Hi <<First Name>>,

Thank you for all the very passionate responses we received to our new book ‘Inspirations - A Passion For Needlework’ last week, it means a lot to us! Hundreds of copies of the book are now making their way to people everywhere across the globe and we look forward to hearing your thoughts once they arrive. This week we explore a Schwalm embroidery project from the book, take a trip to Vietnam, learn about a new life-like needlework technique that will make you think your eyes are playing tricks on you, and much more. Do you have something to share?  We’d love to hear from you!  Email us at: news@inspirationsstudios.com

                      FINAL CALL to book for BATB 2016

      CLASSES AND ACCOMMODATION STILL AVAILABLE!

20 of the world’s best tutors, 62 of the world’s most beautiful needlework projects, 7 of the best days of your life.

       Last Chance, Don’t Delay, Last Call, Book Today!

> Digital PDF of the catalogue available to download for FREE – Click HERE.
> Registration online and see list of classes and accommodation – Click HERE.

ALREADY REGISTERED?

Don’t forget to check out the BATB 2016 Special Events Calendar. To discover all the fun you can get up to after class, click HERE.

Last week we announced the launch of our brand new book ‘A Passion For Needlework’ and today we are taking a closer look at one of the projects ‘White Linen’ by Deborah Love.

‘White Linen’ by Deborah Love

‘White Linen’ is a simple yet elegant tribute to the garden tulip, richly ornamented with intricate drawn thread and surface stitches, worked with a subtle palette of white on pristine white linen to create a delightful boudoir cushion.

This stunning cushion is worked in Schwalm embroidery which is one of many regional techniques (think Mountmellick from Ireland, Hardanger from Denmark, Reticello from Italy etc.) with its origins in the small area of Hesse in Germany.

Schwalm embroidery typically features a design motif which is then outlined in coral or chain stitch worked in monotone white on white, or cream on cream.  In ‘White Linen’ Deborah has added some wonderful unique touches into the petals by using a different filling stitch for each tulip which in turn creates a lovely variety of needlework techniques to keep things interesting for the stitcher.

‘White Linen’ demonstrates the exceptional depth of experience and skill Deborah has in Schwalm embroidery, thanks in part to her extensive studies of the technique during her time in Germany.  In Inspirations issue #93, we’ll be including a fascinating profile about Deborah and learn more about her amazing journey into Schwalm, Whitework and Deerfield embroidery techniques.

MAKE YOUR OWN ‘WHITE LINEN’ CUSHION

Step 1/. – Purchase The Book

‘White Linen’ by Deborah Love is featured in our new Inspirations book ‘A Passion For Needlework’ Not only is this project showcased in a glorious 6 page photo gallery, the book comes complete with project requirements list, detailed step by step instructions and pattern sheet.  Printed copies of ‘A Passion For Needlework’ are now available to order.
> Purchase ‘A Passion For Needlework’ HERE.

Step 2/. – Purchase The Kit

An Inspirations Ready To Stitch Kit is also available for ‘White Linen’.

Elegant Schwalm Tulips on a white Linen cushion. 
Kit contains: Fabrics; Buttons; Threads and Needles.

To find out more, click HERE.

LOOKING FOR MORE DEBORAH LOVE?

Printed copies of Inspirations issue #88, featuring the gorgeous Deerfield cushion project ‘Harmonies’ by Deborah Love are available for purchase by clicking HERE.

For any fans of Deborah Love’s work, don’t miss the opportunity to attend a class with her at Beating Around The Bush 2016 in October, Adelaide Australia.

> Final call for registrations this week, register today by clicking HERE.

To celebrate our discovery of these super cute hoops, Inspirations is running a competition as announced in issue #91.

We want you to discover just how much fun these mini hoops are… so stitch up a design that will fit in one of the Dandelyne hoops and send it in to be in the running to win some fantastic prizes.

Winning entries will be published in Inspirations magazine so don’t forget to keep a list of the threads and stitches that you have used and a copy of your design.  You can pop your entry into a mini-hoop or un-hooped, either way is fine, if you don’t include the hoop just remember to tell us what size hoop your design is intended for.

