Inspirations

Referred to by readers as 'the World's most beautiful embroidery magazine', Inspirations is where you find the best classic hand embroidery by leading embroiderers throughout the world. Complemented with superbly styled photography and captivating stories, each issue brings a diverse collection of timeless projects from home wares and bags to gifts and accessories. A wide variety of embroidery techniques is presented with detailed and easy to follow instructions, step-by-step tutorials and full size patterns, making each issue a valuable resource for people new to embroidery and seasoned needleworkers alike.

FROM THE EDITOR

PATTERN DOWNLOADS

TAILOR MADE • Theatrical performances and private moments – Movement and meditation Flat surfaces and three-dimensional installations – Quiet contemplation and community participation Embroidery artist SUSIE VICKERY embraces all these things. On the surface, they seem like contradictory and opposing concepts, yet in Susie’s world they are complementary and catalysts for interesting and groundbreaking embroidery projects.

CITIZEN Botanist • After travelling across continents for many years, embroidery artist SUSIE VICKERY was looking for a new challenge and a new story. Time travel was the next frontier! Enter Jacques-Julien Houtou de Labillardière, or as Susie knows him, Citizen Botanist. Inspired by Jacques-Julien’s 18th century adventures, Susie set off on an adventure of her own by combining all the things that she loves - costume-making, puppets, embroidery, and animation.

Who was Jacques-Julien Houtou de Labillardière?

BETWEEN THE COVERS

Swimming with Stitches • Embroidery artist, STEPHANIE NEVILLE, grew up in Pretoria, South Africa, far away from the ocean. As a child, the sea and the beach were a once-a-year holiday destination, remote and safe. Since then, she has spent most of her adult life close to the beach in Sharjah, the UAE, where the ocean has become more familiar and the inspiration for many of her embroidery projects.

THE MANGROVES FROM THE WATER (MFTW)

Jarrah & Grass Blue Butterfly • EUCALYPTUS MARGINATA, commonly known as jarrah, is a West Australian tree best known for its deep red, insect-resistant wood that has been used for flooring and furniture making for centuries.

Bush Beauties • Sequins, beads and an array of embroidery stitches are used to create these spectacular hooped studies of the colourfully crested Major Mitchell’s cockatoo (LOPHOCHROA LEADBEATERI) and the elegant, superb lyrebird (MENURA NOVAEHOLLANDIAE).

LYREBIRD

COCKATOO

Little Brown Hen • A garland of pretty blue periwinkles creates a delightful frame for a plump brown hen and her sweet yellow chicks.

DRESDEN LACE • A FORM OF WHITEWORK, DRESDEN EMBROIDERY EMPLOYS PULLED THREAD AND SURFACE EMBROIDERY TECHNIQUES TO REPLICATE LACE.

DRESDEN WHITEWORK IN THE 18TH CENTURY

Rainbow Bee-Eater • The brilliantly coloured rainbow bee-eater (MEROPS ORNATUS) can be found in most southern parts of Australia except Tasmania.

Dream a Little Dream • Dreams will be sweet and sleep will be sound under the watchful gaze of all the fun characters surrounding this delightful bedroom lamp.

Victorian Hearts • Every embroiderer needs a set of sewing accessories, small enough to pop into a bag when stitching on the run, and pretty enough to draw admiring comments.

Inspirations

ready-to-stitch kits • Premium quality ready-to-stitch kits with everything sourced and measured to size so your project is as beautiful as the original.

Spinning a yarn. Following a thread. Weaving a tale.