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  • a photo of objects with Indigenous bead and quill work

    Speaker Series: Naomi Smith

    GoTo Meeting

    Please join us this year for a free series of webinars featuring an interesting collection of needlecraft artisans. First in the series is an Indigenous artist and educator, Naomi Smith, of Black Tulip Designs. 

  • photo of Isabella Rosner

    Speakers Series: Isabella Rosner: Early Quaker Needlework

    Zoom Webinar

    This event is open to EAC/ACB members, first-come-first-served. Please ask your chapter executive or check the January issue of eThreads for the registration information and link. 11 a.m. Pacific, 12 p.m. Mountain, 1 p.m. Central, 2 p.m. Eastern, 3 p.m. Atlantic, 3:30 p.m. Newfoundland Isabella is working towards becoming a textile curator after completing her Ph.D., a dream sparked by her internships and positions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Fitzwilliam Museum, and Colonial Williamsburg. Her passion for making historic objects accessible to all led her to create Sew What? a podcast about historic needlework and those who stitched it. Isabella writes, directs, produces, and hosts the podcast, which has thus far had 62 episodes, including discussions about Gee’s bend quilts, mourning hairwork, Māori weaving, schoolgirl samplers, and interviews with textile historians, makers, researchers, and museum professionals. Sew What? has had three formal seasons and is now releasing one-off episodes less regularly. In addition to her Ph.D. and podcast work, Isabella manages the social media presence of Witney Antiques, Britain’s leading antique dealership of historical needlework and textiles. Isabella manages Witney’s Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, in addition to running a successful Twitter account dedicated to her research and objects of interest and an Instagram account celebrating embroidery from all regions and time periods. She is currently co-curating an exhibition and co-authoring a book with Rebecca Scott of Witney Antiques.

  • Speakers Series: Kathy Andrews, The Unbroken Thread

    Zoom Webinar

    Elizabethan Embroidery and the Trevelyon Miscellany of 1608 This event is free for EAC/ACB members. Members, sign in to My EAC/Mon ACB to register for this presentation. 4:30 pm Newfoundland Standard Time 4 pm Atlantic Standard Time 3 pm Eastern Standard Time 2 pm Central Standard Time 1 pm Mountain Standard Time noon Pacific Standard Time The Trevelyon Miscellany of 1608 is a collection of handwritten notes and drawings.  Thomas Trevelyon, a London craftsman of whom little is known, created his miscellany when he was about 60. The Miscellany is best known for a series of embroidery designs, which have become a treasure trove for embroiderers and costume designers. Unpainted motifs of carnations, roses, cowslips and columbine or acorn and oak leaves indicate Trevelyon might have had a career in textile design! We will see a facsimile of the Miscellany and explore the embroidery designs within. Participants will see both current and Elizabethan examples of embroidered pieces taken from the designs of Trevelyon. We will explore the Miscellany online at the Folger Library in Washington, DC, and those resources will be shared with participants.   Kathy Andrews is a textile artist and embroidery teacher who works with students of all abilities, teaching them the techniques and the joy of hand embroidery. With her enthusiasm for stitch and encouraging classroom atmosphere, she is a sought-after teacher of embroidery. Kathy has taught at EGA National Seminars, for EGA chapters in the USA, and globally in her many online courses. Her popular and engaging lectures are in demand both in person and on Zoom. She received her Certificate of Technical Hand Embroidery with Merit from the Royal School of Needlework and her City and Guilds Certificate in Design and Stitched Textiles. Her work has been exhibited at the Knitting and Stitching Show in London and Harrogate, UK and Dublin, Ireland, at the William Morris Gallery, London, at Kelmscott Manor, Oxfordshire, UK and at Wrightwick Manor, Staffordshire, UK. Kathy is a member of the Cedar Valley Chapter of the EGA, the EGA Fiber Forum, the Textile Society of America, the Minnesota Needleworkers Guild, the Stan Hywet Needleworkers Guild and the Columbia Fiber Arts Guild. She and her husband are the third generation to live in the family home in rural Iowa.

