The Embroiderers’ Guild ACT presents a range of classes each year. Most of these are open to members of the public, as per class descriptions below.
For enrolment information click here.
2025 Classes
Enrolments are now open for all 2025 classes on receipt of a $100 deposit and a completed classes form.
Enrolments are available to members and non-members strictly on a first come, first served basis, on receipt of the deposit.
Full details of classes, including final costs, will be notified as soon as they are available. Full refunds will be made for any cancellations notified up to 3 weeks prior to commencement of the relevant class. A waitlist will be developed for classes that are over subscribed.
Using a Smocking Pleater – A one day workshop for members with Lyn Weeks
Dates: 4 May
Time: 10am – 4pm
Price: Free to all members
Numbers are limited – places reserved strictly on receipt of a class enrolment form
Location: The Embroiderers’ Guild ACT rooms, 70 Maclaurin Crescent, Chifley
Whether you already have some experience with smocking and are grappling with the use of your own or a borrowed pleater, are considering whether to buy a pleater, or are just wanting to learn more about this aspect of smocking, this workshop could be for you.
This one-day workshop will be open to all members. People may bring their own pleater and project, or come to observe and learn. Lyn will bring her own pleater for demonstrations, and will be happy to make it available for anyone who may choose to use it.
Some notes and prepared fabrics will be provided as part of the lesson but these will be handed out freely, so there will be no kit fee for participants.
Following are some of the areas of pleating that will be covered:
- Understanding and caring for your pleater
- Preparing to pleat with the correct threads and needle spacing
- Pleating a straight piece of fabric and an area to be smocked in the middle of a fabric width
- Pleating a curved fabric edge
- Pleating delicate fabrics or Liberty of London® where the pleats will need stabilising
- Problem solving for the things than can go wrong when pleating
Lyn will provide pre-cut fabrics and other supplies in order to keep the class flowing smoothly, and suggests that participants bring a 12mm dowel about 70cm long (more or less, as this is merely to keep the fabric balanced in the pleater). Two spools of different coloured Quilting thread and small scissors would also be required – Lyn uses Gutermann quilting cotton as it is strong and does not twist or knot when removing the threads from the pleater.
Please indicate on your enrolment form whether or not you will be bringing a pleater.
Gabi Tote with Jane MacDonald
Dates: 31 May – 1 June
Time: 10am – 4pm
Price: $230 members, $280 non members
Full payment by 9 May
Kit cost $75.50 paid direct to tutor
Location: The Embroiderers’ Guild ACT rooms, 70 Maclaurin Crescent, Chifley
The Gabi Tote covers a number of sashiko techniques including hitomezashi (one stitch sashiko). The bag is an idea of what can be made out of the samples and the instructions are included. Alternatively, a table
runner or small quilt could be made out of the samples.
Creative manipulation of fabric and thread with Catherine Howell
Dates: 26 – 27 July
Time: 10am – 4pm
Price: $230 members, $280 non members
Full payment by 4 July
Kit cost $145 paid direct to tutor
Location: The Embroiderers’ Guild ACT rooms, 70 Maclaurin Crescent, Chifley
In this class Catherine will lead you in creating your choice of either of these sweet and useful needlecases incorporating her creative manipulation of threads and textiles.
Your kit will include instructions and all the materials needed for your project, with the exception of the lining fabric. Your own choice of lining will not be needed for the class, and can be acquired later.
Please indicate your choice of project (Picking Wild Strawberries or Billy’s Birthday treat) on the enrolment form.
Picking Wild Strawberries finished size 9 inches/ 23 cm square
Billy’s Birthday Treat finished size 11 inches/ 28 cm square
Skill level: Some experience with surface stitching
Princess Lace with Annette Meldrum
Dates: 18 October and 25 October
Time: 10am – 4pm
Price: $180 members, $230 non members
Full payment by 26 September
Kit cost $30 paid direct to tutor
Location: The Embroiderers’ Guild ACT rooms, 70 Maclaurin Crescent, Chifley
Using pretty machine-made Princess Lace tapes of various styles and shapes, we will position, fold, and join together to produce a motif which can be appliqued or inserted into a garment or textile. Embellishments can be added including bars and fillings.
Designs will be based on a beautiful white tablecloth, the first item catalogued into our Guild Heritage Collection no.1 1982, dated 1885-90, donated by J. Williams with Princess Lace butterflies inserted at intervals throughout the 92cm square cloth. Every butterfly is different, and they are each artistically beautiful.
Skill level: This class is suitable for embroiderers at all levels of experience.
The Annemieke Mein Collection Needlebook with Jennifer Bennett
Class is full, submit a class enrolment form to go on the waitlist
Dates: 15 /16 November
Price: $230 members, $280 non members
Full payment due 24 October
Kit cost: To be advised, paid direct to tutor
Location: The Embroiderers’ Guild ACT rooms, 70 Maclaurin Crescent, Chifley
Annemieke Mein OAM is a Dutch-born Australian textile artist, based in Sale, Gippsland, who has drawn acclaim nationally and from abroad for her vivid recreations of Australian native fauna and flora. Annemieke has kindly granted Jennifer Bennett permission to recreate her amazing textile designs as hand embroidery kits.
This will be an entirely new kit designed by Jennifer; a needlebook containing seven individual pieces with Annemieke’s designs, and including all the materials required to complete the project.
