitework were stitched in the country, Mountmellick embroidery is considered unique in that it is the only 19th Century form of embroidery that can claim to be entirely Irish in origin and design. On August 20th 2017, DEBORAH LOVE was named as the winner of the first competition for her delightful fringed tablecloth worked with strawberry…

Sydney-based NATALIE FISHER stitched her first needlepoint when she was thirteen years old. She instantly fell in love with the tactile nature of the wool and the satisfaction of seeing her work come to life. A few years later, bored with the commercially available kits, she discovered Kaffe Fassett. “His book, Glorious Inspiration, encourages confidence with colours, to experiment with possibilities for needlepoint creations in everyday objects like ceramics, paintings, mosaics, drawings, textiles and nature. I took his advice to heart and discovered my own sense of colour and design.” Honing her skills of observation and colour blending, Natalie worked on a series of nature inspired designs. “I explored the possibilities of portraying a single flower form on a large scale. My intention was to delve into the contradiction of…

Embroidered book covers have a long and rich history and many beautiful examples remain in museums and collections around the world. An ideal way to personlise a precious notebook or diary, this elegant single flower design is worked with wool and mohair threads onto a natural linen/ cotton fabric. Choose from soft mauves and English greens or vibrant rose pinks and grass greens and create a delightful gift for yourself or a friend. before you begin We recommend that you read the complete article and instructions in the pattern download See the pattern download for the embroidery design All embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread these designs use Blanket stitch | Chain stitch Chain stitch/back stitch combination Feather stitch | Fly stitch French knot Long and short stitch Outline…

before you begin We recommend that you read the complete article See the pattern download for the body placement guide and wing templates All embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread this design uses Back stitch | Blanket stitch | Couching | Detached chain Fly stitch | Long and short stitch | Raised stem stitch Satin stitch | Single feather stitch | Stem stitch | Straight stitch requirements Fabric 35cm (14") square of ivory duchess satin 35cm x 80cm wide (14" x 31 1/2") piece of quilter’s muslin 15cm x 40cm wide (6" x 16") piece of white organza 10cm (4") square of black metallic organza 15cm x 35cm wide (6" x 14") piece of bottle green organza 10cm x 30cm wide (4" x 12") piece of blue rainbow crystal…

Finding food for the winter can be hard work and transporting a collection of tasty treasures back home could be a challenge but this cute little chipmunk has inbuilt shopping bags in his cheeks. A striped rodent, indigenous to North America, chipmunks stockpile food for winter in their burrows, carrying large quantities of seeds and nuts in expanding cheek pouches that can reach body size when full. Worked in shades of stranded cotton onto white linen, this charming little fellow is busy deciding just what to do with this freshly discovered peanut. before you begin We recommend that you read the complete article See the pattern download for the embroidery design and templates All embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread unless specified this design uses Bullion knot | Chain…

Cut from a vibrant selection of wool fabrics, each bird body and wing have been appliquéd in place then richly decorated with a range of highly textured stitches to bring them to life. Choose just one to frame, two or three to add some fun to a piece of clothing or stitch them all onto this gorgeous rectangular cushion. before you begin We recommend that you read the complete article and instructions in the pattern download See the pattern download for the templates and cutting layouts All embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread requirements Fabric 29cm x 37cm wide (11 1/2" x 141/2") piece of indigo wool 23cm x 81.5cm wide (9" x 32") piece of fountain spout wool 10cm x 14cm wide (4" x 5 1/2") piece of…

“I HAVE ALWAYS GRAVITATED TOWARDS ARTISTIC ENDEAVOURS. I remember how proud of myself I was when my first grade teacher showed the whole class my “excellent colouring skills!”. I was told that I had inherited my love of arts and crafts from my Venezuelan grandmother who was known for her talents in a wide variety of crafts including superbly crocheted ponchos, but now I can see that it runs through both sides of my family. From the sketches of boats and fish my Dad would draw on his wooden tackle box and my Mum’s great sense of colour to the quirky furniture pieces my brother upcycles. As a child, I was always on the lookout for sparkly things, threads, bits of fabric, and would spend hours making them up into…