This project draws upon the wonderful variety of elaborate monogram letters, which were used to mark linen in the 19th century. The project, presented in a toile box, consists of a handmade fabric basket for your threads, a scissors keep, a needlekeep, a button bag, and a pincushion. Each accessory and the basket are fabricated from a variety of coordinating cotton quilting fabrics in tones of taupe, gold, and earth brown. Each accessory is ‘monogrammed’ with an oversized letter and designation, which are framed in chocolate ultrasuede. The project is worked on 36ct light exemplar linen and Glorianna silk threads.

Golden Accessories are three needlework accessories (Fob, pinkeep, and needlebook) that are samplings of gold thread embroidery of the 17th century. Adapted from a sweet bag from the period, the tent stitched background in silk is accented by strapwork in gold and silver. Using a Japanese needle, we will learn five stitches from the period in metal thread. Additionally, spiral trellis and bullion in silk will be practiced. The class will be augmented by discussions of metal thread history. The finishing of the pieces will be discussed as well as a CD Rom for each student showing the stitches and finishing in process.

Years ago I purchased a small spot sampler from the 1600's. The piece had a delightful set of floral slips and geometric motifs stitched with queen stitch. Unlike many spot samplers, it was devoid of any goldwork. After much study, it became obvious that the stitcher had intended to fill in the sampler with gold stitches but had put the piece aside before doing the work. The 'scaffolding' for several gold stitches exists on the piece. During this class we will work a reproduction of my approximately 6" x 10" sampler on 34 count linen using Au Ver a Soie Soie Paris threads. We will learn 28 new gold and silver stitches to place as random spots and throughout the geometric spots and floral slips to complete the sampler as it may have been in the Tudor time period.

Inspired by the fantastic professionally worked gloves of the Stuart era, this needlecase mimics a piece from a noble woman's wardrobe. The focus of the class is using a variety of metal threads brought from England which are rarely seen in contemporary embroidery. After examining the gloves of this time period, I have been amazed at the creative use of threads by the professional. During class we will both view close-up pictures of these historic pieces and then work similar techniques.

The 'glove' needlecase is a flat accessory which allows the embroidered cuff to be lifted and needlework tools to be inserted inside. The piece is only embroidered on one side with Au Ver a Soie silks and real metal threads such as lizardine, passings, purls, spangles, and Elizabethan twist. The edges of the cuff are embellished with double faced silk satin ribbon which has been edged with gold thread and spangles. Around the tabs of the cuff, gold lace is applied to finish off a spectacular appearance. While the effect and threads are magnificent, the entire piece will be worked using couching stitches and satin stitch so we may focus on the use of the new threads. The flowers are embroidered in silks and there are seven different types of metal threads on the piece to give a good sampling of interesting threads.

A band sampler worked in a number of counted work techniques (montenegrin, arrowhead, etc) in soft blues and greens. The bands form the basis for the gold work stitches which fill the free space. Twelve previously unpublished stitches from the era are used on the piece. The piece is worked on 36ct Lakeside Linen.

The approximately 4.5 inch x 7 inch Memorial Photokeep features an embroidered weeping willow and flower garland over an urn on the front cover. Open the photokeep bi-fold and the inside contains a place to put a photo of a departed loved one, perhaps a favorite relative, friend, or pet, and an area to stitch a personalized saying. The project teaches a combination of embroidery and counted stitches using Au Ver a Soie Soie Paris filament silk on 40-count linen. The design of the photokeep is inspired by several silkwork mourning pictures in the Winterthur collection. Silk chenille, specially dyed for this project, is used to embroider the tree trunks and grass as was often done in the mid-nineteenth century. The embroidery is framed by a black velvet ribbon and couched gold outline to emulate the painted glass which was often used to frame these silkwork pictures. A touch of gold is included in the picture as the vine of the garland. A button closure that is reminiscent of a piece of Victorian mourning jewelry is included.