Send your entries to: Inspirations Magazine Mini Hoop Competition PO Box 10177 Adelaide Business Hub South Australia 5000 Australia Entries close September 30th 2016. ENTER TODAY!  For more information, including how to enter, download the entry form HERE.

A couple of weeks ago in EN 61 we looked at the project ‘Hana’ by Merrilyn Whittle from Inspirations issue #91 and called upon the expertise of Margaret Lee who helped explain the difference between Japanese Style Bead Embroidery and standard Bead Embroidery. 

‘Hana’ by Merrilyn Whittle – Inspirations issue #91

In the article Margaret speaks of the nuances and origins of this fascinating needlework style and it highlighted some of the amazing work Margaret is doing in bringing traditional Asian stitching techniques into the modern day and translating them into English so we can all appreciate and learn these marvellous skills.

At a recent visit to Margaret’s studios, she had some new work on display which stopped us dead in our tracks and left us speechless.  Being well familiar with Margaret’s work after publishing her book ‘The Art Of Chinese Embroidery’ you can imagine how spectacular these projects had to be to cause such a reaction.  So much so we just had to share it with you…

Now we only had a happy snap camera on the day so these photos have lots of reflections and fall well short of our usual professional standards or doing the needlework justice, but again we were just so compelled to share.

At first glance you’re tricked into assuming these are paintings, then on closer inspection you think maybe they are oil painting and thread painting combined.  However, Margaret explains this is a new needlework technique she’s been working on called ‘Random Stitch Embroidery’ and every element you see has been hand stitched.  We asked Margaret to ‘Please Explain!’

‘Random Stitch embroidery is part of the Techniques of Chinese Art Embroidery.  It is a style that I have been honing my skills on for some years now.  It is a more advanced technique and lends itself particularly well to creating artworks that emulate oil painting and creating highly lifelike images of animals, birds, landscapes, particularly more sophisticated and complicated ones. The technique allows us to bring out the smallest details in a picture.

In this piece ‘Monet’s Garden’ I used a photo on one of our visits and used it as the reference for the embroidery, all of which is done totally in random stitch embroidery.’

‘Random Stitch Embroidery in itself, it can be used totally independently, but a knowledge of the foundation techniques of Chinese Embroidery will be essential. For this reason, we are working on a new book as the next level of education following on from the first book ‘The Art Of Chinese Embroidery – Foundation Level’.

After taking in all this amazing artistry during our visit, we then saw this poodle masterpiece and Margaret explained the back story:

‘Ah yes, the story of the Sophie the poodle, I created it for Pauline Hates who generously loaned me items from her antique embroidery collection for the Silk Legacy exhibition in 2014.  In appreciation, I decided to stitch her much loved poodle ’Sophie’ as a gift.’

If you are as amazed as we were at the level of realism achieved with ‘Random Stitch Embroidery’ you’ll be pleased to know we are in discussion with Margaret on developing a new book which will be the follow up to ‘Chinese Embroidery – Foundation Level’ and include instruction on how to achieve these exceptional works of stitched art.

LOOKING FOR MORE MARGARET LEE?

1/. – Take A Class

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn Japanese Style Bead Embroidery with Margaret Lee at Beating Around The Bush 2016 in a few weeks in Adelaide Australia.

> Places still available, register now by clicking HERE.

2/. – Buy Her Book

Printed copies of Margaret Lee’s book ‘The Art Of Chinese Embroidery – Foundation Level’ are available for purchase HERE.

3/. – Visit Her Website

Learn more about Margaret Lee as well as Chinese and Japanese embroidery by visiting her website HERE.

Last week we reminded you about three conversation starters we had opened up but were yet to receive any responses to – Lis’ trip to Cambodia and Vietnam, Colleen’s holiday to Greece and Sue’s travel plans for Barcelona. Our reminder worked – well, kind of anyway! It prompted one response . . .

Lesley-Anne, who is part of the Fairfield County / Magnolia Chapter of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America, was in Vietnam a couple of years ago and shared the following to help Lis find her stitching joy while she’s there . . .

‘My husband and I were in Vietnam a couple of years ago and we found a great museum/shop of Vietnamese Embroidery in Saigon. They also sell silk thread so fine one can hardly hold it.’