  • Speakers Series: Stumpwork Then & Now: Celeste Chalasani

    Zoom Webinar

    This event is free for EAC/ACB members. Members, sign in to My EAC/Mon ACB to register for this presentation. 4:30 pm Newfoundland Standard Time 4 pm Atlantic Standard Time 3 pm Eastern Standard Time 2 pm Central Standard Time 1 pm Mountain Standard Time noon Pacific Standard Time Celeste Chalasani will compare stumpwork as it was practiced in the 17th century to how it has evolved. We'll see photos of museum pieces to show the different characteristics of the historical stumpwork practice, how the art evolved, and compare it to the work of contemporary artists, including Celeste's own.   Teaching Stumpwork is a labour of love for me. I am passionate about sharing what I know. I approach teaching from the understanding that different people learn in different ways. I strive to provide clear written instructions with step-by-step colour photos, orally explain the technique with colour-coded visual aids, demonstrate stitches and techniques, and work one-on-one with each student as they practice their techniques. Celeste Chalasani Celeste first learned embroidery, sewing and crochet as a young child from her grandmother. Her passion for stumpwork was sparked when she joined EGA in 1999. A lifelong learner, she completed the City & Guilds Level 1 and 2 Certificate in Design and Craft Stumpwork distance courses under the tutelage of Chris Hammacott. She has also taken classes through EGA with Chris Berry, Judy Jeroy, Jane Nicholas, and Marsha Papay-Gomola. Celeste Chalasani is a graduate of the National Academy of Needlearts (NAN) Teachers’ Certification Program specializing in stumpwork. Her piece “Tidal Treasures” was accessioned into the NAN Permanent Collection at the Gregg School of Art & Design at North Carolina State University. Celeste was the featured Designer Across America in the March 2015 issue of Needle Arts and her project “Christmas Rose” was in the December 2016 issue of Needle Arts. Celeste’s article on the history of stumpwork and supplemental project, “The Dragon,” was published in Piecework Magazine’s March/April 2013 issue. Celeste has taught extensively for the Embroiderers’ Guild of America (EGA) at chapter workshops, regional and national seminars, and for the National Academy of Needlearts. She currently teaches an online class for Craftsy and an Individual Correspondence Course on Stumpwork for EGA. Celeste designed and donated her “Poppy Remembrance Pin” in 2019 to EGA’s National Outreach Project supporting America’s wounded service members. You can find Celeste online at her website.

  • photo of blue fabric embroidered with metal threads

    Speakers Series: Hanny Newton

    Zoom Webinar

    Metal Threads: A Creative Approach to Line, Flow and Drawing This event is free for EAC/ACB members. Members, sign in to My EAC/Mon ACB to register for this presentation. 4:30 pm Newfoundland Standard Time 4 pm Atlantic Standard Time 3 pm Eastern Standard Time 2 pm Central Standard Time 1 pm Mountain Standard Time noon Pacific Standard Time Hanny Newton creates bespoke hand-stitched pieces using gold, silver and copper threads by applying her creative approach to historical goldwork embroidery techniques. Her passion lies in exploring ways embroidery, print and embellishment can combine to create unique, beautiful textile artworks. She has recently worked on large-scale projects with clients such as Artelier Art Consultants. She loves collaborating with her clients to create that perfect one-off piece or collection for a project that brings a concept to life with imagination and highly crafted attention to detail. Hanny is known for her contemporary approach to metal thread embroidery. Since studying at the Royal School of Needlework (2013), she has been fascinated by the inherent qualities of metal threads. She deeply believes in the importance of innovation and self-expression to keep crafts alive. From her studio in Shropshire, UK, she works primarily with interior designers and art consultants to create projects for hotels, restaurants and private residences internationally.

  • Previously Offered :: Speaker Series :: Salley Mavor

    Zoom Webinar

    Salley Mavor will talk about her journey as an artist who tells stories with three-dimensional embroidery. The presentation will cover a wide range of creative endeavours, from illustration to doll-making to stop-motion animation, demonstrating that there are no limits to what can be expressed with a needle and thread! This is an opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes peek at Ms. Mavor’s innovative creative process, which is unmatched within the fibre art world. Members, sign in to My EAC/Mon ACB to register for Salley's informative presentation on Saturday, October 14. 4:30 pm Newfoundland Standard Time 4 pm Atlantic Standard Time 3 pm Eastern Standard Time 2 pm Central Standard Time 1 pm Mountain Standard Time noon Pacific Standard Time Salley Mavor grew up in the village of Woods Hole, Massachusetts in a family who connected with their community through art, music and dance.  At home, there were always art supplies close at hand and a sense that time was available for creative pursuit. Drawing with crayons was never enough for Salley. She remembers feeling that her pictures were not finished until something real was glued, stapled or sewn to it. At a young age, she held an open-minded view of what constitutes art, writing in a 1964 school essay at age nine, “Art is everything… records, clocks, blackboards, people, snowflakes and everything. That is why I like art.” As an illustration major at the Rhode Island School of Design in the 1970s, she left traditional mediums behind, preferring to communicate her ideas with sculptural needlework. For most of her 45-year career, she has followed this path, creating narrative scenes in bas-relief, much like miniature, shallow stage sets, with figures and props attached to embellished fabric backgrounds. She has spent decades developing her signature style and working methods, carving out her own niche within the children’s book world and the fibre art community. Ms. Mavor has illustrated 11 picture books using her distinctive blend of materials and hand-stitching techniques, including Pocketful of Posies, which won the 2011 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and the 2011 Golden Kite Award. Her popular how-to book, Felt Wee Folk is in its second edition, inspiring creativity in all ages. Her most recent picture book is My Bed: Enchanting Ways to Fall Asleep Around the World. She lives and works in her home studio in Falmouth, Massachusetts.   You can see more about Salley and her creations on her website at weefolkstudio.com.

