EGA National Seminar Pieces

Since coming to Japan, I have taken no new needlework classes and have been working on the pieces I brought with me.  When I lived in the US, I had many opportunities to take classes and I rarely passed one up. I think there are three main things we consider when choosing a needlework class – the piece, the technique, and the teacher.  Most often I choose a class because I like the piece and want to stitch it myself.  Sometimes I choose a class to learn a new technique or another perspective on a technique I am already familiar with.  While I have taken a few teachers multiple times, I don’t consider myself to be a “groupie” of any teacher.  If you are not a stitcher, this may sound silly, but there are stitchers who will sign up for classes with certain teacher no matter what the project is.  They will even sign up not knowing what the project is, just because they like the teacher.

When I was going through my unfinished projects a few days ago to choose something to work on, I thought about the many classes I’ve taken and the many yet to be finished projects I have!  You see, I am much better at starting projects than finishing them. One of the many opportunities I had for needlework classes in the US was the annual Embroiderers Guild of America National Seminar.  Here are the classes I’ve taken at the EGA National Seminars the last few years. I have listed contact information for the teachers/designers where I can, in case you are interested. I'm posting pictures of the the teacher with her project and, if I have a finished project, a picture of mine.

San Francisco

I took the Italian Embroidery notebook class with Vima deMarchi Micheli http://www.vimadesigns.com/Vima/Home.html .  Since this was a notebook class, I stitched examples in class for my notebook, but had no unfinished project when I went home.

Pittsburgh

I took the SunDragon class with Dorothy Lesher.  This was my first Dragon experience and as yet is unfinished.

Louisville
I took four classes in Louisville and so far have finished three.
Carolyn Standing Webb’s Ojimi, a blackwork piece, was finished since I’ve been in Japan, but still needs to be framed. http://carolynstandingwebb.com/Designs2/index.htm

Tanja Berlin’s Pheasants, another blackwork piece, is finished and framed.  I liked this project and class so much that I purchased two other Tanja Berlin blackwork kits that have yet to be started – the Peacock and the Kingfisher.  http://www.berlinembroidery.com/

Carolyn Sherman designed this little beaded box especially for the 50^th anniversary of EGA and I finished it soon after returning home from seminar. http://www.embroideryteachers.org/Members/Sherman/sherman.htm

The fourth class was Lois Kershner’s Monet’s Water Lily Pond that I am currently working on. http://www.loiskershner.com/

Chicago
I haven’t finished any of the four from Chicago.
I took Lois Kershner’s Sashiko vest class and want to finish my piece into a table runner. http://www.loiskershner.com/

This is Deanna Powell’s Plum Panache and a piece I really want to finish. This elegant evening wrap is burnout silk velvet with sequins and beads and a beaded fringe. http://www.embroideryteachers.org/Members/Powell/powell.htm

You know how I love little toolie things. Marianna Surface Markham taught “Not Your Grandma’s Sewing Kit Accessories” on 32 count linen. I have most of the stitching done, but it needs to be put together.

Regina Madory Walter taught Victorian Needlework Ensemble, a crazy quilt bag, scissor case, and needle book.  I finished the bag but never worked on the scissor case and needlebook.

Richmond
I finished the projects from both of these classes.
Very Berry II was a stumpwork class with Susan Kernt. I bought and put my piece into the same box that she had hers in.

My first class with Deanna Powell was this ribbon and bead purse.  I finished it soon after the class and use it for “nice” occasions.

These are just a few of my class pieces and unfinished projects, but maybe I’ll do another post on other class projects soon.