Workshop participants will receive the linen pre-marked, outlined, and stretched on a scroll frame to maximize working time. The kit will also include a CD-ROM with in-process photographs of the embroidery and finishing to use when the student returns home. Other kit contents include instructions, needles, hand-dyed silk chenille thread, metal threads, Mokuba ribbon, victorian button, silk taffeta finishing fabric, and all other finishing materials needed to produce the photokeep.

To register for the class contact Winterthur at 800-448-3883. More details can be found at their website.

This class is an adaptation of an early 19th century Newburyport sampler. Betsy Kreig Salm has interpreted the sampler in watercolors and ink on a hand-made wooden box exclusively for this class. A limited number of boxes will be available for purchase and orders will be taken in class for those who wish a personalized box to be made for them. Betsy has worked with Ed Miller to develop a special painted threadwinder using motifs from the sampler for this class, which will be included in the kit.

Painted boxes are indicative of what the accomplished young woman practiced in academies as they were also learning embroidery. During class, we will be stitching on five needlework accessories that fit in the box. Each was inspired by the same Newburyport sampler. During the two-day class, we will learn a combination of embroidery and counted stitches using Soie Paris on 40ct linen. You will receive the linen pre-marked, outlined and stretched on a scroll frame to maximize our working time. The class also includes a CD-ROM with in-process photographs of the embroidery and finishing. While we are working, a brief history of Newburyport samplers will be shown to enrich our experience.

This class is designed to be an accessory to the "May Your Hands Show Your Heart" class for those who have taken the longer class or who would like to sample the techniques. The motifs for this piece were taken from a related group of Newburyport samplers commonly called the Shady Bower Group. Betsy Kreig Salm has worked with Ed Miller to develop a special painted threadwinder using motifs from the sampler for this class, which will be included in the kit.

During the half-day class, we will learn a combination of embroidery and counted stitches using Soie Paris on 40 ct linen. You will receive the linen pre-marked and stretched on a scroll frame to maximize our working time. In addition, a CD ROM with pictures of the embroidery and finishing in process will be included.

Marcia Brown Smith has taken this original Thistle Threads design and added her extra special care to make it a knockout! The needlework necessity has pockets inside for scissors and needles in addition to a bunny motif measuring tape. A matching fob with a smaller, sweet bunny is also included. The four sided purse has a wooden base resting on brass feet. It is fabricated from the same beige and black check fabric which was used to finish the embroidered pieces. Marcia Brown Smith will be teaching this piece for the next year under special arrangement with Thistle Threads. Join her at an event to learn all the special finishing techniques in class.

'A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever' aptly describes this special collaboration between Marcia Brown Smith and Thistle Threads. We both loved an antique ladies watch pocket with this shape and quickly agreed to design a modern version. The piece is designed to hold an antique watch of your own or a cameo pin. The piece is worked on 40 count hand dyed linen and uses Soie Perlee and Soie Paris. The piece includes special satin silk ribbon that was dyed specially for this piece by Thread Gatherer. Both Marcia and Tricia will team teach this piece at several events.

The "Rose Trellis" project is a set of needlework neccessities kept inside a handmade vintage wallpaper box. The lattice and roses design box is lined in a pink taphata silk with a pincushion in the bottom and accent rushing on the lid. Each detail is held in place with a hand decorated mother of pearl button. The embroidery projects are in colors from the box. The needlebook/accessories holder has a spray of embroidered roses and accent flowers overlaid on a pulled thread The border of the pieces is a mixed stem stitch/long armed cross border. Additional pieces include a waxer pocket, thimble holder, pin pad, and scissors fob. Each is an adapted version of the embrodiery on the needlebook. A waxer made from the hand decorated rose buttons is included.

The kit includes the vintage wallpaper handmade box (only 75 exist), 40 ct Lakeside linen (stretched on a roll frame, outlined, and pretraced for the student), a CD rom of the embroidery and finishing in process, instructions for embroidery and finishing, color xerox of the embroidery before finishing for reference, all silk taffeta for the lining and finishing, any trims/ribbons/buttons used in the project, batt, muslin, skirtex, and pellon.

