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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Threads of Identity PALESTINIAN EMBROIDERY • “I grew up in Bethlehem and studied in Ramallah, both of these cities were treasures of heritage and traditional styles. Both were weaving and embroidery centres and marketed their products to the women of other villages.” WIDAD KAWAR

THREADS of IDENTITY • Preserving Palestinian Costume and Heritage

TAPESTRY GIRL • “The key black lines give the colours, textures and images salience. The black lines bring what would be abstract shapes together. I am always inspired by the tagging, graffiti and ripped billboard posters from our streets and laneways; their images often have a limited colour palette and they bring it all together with key black lines.”

BETWEEN THE COVERS

The Broderers’ Crown A 16TH CENTURY FLORAL GARLAND • The Broderers’ Crown Project, supported by the Society of Antiquaries of London and the UK Textile Society, was the reproduction of a rare extant example of professional embroidery dating from the latter half of the 16th century. More than 1,000 hours were spent bringing a new crown to life.

Simply Irresistible • Inspired by the unique silk and goldwork techniques used in a late 16th century embroidered crown, this superb study of a flowering pea plant offers a unique insight into the stitching practices of past centuries.

ATTACHING PLATE STRIPS

BRICK STITCH

Sakura • Sparkling beads catch the light to add life and a little magic to this delightful coin purse.

PIN STITCH - BEGINNING, ENDING AND SECURING THREADS

LINE OF HELD THREAD TECHNIQUE

NEEDLE-KOMA METHOD

RAISED EFFECT TECHNIQUE

SEPARATED SINGLE LAYING TECHNIQUE

DIAGONAL LAYING TECHNIQUE

Hummingbird & Flower • The tiny hummingbird spends its time busily flitting from flower to flower, collecting precious nectar with its long beak. A delight to watch, it often appears in a flash of dazzling colour and blur of wings that disappears as quickly as it arrives.

Spanish Lace • The elegant tracery of blackwork has been embellished and enhanced with the addition of gold threads and beads on this beautiful cushion.

LEUCADENDRON • The Leucadendron, or conebush, is part of the Proteaceae family and is endemic to South Africa. Valued as a cut flower for its vividly coloured bracts and long vase life, it makes a striking subject for this unusual embroidery.

Notes

COLONIAL KNOT VARIATION

ROCKET MAN • Get ready to blast off into space with this fabulous and fun blanket.

IN A FLUTTER • Take your metal thread embroidery to a new level by working this spectacular three-dimensional lorikeet brooch.

CUTTING PAD

TREE of LIFE • A popular motif for embroidery for centuries, the Tree of Life design is typified by sinuous stems extending from a single trunk, exotic flora and a trio of decorative hillocks.

S-ING

ATTACHING PLATE

Inspirations

ready-to-stitch kits

loose threads