XQ Hand Embroidery employs, trains and supports over 2,000 women in Saigon and Vietnam. Steeped in tradition, you will be struck by the beauty and quality of their work. Delicately handwoven fabrics are lovingly produced by skilled technicians. XQ’s many locations can be found on their website HERE

Vietnamese Silk Lanterns

‘Silk stores are found all over! In Hoi An I bought some wonderful fabric for silk shading and goldwork. From the bridge it’s about half way down the main street towards the market on the right. Found upstairs, your sense will be assaulted with colour and texture.’

Lis, I do hope Lesley-Anne’s suggestions have helped point you in the right direction!

We close Can You Help? this week by sharing our next Destination Needlework location.

Images courtesy of MartisXSDesigns & MyFunnyStitches1

Graciela W Aubey has Amsterdam and Prague on her travel itinerary and is hoping that someone in the Embroidery News Community can point her in the direction of a stitching store or two that she can visit while she’s there!

If you have something to add to Graciela’s conversation, please email us at news@inspirationsstudios.com so we can share it with not only her, but the Embroidery News Community as a whole.

This week we launch the second kit from ‘A Passion For Needlework’.  As featured on the front cover, ‘Cornus’ by Julie Kniedl is a beautiful lifelike soft pink dogwood.

This intricate three-dimensional study is magically fashioned from fabric, silk thread and slender wires, perfect to the last botanical detail, and designed to stand alone or rest gently on a turned wooden pincushion.

Kit includes: fabrics, wire, crimpers, threads and needles.

> TO ORDER YOUR KIT, CLICK HERE

INSPIRATIONS ISSUE #58 NOW ADDED

‘Symphony’ by Trish Burr– issue #58

Printed copies of Inspirations issue #58, featuring this delightful trio of thread painted floral cushions by Trish Burr, are now available for purchase.

Inside Inspirations issue #58 you can come on a leisurely stroll with a delightful family of thread painted elephants by Jenny McWhinney, enjoy a delightful co-ordinating cushion trio stitched in muted shades of lavender, violet and mulberry by Trish Burr or let Carolyn Pearce inspire you with traditional Jacobean motifs combined with a contemporary floral print fabric to create a pretty and versatile bag… and so much more!

To purchase a printed copy of issue #58, click HERE.

Beautiful Needlework.  Sold Here.  www.stitchology.com.au

Inspirations issue #92 Update

Dispatch for Inspiration issue #92 will begin shortly.  If you normally pay for your subscription via PayPal please ensure your invoice is paid to avoid delay in receiving your magazine.  If you have a new credit card or your mailing details have changed and have not already notified us, please email us this week at subs@inspirationsmagazine.com.au

Not A Subscriber?  Join Today!

Have the world’s most beautiful needlework magazine delivered right to your door 4 times a year,

PRINT | For a print subscription fill in our secure online form with your details HERE.

DIGITAL | Digital subscriptions can be purchase through Zinio direct HERE or through the Inspirations APP which can be downloaded via the iTunes and Google Play stores, by searching ‘Inspirations Magazine’.

CALL US - If you have any questions regarding an Inspirations subscription or just want to have a chat, we’d love to hear from you.  You can call us from anywhere in the world on +61 8 8293 8600 anytime and if we’re not in, leave a message and we’ll get back to you.  For anyone within Australia, call us on 08 8293 8600.

Otherwise email us anytime at subs@inspirationsmagazine.com.au

NEW DIGITAL PATTENS ADDED JUST THIS WEEK

‘Snow Belle’ by Anna Scott Elegant silk bag embellished with beads and sequins.		‘Autumn Feast’  By Kelly Fletcher Elegant embroidered linen placemats.
> Click HERE to purchase		> Click HERE to purchase

NEW BOOK ‘A PASSION FOR NEEDLEWORK’ NOW AVAILABLE

‘A Passion For Needlework’ by Inspirations is the world’s most beautiful needlework book and is now available for purchase through our website.  To view a comprehensive photo gallery of each exquisite piece, along with a full list of the included projects and their designers click HERE.

