Needlework designs and delights
When one retreat isn’t enough… I’m thrilled to announce that 2024 will see TWO Stitching in the Mountains Retreats, hosted by Lisa of Paddock Lane Designs and myself. The first will be in Winter (and a waitlist is open – see previous blog post for info and links to apply) and the second will be…
Read MoreI promised a big, long post about the first Stitching in the Mountains Retreat, but to be honest, I don’t know where to start. How to encapsulate a weekend of new meetings, reunions with old friends, shared fun, friendship & creativity? Lisa from Paddock Lane Designs (and my collaborator in running the retreat) arrived early…
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Sometimes with designing and reproducing, a mistake can send you in a whole new direction. I started this piece many months ago, hoping to release it for Market earlier this year. I started reproducing it in overdyes and stitched almost half before I decided it wasn’t working. Now, it’s not unusual for me to have…
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This little pin-pillow is the first of my Special Projects – a new series of small projects that also provide a chance to learn something new or discover new fibres or materials. These Special Projects are only available in my Etsy store and will come out a couple of times a year, along with full…
Read MoreWhile I’m working on a big post about the Stitching in the Mountains Retreat just past, I wanted to share with you now my heartfelt thanks to the attendees for your company, and for your generosity. Lisa from Paddock Lane Designs and I ran a competition to raise money for the Older Women’s Network NSW,…
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Can we call three birds a flock? I think we’re well on the way to creating a flock to dance across your wall… ‘Rosella Rests’ is the third in my series of reproductions of Victorian-era bird needlepoints. I just love these pieces – and this one in particular. I adore the movement in the leaves…
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A special treat for fellow alphabet lovers, this stunning French sampler took my breath away. With colours still vibrant and some of the most beautiful alphabets I’ve ever seen, I’m thrilled to be able to share it with you. Stitched in a French convent school (the Convent of ‘Notre Dame’ – ‘Our Lady’), this piece…
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This brings back happy memories for me of visiting Hobart for the first time, and my first retreat as guest designer – the Dark Mojo Retreat hosted by the fabulous Kerrilyn from A Stitch in Time last year. Kerrilyn asked me to create a Tasmanian design, and ‘Tasmania, After the Fires’ came together so beautifully…
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Whenever I am lucky enough to glimpse an antique piece of stitching, I can’t help but wonder about their stitchers, their lives and their personalities, while admiring their skills and artistry. I wonder about Jane Whiston, from 1818, who created the original piece that inspired ‘On Kindness’. Jane’s little sampler touched my heart, and echoes…
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An exclusive design for A Stitch in Time in Hobart The lovely Kerrilyn at A Stitch in Time in Hobart asked me to create a Christmas-themed biscornu for this year’s Christmas in July retreat. I love getting design prompts, as it helps me come up with designs that I may not have created on my…
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Mojo Stitches 