The "Memories" project is an embroidered photo memory keeper about 4" x 6" in size for 3" x 5" photos of your loved ones. The front and back cover are embroidered with a traditional house and hillock scene in various counted stitches. The borders of the piece are linked sprigs of flowers in multiple embroidery techniques. In between the front and back cover is an accordion folded set of red silk pockets for your photos and memories. The entire booklet, when closed, fits into a red silk travel bag that is quilted with the patterns taken from the outside of the vintage wallpaper box. The bag and booklet fit inside a handmade vintage wallpaper box with traditional green and red block prints which can also serve as additional photo storage. We will work on lining the box with red silk to match.

The kit includes the vintage wallpaper handmade box (only 100 exist), 40 ct Lakeside linen (stretched on a roll frame, outlined, and pretraced for the student), a CD rom of the embroidery and finishing in process, instructions for embroidery and finishing, color xerox of the embroidery before finishing for reference, all silk taffeta for the lining and finishing, any trims/ribbons used in the project, batt, muslin, skirtex, and pellon.

'What Lies Within Us' is a class that explores the use of both counted stitches and satin stitch embroidery on 40 ct linen. The scrolling leaf design of the three embroidered accessories compliments the fabulous gray-blue and gold silk fabrics of the burse. The four sided burse is closed using a wonderful set of dark-gold ruffled satin ribbons which I purchased in Paris. I have commissioned a special turned wooden needlework accessory for this class to fit into the case. Each student will receive their linen outlined, pre-marked, and framed on a scroll frame to maximize class time in addition to all finishing materials for the accessories and burse. A CD-ROM will be included in the kit with pictures of the embroidery and finishing in process.

Join Tricia to stitch an elegant silk slipper to hold your scissors and other sewing tools. The accompanying pin pad is lined with the same blue and taupe silks as the slipper. These wonderful accessories are held in the Sampler Burse, with peak-a-boo gussets. The kit contains all finishing materials and the class will focus on the finishing techniques, each person will leave with most of the slipper and pin pad finishing done in class.

Have you ever wanted to design a special sampler for yourself but was afraid to start? In this one day workshop, Tricia will demystify the process by teaching you a codified method to design samplers. We will start by examining the few basic forms that most samplers follow and move on to discuss the use of space, value and weight when choosing patterns and placing motifs. How to include "character and whimsy" in your piece will be one of our subjects so that our piece is both personal and has the same "life" that old samplers possess. In addition to the class text, we will use a wonderful Dutch book "Merklap Motieven" as a source of patterns. Half of our class time will be spent playing with scissors and glue so that each student leaves with a special sampler design of their own. Before class ends, time will be spent discussing color and fabric choice for the samplers and how to balance color. Tricia will bring in many examples of samplers and pieces she has designed to illustrate the entire process including preliminary design papers and cut and paste to show the evolution to finished piece.

I have always been attracted to the wonderful feel and visual splendor of hand dyed silk ribbons. The subtly of color and the sheen of the silk have a wonderful interplay which begs to be used to form beautiful flowers reminiscent of the Victorian era. During this class, I hope to inspire my students to use both commercial silk ribbons and ribbons you dye yourself to discover new levels of creativity in color and composition. During the first day of our course, we will learn how to fabricate flowers from silk ribbons. Special emphasis will be placed on the use of the color variation in the ribbon to achieve unique effects. From this basis, we will spend the second day "playing" in the dyes creating new silk ribbons for our flower creations.

The text is intended to be a guide to enhance your creativity. After learning some basic flower making and dying techniques, I hope that each student will expand upon the lessons learned and invent new ways to use these techniques. Of course, the best part will be sharing in everyone’s excitement as new methods are invented during our exploration.