As this kit is currently still in development, full details will be provided at a later date.
Skill level: This is an intermediate level project
Previous Classes
Fairy Wrens with Bev Tully
Dates: 5 – 6 April
This is a fine embroidery in silk thread and textured nest with baby birds.
Beginners Class with Louise
Dates: 1 February, 15 February, 1 March, 15 March, 29 March
In the class you will stitch a needlebook featuring an embroidered swirl of leaves, flowers and insects. The project is stitched with DMC threads on linen.
This class has been specially designed for people new to embroidery or for those wishing to consolidate their skills. In the class a wide range of basic embroidery stitches will be taught, and the finished project will be both lovely and useful. In class, not only will there be lots of classic stitches to learn but also discussions on needles, threads and fabrics, and tips and tricks.
Cleo Butterfly with Alison Cole
Dates: 20/21 March OR 22/23 March 2025
Cleo is worked in both English and Indian threads along with silk, beads and beetlewings. It’s an easy paced class and each of the techniques is covered over the two days, so it’s great for beginners to goldwork and above.
Creating a Landscape with Canvaswork Stitches – A 3-day workshop with Di Kirchner
Dates: Fri 8 to Sun 10 November 2024
Canvaswork is an embroidery technique which uses counted stitches on a counted canvas. In this class students will be asked to create a Canvaswork Landscape piece from a photograph of their choice. It is a wonderful technique that allows you to be imaginative and ‘think outside the square’, to create a piece that is uniquely yours.
Maru – Japanese Stitching with Leanne O’Sullivan
Dates: 12-13 October 2024
Leanne O’Sullivan of Kimono House Japanese Textiles & Craft will guide you in this enjoyable 2-day workshop hand-stitching a cotton throw, tablemat or wall hanging. A vintage piece from Leanne’s personal collection will be the inspiration to create your own with traditional Japanese stitching including sashiko, applique, finishing and more. The weekend begins with Leanne introducing the techniques that will be covered showing samples and giving demonstrations over the two days.
Indian Folded Bag with Sue Senewiratne
Dates: 24 – 25 August 2024
Take inspiration from India’s rich textile heritage and create a colourful and decorative small bag based on the traditional folded style of dowry bag. This bag is easy to create and
would make a beautiful wrapping for a special gift. This project is a great way of using those “too special to use” fabrics, brocades, braids, ribbons and trimmings from your stash. The bag can be hand or machine pieced then embroidered and embellished with mirrors, beads and sequins as desired. Traditional Indian embroidery stitches will be demonstrated.
Making my own embroidered lampshade with Kate Malfroy
Date: 27 July 2024
Have you ever wondered what to do with a finished embroidery? Well, now you can create a unique decorative item for your home, by preparing your own embroidered piece, then having a fun day learning all the tips and tricks to create your own bespoke embroidered lampshade.
Beginner Embroidery Class with Louise
Date: 29 July 2024 for five weeks.
The class has been specially designed for people new to embroidery or for those wishing to consolidate their skills. In the class a wide range of basic embroidery stitches will be taught, and the finished projects will be both lovely and useful.
Borris Lace with Annette Meldrum
Dates: 15 and 22 June 2024
Students will work a small butterfly motif slightly up-scaled in size and thread, and incorporating a little colour. The design features circles which can be filled with beautiful needlelace.
Borris Lace is a tape lace. Machine made tape is sewn onto the pattern incorporating stylized designs and using continuous flowing lines. Spaces are filled with needlelace filling stitches, needlelace picoted bars or a net ground.
Designing My Own Embroidery with Dr Sharon Peoples
Date: 6 April 2024
This one-day class will set you on the path to designing your own original embroidery, be it canvas work, cross stitch, crewel work, free embroidery or machine embroidery. Sharon is a great one for physically cutting and pasting as an aid to her work. Her phone and printer are her greatest allies. However, other technologies today make designing a little easier. You will explore new ways to help making your ideas come to life through stitch. You will discuss colour, line, pattern and form in the context of embroidery designs. The path towards creativity may be a little unexpected, so come along with an open mind and heart down the path towards creativity.
Raised Embroidery (Stumpwork) – Beginner level (Sweet Honeysuckle) or Intermediate level (Persian Bounty) with Anna Scott
Dates: 2 – 3 March 2024
Beginner and Intermediate raised embroidery created using a variety of common embroidery stitches and raised embroidery (Stumpwork) techniques.
Enrolments
To enrol in a class, download & print out the enrolment form:
Guild classes enrolment form (pdf, 44KB)
Guild classes enrolment form (docx, 22KB)
Complete and return as per instructions on the form.
A deposit of 50% is payable on enrolment and the balance is due three weeks before the class commences. For any given class, enrolment closes either when the class is full or three weeks before commencement, whichever is earlier.
If you have enrolled in a class, but are unable to attend, please notify the guild immediately. There may be a waiting list and the guild may find someone to fill your place. Refunds are not generally available for cancellation within three weeks of class commencement.
Fees cover the cost of tuition. Where kits are available from tutors, the cost of kit is to be paid direct to the tutor at the class, not to the guild. Please be aware that you will have to have your own basic sewing supplies and that most classes have a requirements list.
This page contains information on classes for adults and the policy for classes can be found here. For information on the Young Stitchers’ program and School Holiday classes see the Young Stitchers page