  • Previously Offered :: Speaker Series :: Marie-Renée Otis

    Zoom Webinar

    Marie-Renée Otis is a textile artist — her chosen medium of expression is art embroidery and the overarching goal of her artistic work is to add beauty to the world. In her presentation, Marie-Renée will share the beginnings of her creative adventure with art embroidery and the various stages of her technical evolution; she will also discuss the recurring images and archetypes in her works: Woman, Mother Earth and the river and mountains of her hometown of Baie-Saint-Paul. Members, sign in to My EAC/Mon ACB to register for Marie-René’s engaging presentation on Saturday, November 18. 4:30 Newfoundland Time 4 pm Atlantic Time 3 pm Eastern Time 2 pm Central Time 1 pm Mountain Time noon Pacific Time   In an increasingly mechanized, technological world, Marie-Renée remains dedicated to hand embroidery, creating unique, contemporary works that combine the past and the present as she uses traditional and historic embroidery techniques and materials sourced from around the world. Her embroideries are brimming with gold threads, jewelry, stones, beads, and metal pieces, blended and stitched next to each other. Marie-Renée was born in 1955 and raised in Baie-Saint-Paul, a city known for its vibrant artistic community. Her interest in drawing and working with her hands began at an early age. Her fascination with textiles came about later, during her CEGEP studies in Québec City. The pleasure and satisfaction she experienced while working with cotton, silks, and wool was why she chose to go to the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. At the time, the weaving studios with vertical looms were dynamic and stimulating venues for local art students. Marie-Renée completed her BFA in 1978. After finishing her studies, she stayed on in Trois-Rivières, married and had two children. Her interests progressed from weaving to embroidery. Working with a needle on canvas allowed her to be even more creative with colours, materials and designs. After ten years of city living, Marie-Renée fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams: to return to her hometown of Baie-Saint-Paul to live closer to nature and her roots. In 1986, her work as an artist was put on hold when she became a TV host/reporter at the local station. The job allowed her to develop new personal and professional skills and abilities, but she found herself constantly struggling to balance her public life and her artistic ambitions. In 1995, she left her media position to embrace the world of education, becoming a teacher at the CEGEP in Charlevoix. She took on this new challenge with enthusiasm and confidence. Another major shift in her professional career happened in 2001. She finally achieved what she had been hoping to do for many years: become a full-time artist, devote herself to creating art embroidery, open her studio to the public and build a portfolio of works that has gained her local, national and international recognition. Although her studio is now closed, she continues to be an active member of the artistic community in Baie-Saint-Paul and is recognized as a master of art embroidery. She presents conferences, works with artisans in Africa, participates in many exhibitions, studies techniques from other cultures and other times, teaches occasionally, and networks with artists from around the world.

  • Speaker Series :: What Antique Samplers Have to Teach Us :: Lianne van Leyen

    Zoom Webinar

    Needle: first instrument of learning in the hand. Female education: a privilege, not a right and unequal. Lianne explores the significance of antique samplers in understanding the historical role of women and girls in education. She will share how knowledge and skills were transmitted through needlework in traditional and nontraditional subjects during a time when education was not a right and not universally accessible. Antique sampler and needlework tools presentation via Zoom discussing the sampler-making tradition demonstrated in the 1897 Schoolhouse Samplers’ 350+ piece collection of antique schoolgirl samplers from 1726 to 1978. Members, sign in to My EAC/Mon ACB to register for Lianne van Leyen’s engaging presentation on Saturday, January 27, 2024. 4:30 Newfoundland Time 4 pm Atlantic Time 3 pm Eastern Time 2 pm Central Time 1 pm Mountain Time noon Pacific Time Lianne van Leyen is a domestic interpreter and historic cook at Upper Canada Village.  She prepares and serves meals and desserts using period-correct recipes and methods made in an open hearth or a step wood cook stove. She teaches children and young adults historic cooking and interprets and demonstrates Canada’s history on the eve of Confederation for visitors from around the world. Lianne’s career has spanned fine arts, child protection, banking, and higher education management. She lives with her husband Grant in a one-room Ontario schoolhouse built in 1897 and owns a church built next door in the 1920s. The couple are also caretakers of three antique British vehicles. She spent years learning to paint, draw and teach herself many crafts, including cross stitch. Lianne van Leyen is an artist and a storyteller. Lianne holds incomplete, timeworn, damaged and unusual samplers as precious and deserving of love and attention. She is the caretaker of a growing collection of antique schoolgirl samplers and the designer behind 1897 Schoolhouse Samplers.  Her diverse collection of samplers, currently numbering more than 350 pieces, includes dated examples from 1726 to 1978, made in the UK, U.S.A., Europe and Canada. Lianne van Leyen shares her sampler collection and the history of needlework with local, national and international needlework and sampler guilds and public museums through in-person and virtual presentations via her website and social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram. She leads retreats and workshops, has had her work published in PieceWork magazine and has contributed to podcasts. Lianne works to increase exposure and interest in historical textiles and needle art within and outside the stitching community. In 2018, Lianne sought to give a new purpose to her sampler collection and began creating original and reproduction cross-stitch patterns. Through her company, 1897 Schoolhouse Samplers, she shares the stories of overlooked antiques. She makes her cross-stitch patterns available to modern stitchers for retail purchase from local and virtual needlework shops worldwide and to wholesale customers via Hoffman Distributing Company. Ragamuffin Schoolgirl Sampler Patterns 1897schoolhousesamplers.ca facebook.com/SchoolhouseSamplers instagram.com/1897SchoolhouseSamplers