INSPIRATIONS 2016/2017 CALENDAR STARTS THIS MONTH

Be inspired all year around with the World’s Most Beautiful Needlework Calendar.  And it all starts right now in September!

The first project to be featured in our 2016/2017 calendar for the month of September is ‘Gathering Lillies’ by Nettie Morris from Inspirations issue #66.  One of the stand out features of this piece is the extraordinary precision of Nettie's stitches which can be seen on the delightful faces of these two girls gathering arum lilies from the garden.

To celebrate the month of September heralding the start of our calendar, we have added the project ‘Gathering Lilies’ as a digital download making the calendar a very practical inspirational tool indeed.  Now not only can you admire this extraordinary piece, you can stitch it for yourself!

‘Gathering Lilies’ by Nettie Morris More than ninety shades of stranded cotton thread have been used to create this stunning thread painted masterpiece. > To purchase Digital Pattern click HERE.

DON’T HAVE A 2016/2017 INSPIRATIONS CALENDAR YET?

Copies are still available and can be shipped directly to your door anywhere in the world.  To order click HERE.

What: Slipstitch
Where: Castlemaine Art Galley & Historical Museum | 14 Lyttleton Street Castlemaine, Victoria
When: to 24 Sep
Details: Click HERE

What: Making the Australian Quilt: 1800 to 1950
Where: National Galley of Victoria Australia | Federation Square – Flinders Street & Russell Street Melbourne, Victoria
When: to 6 Nov
Details: Click HERE

What: RSN | Stories in Stitch Exhibition
Where: Hampton Court Palace
When: to Mar 17
Details: Click HERE

What: SAGA Convention | Anchored in SAGA
Where: Embassy Suites | 1700 Coliseum Drive Hampton, Virginia
When: 20 to 25 Sep
Details: Click HERE

What: Annemieke Mein Exhibition | Habitat
Where: The Gallery at Bayside Arts & Cultural Centre | Corner of Wilson and Carpenter Streets Brighton, Victoria
When: 24 Sep to 6 Nov
Details: Click HERE

What: Geelong Fibre Forum
Where: Geelong Grammar School | 50 Biddlecombe Avenue Corio, Victoria
When: 26 Sep to 2 Oct
Details: Click HERE

What: The Embroiderers’ Guild of Tasmania | Biennial Exhibition
Where: Punchbowl Christian Centre | 100 Punchbowl Road Punchbowl, Tasmania
When: 28 Sep to 1 Oct

What: Kingham Quilters Guild 2016 Show
Where: Beale Celebrations Building | 201 N Fourth Street Kingman, Arizon
When : 30 Sep to 1 Oct
Details: Click HERE

What: Bodalla Embroiderers Exhibition & Sales Event
Where: Bodalla Memorial Hall | Princess Highway Bodalla
When : 1 to 2 Oct
Details: Marg Downey | 0458 645 252

What: Embroiderers’ Guild of South Australia Museum, in Association with History SA | Stories From Childhood Free Exhibition
Where: South Coast Regional Arts centre | 1 Goolwa Terrace Goolwa, South Australia
When: 1 to 30 Oct | Wed to Fri 11:00 to 4:00 | Sat & Sun 10:00 to 4:00
Details: leah.grace@alexandrina.sa.gov.au

What: The Brisbane Craft & Quilt Fair
Where: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre | Merivale & Glenelg Street South Brisbane, Queensland
When: 5 to 9 Oct
Details: Click HERE

What: Free Demo by Sue Jones of Suffolk Puffs, Dorset Posies, French Knots & More
Where: Shoreham Art Galley | Shoreham-by-Sea West Sussex, UK
When: 8 Oct | 10:00 to 3:00
Details: Click HERE

What: The Embroiderer’s Guild of Victoria | A Secret Garden
Where: Embroidery House | 170 Wattletree Road Malver, Victoria
When: 8 to 23 Oct
Details: Click HERE

Send us details about events, exhibitions and celebrations happening in your place of stitch and we’ll include them in Embroidery News. Contact us at
embroiderynews@inspirationsmagazine.com.au

Happy Stitching
The Embroidery News Team