Welcome to the Embroiderers’ Association of Canada!
We hope your interest in and perhaps passion for embroidery can be nourished here on our site. We are an association of like-minded people as regards embroidery, fibres and textile art in Canada and across the world. Yes, we have Canadian and international members. Anyone can be a member.
We have more than 35 chapters across Canada that meet to share their enthusiasm for embroidery. Our association and our chapters are committed to teaching by sharing and learning from each other and from national and international experts. What if a chapter is not close to you or doesn’t meet when you can attend? No problem, you can join us as a national or international member or you can join our on-line chapter, Virtual Threads.
We offer fellowship in all our chapters and places we get together. Those places may be in-person in our chapters, at our annual seminar or virtually with our on-line chapter and during one of our cyber courses. We invite you to join us in our shared passion. We can all learn from each other.
Is embroidery old fashioned and dying? We think not – or, is that knot? I love embroidery knots, but I digress. Embroidery encompasses traditional, contemporary and whatever your heart desires. Wikipedia defines embroidery as “… the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins.” I think they forgot some materials such as buttons, shells, etc. and what about all the magnificent fibres we have to use today, not just thread and yarn.
Enjoy our site and our offerings!
If you have any questions or suggestions for us, please drop me a line, I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully meeting you in person.
EAC/ACB President
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Bienvenue sur le site de l’Association canadienne de broderie!
Nous espérons que vous trouverez sur notre site internet, de quoi stimuler votre intérêt ou peut-être même votre passion pour la broderie. Notre association regroupe des canadiens ou des personnes d’ailleurs dans le monde, qui sont intéressés par la broderie, les fibres et l’art textile. Oui, nous avons des membres Canadiens, mais aussi des membres internationaux; tous peuvent adhérer.
Nos 36 sections, réparties sur le territoire canadien, permettent aux membres de se réunir et de partager leur enthousiasme pour la broderie. Nos sections et notre association sont des lieux d’enseignement, ce qui signifie qu’on peut y échanger et apprendre les uns des autres et y bénéficier de l’enseignement de professeurs reconnus à l’international. Que faire si aucune section n’est à proximité de votre résidence ou si votre horaire ne vous permet pas de participer à des rencontres? Pas de problème, vous pouvez devenir membre national, international ou membre de notre section virtuelle, appelée Virtual Threads.
Nous offrons camaraderie et entraide dans toutes nos sections et nos lieux de rencontres. Il peut s’agir de rencontres en personne dans nos différentes sections ou lors de notre séminaire annuel ou encore par internet grâce à notre section virtuelle ou à nos cyberformations. Vous partagez notre passion, alors joignez-vous à nous. Nous pouvons tous apprendre les uns des autres.
La broderie est-elle une activité démodée et moribonde? Ce n’est pas notre avis. Selon les goûts de chacun, la broderie peut être traditionnelle ou contemporaine. Wikipédia définit ainsi la broderie : « … l’art de décorer des tissus ou d’autres matériaux avec des fils ou des laines à l’aide d’une aiguille. La broderie peut aussi incorporer d’autres éléments comme des perles, des piquants et des paillettes ». Je crois qu’ils ont omis de mentionner des éléments comme des boutons, des coquillages ainsi que toutes les merveilleuses fibres dont nous disposons aujourd’hui, outre les fils et la laine.
Alors profitez de notre site et de ce qu’il offre.
Et quelles que soient vos questions ou suggestions, n’hésitez pas à me laisser un message. Il me fera plaisir de vous lire et éventuellement de vous rencontrer.
Présidente de l’EAC/ACB
Our current Board of Directors
Our Aim
Our aim is to preserve traditional techniques and promote new challenges in the art of embroidery through education and networking.
Our Purpose
- To encourage and promote the practice and knowledge of the art of embroidery in all its forms.
- To have a fellowship of persons who enjoy needlework and wish to learn and share their knowledge and thereby to work towards maintaining higher standards of design, colour and workmanship.
History
The idea for a national embroiderers’ association began with a small group of dedicated embroiderers who met in Winnipeg, in the studio of Leonida Leatherdale. Letters were sent to needlework groups and guilds across Canada. The first formal organizational meeting was held on September 27, 1973. With the aid of competent legal advice, bylaws were drafted and approved by the federal government, and in November of 1974 the Embroiderers’ Association of Canada, Inc. officially came into existence. The head office was in Winnipeg, Manitoba — the geographic centre of Canada — where, it was felt, EAC could grow to the east and to the west.
The first EAC chapter was the Winnipeg Embroiderers’ Guild, which sponsored the first two seminars with participants from across Canada and the United States. Annual seminars were held at various Canadian locales thereafter, and EAC began to gain members and chapters.
In 2016, the French name of the association was added be inclusive of our French-speaking members. The name of the association is the Embroiderers’ Association of Canada, Inc./Association canadienne de broderie, Inc. or EAC/ACB. In 2023, a new logo and wordmark were chosen to lead us into the next 50 years. Designed by Cheryl Kienzle, of Marigold Needle Arts Guild, this fresh new design clarifies our focus.
Now 50 years old, with more than 35 chapters and almost 1,500 members from all across Canada and beyond, we have grown into a vital and exciting organization.
Over the years many many volunteers have contributed to the success of the association. More than 25 volunteers have held the vital president role since our beginnings.