Embroidery Classes
1 Day Classes
Butterfly Curio Box
Learn new stump work techniques while stitching elements of the life of the Monarch butterfly. During a one day basic exploration students will get a foundation in four different types of padding to give dimension to their work. We will also work on detached motifs with printed butterfly wings, basic needle weaving with silken pearl, and handling gilt pearl purl. The design is 4” x 6”.
Froggie Curio Box
Learn new stump work techniques while stitching elements of the life of a frog. During a one day class students will get a foundation with multiple types of fun padding and silk organza to give dimension and shading to their work. We will also work with silk Perle and silk chenille, hand dyed wool felt, wire lace ribbon and copper pearl purl. The design is 4” x 6”.
Gold Medallion Sampler
Come and dip a toe into the world of gold work! My Gold Medallion Sampler provides an introduction to a variety of gold materials and techniques for the beginner, accented with silk. The piece is stitched on 28 ct linen, and is 3” square, making a quick finish. Each section stands alone, so stitchers can move at a pace that is comfortable. The backstitched framework can be completed ahead of time, so class can really focus on different stitches. This design is about 3” square.
Daisy Huswif
This huswif is stitched on a soft green silk dupioni, backed with muslin for stability. The daisy vine pattern is made with small whipped spider webs, chain stitch, Japanese knots, stem stitches and Pekinese stitch, and travels all around the outside edge. The matching button will be hand made in class. All the threads are silk, sourced from Au Ver a Soie and Thread Gatherer. The huswif is lined with a matching silk fabric, and the interior features two wool needle felts and an ultra suede lined scissor case. It has a small twisted cord to neaten the sides and top flap. The piece is about 7” x 13”.
Poppy Purse
This black velveteen clutch purse has a large, showy red poppy, with a leaf on its front flap, stitched in long and short shading, entwined with a vine with small white pearl buds. The back has a poppy bud and a second leaf, also with entwining vine. Initials are a nice touch on the inside. The purse is lined with a poppy themed quilting fabric. The purse is about 8” x 10”.
2 Day Classes
Butterfly Curio Box, 2 Day
Learn new stump work techniques while stitching elements of the life of the Monarch butterfly. During a two day class students will get a foundation in three different types of padding to give dimension to their work. We will also work on detached motifs with printed butterfly wings, two types of basic needle weaving with silken pearl, and handling gilt pearl purl. This class will also cover long and short shading of the butterfly wings. The design is 4” x 6”.
A Day at the Lake
This class is in the final stages of development - photo to come
This class is a two day trip to a lake. Students will build four scenes that describe a lakeside vacation. Sitting on the grass, we can watch the squirrel and osprey hunting. We can hunt for turtles on a fallen log in a swamp, and spy a great blue heron fishing in the shallows. There are mountains in the distance, and stones to skip from the beach. The panels will be finished as a box to carry along to our next adventure.
Shawl
For this class we stitch a lily and a poppy flower on a twining vine with Appleton crewel wools in long and short shading, reverse chain, and stem stitch. The flowers and leaves are accented with hand dyed silk chenille, and faceted glass or hessonite beads.
The ground fabric is 100% wool from the Dorr Mill in NH, felted, 72” long. The design will be transferred for you for class.
Windows to Japan
We will be stitching seven small motifs in a Japanese style surface embroidery with flat silk, and setting these into a cathedral window block purse.
The ground fabric is a Duchess silk satin. The designs will be transferred for class. Students have a choice of red with navy fabric, or cream with pale green fabric.
3 Day Classes
Streamside Garden
This class is a three day exploration of a small garden on either side of a flowing stream. Students will explore a collection of different textural and raised stitching techniques, as they craft a flowing stream with a small foot bridge, and plant their gardens. We will work with a wide variety of materials including beads and wires, fettuccini ribbon, wire lace, silk velvet, silk ribbon, silk organza, and needlepoint canvas. The design is 6” square.
4 Day Classes
Oliver Octopus
My Octopus is built with shaded lines of burden stitch on a dark gold foundation laid over burgundy wool felt. His eye is a specialized cabochon. He swims in a dark blue silk Dupioni sea, with lines of kelp rising around him, made of chain stitches with flowing ribbon leaves. An otter swims in the distance. Next to him is his coral shelter, of couched Italian tubular mesh. Below him, the floor of the kelp forest, soft with greenery composed of yarn and wool felt. The inside is finished with a matching cotton batik fabric, and has a needle felt shell and pockets for scissors and long tools such as laying tools.
A Secret Garden
Come plant a secret garden with me. We will plant hand dyed velvet grass on a field of brown silk dupioni, walled in with padded burden stitch. We will construct a stone well, and ring it with chenille reeds. A path of leather, cording and beads will meander across the garden. I will show you how to make flowers and shrubs of raised, padded and turkey work stitches so you can plant the beds with vibrant colors. All plants will be demonstrated, but where they go is up to the student. This design is 6 1/2” square.