Nicole Martin

‘Thought you might like to see my version of a Wendy Williams pattern. It is felt appliqué and embroidered predominantly with 8 perlé cotton and some variegated silk thread that I bought years ago as mill ends. I had no idea what I would do with them when I bought them, but they have finally found a use. The design is for a bag, but I have modified the pattern to suit my needs.’

‘I recently purchased Elisabetta Sforza’s ‘A Flower Alphabet’, having long admired her books. A long-standing friend’s 97-year-old mother passed away recently. Her favourite colours were mauve and purple. As my friend is not a gardener, I thought embroidered flowers would be a much better option for a lasting memory. So, I have embroidered A for Alison. The frame I purchased had a white mount, which didn’t set off the work. I made a deep blue and mauve mount courtesy of my ever-useful Scan n Cut.’

Nicole, we love your Wendy Williams inspired design - it’s so vibrant and eye-catching, and a great way to put your ‘one day’ threads to good use. As for your Elisabetta Sforza letter, it’s beautifully stitched and your friend is a very lucky recipient of such a generous and thoughtful gift at a difficult time.

Marlene Toomey

‘I have recently been awarded Best in Show for my quilt ‘Gould’s Gold’. A Tribute to John and Elizabeth Gould and their work in identifying, naming and illustrating over 300 of our many beautiful native bush dwellers. Threadpainted birds, accompanied by embroidered flora and machine quilting to make them ‘pop’. The hardest part was which ones to select, so my criteria became those smaller than 12.5cm (5”) in size.’

Congratulations on a very well-deserved award, Marlene. Your quilting is excellent; your design is spectacular and the story behind your piece is fascinating. We’re thrilled your project and award will now have a permanent display in our newsletter.

Donna Kitchings

‘I live in Aiken, South Carolina USA and I thought I would share my Floopy Feet. I've had her in my stash for several years and I finally stitched and finished her. She was a joy to make and those eyelashes were the finishing touch. I enjoy doing all types of handwork and enjoy reading your Inspirations magazine and newsletter every week.’

What an adorable project, Donna! She is charming and gorgeous, and the quality of your finish is impressive. We’re so pleased you chose to share this with us; keep up the terrific work.

Have you stitched a design in memory of a loved one? Do you enjoy using embroidery as a way to pay tribute? Or have you recently finished a project that’s been in your stash for a while?

Whatever you are stitching, we’d love to see it! Email photos of what you’ve created with needle and thread along with a few details about your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com