Get ready for a day of demystifying those detached stitches of the 17th century! Tricia will lead you through the spiral trellis, detached buttonhole, trellis, and knot stitch while making a beautiful sweet bag. We will also learn to stitch with gold thread using a handmade Japanese needle. While the students are practicing their stitches, Tricia will share some of her historical research on sweet bags to enrich the class as well as show examples of other sweet bags. This sweet bag was originally featured in Fine Lines Magazine. This class is for anyone who loved the project but wanted a little help in starting out.

Stitch a set of accessories for the Elizabeth's Sweet Bag project featured in Fine Lines. We will learn detached silk stitches such as trellis, detached buttonhole, and spiral trellis on 34 ct linen. Use of gold thread to stitch the heavy vine will be taught using a handmade Japanese needle. During class, we will discuss history of Elizabethan gold thread embroidery and sweet bags while stitching. The discussion will be complimented by many pictures and examples to enrich the class. The last half of the class will be dedicated to starting the finishing for the slipper and discussing step-by-step the finishing of all the pieces using pictures of the pieces in process. Pictures of the embroidery and finishing in process will be provided on a CD ROM to the students.

These blackwork needlework accessories are the perfect way to be introduced to blackwork of the 17th century. Explore a simple goldwork stitch, broad chain, and two silk stitches of the time period. The class will concentrate on the special stitches and the finishing techniques to fabricate the accessories. In addition to the class kit, a CD Rom with pictures of the embroidery and finishing work in process will be used to help the students visualize during class and later at home.

This project was designed based on stitches and designs commonly used on 17th century coifs, cushions, and jackets. I took inspiration from a cushion cover in polychrome silks from the Embroiderers' Guild collection and the blackwork Falkland pillow cover in the V&A Museum. I designed this piece to appeal to those stitchers who enjoy blackwork and would like to produce a challenging historically styled piece. This course does not cover the use of blackwork shading or reversible stitching but covers the use of dense/light patterns in regions. THe emphasis of the piece is learning to perform several of the complex stitches of the 17th century: knot stitch, spiral trellis, and detached buttonhole. An especially challenging part of the design is the use of gold threads to perform an open version of the knot stitch. This closely replicates the dense braided gold stitches seen on so many 16th and 17th century English pieces. Since "sweet bags" were often decorated with ornate tassels, the bag includes simplified tassels with secondary embroidery over the covering thread.

Imagine yourself to be the lady of the manor and this pincushion may have held some of the 10,000 pins in your collection needed to secure your fabulous clothing. This class will focus on teaching a selection of six goldwork stitches that you may not have seen before. They include interlacings and composite variations on ceylon stitch. During the class we will discuss these and other historical gold stitches and examine old examples to help us understand the creativity of the professional and amateur embroiderer of the past.

In this project we will explore the intricacies of working with gold and silver thread to form knotwork of the 17th century. Our fob encloses a wonderful acorn on a dark green tent stitch background. The cap of the acorn is given texture using bullion stitches. During class, Tricia will share pictures of the fantastic historical sweet bag which inspired this design. A discussion of gold passing threads and their use for complicated stitches will also be held. This class is a great introduction to the possibilities of a stitched gold thread in counted work designs. In addition to the class kit, a CD Rom with pictures of the embroidery and finishing work in process will be used to help the students visualize during class and later at home.

A delightful application of 16th century blackwork fit for a cushion for Elizabeth I! The black velvet trimmed roll pillow has a worked insert of black silk and metal threads on 36 count linen. There is a wonderful three-dimentional quality to the embroidery achieved through the use of spiral trellis for the grapes and knot stitch for the vines and leaf outlines. The use of heavy outlines is contrasted against the delicate blackwork patterns which fill in the grape leaves. In addition to these stitches, traditional in the 16th century, the pillow includes satin stitch, long armed cross, chain stitch, and many applied paillettes to give it extra richness befitting a queen! Students will learn these complex stitches and how to use metallic threads to achieve the look of old English blackwork through the use of an extensive text.