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.
Borris Lace with Annette Meldrum
For enrolment information click here.
Dates: 15 and 22 June
Time: 10am to 4pm
Cost: $150 Members, $200 Non-Members
Payment Due by: 31 May 2024
Materials Kit Cost: $20.00 paid direct to tutor
Location: 70 Maclaurin Cres, Chifley (Embroiderers’ Guild of the ACT Inc rooms)
The Borris Lace Industry was established in Borris, Ireland in 1846 as one of the many lace enterprises set up to relieve hardship. It is certainly one of the lesser-known Irish laces although the industry survived for over 100 years and received orders from the aristocracy within Ireland and England as well as English royalty.
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.
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.
Suitable for inserting into the back of a blouse as Annette has done or appliqueing onto a purse or similar. Lace is highly fashionable so make it, wear it and enjoy! Borris lace is durable! Annette’s blouse has been machine washed in a laundry bag many times.
Complete kits will be provided at a cost of $20 each and will include the project notes, pattern and assembly pad on which the lace is worked, tape and needles. Further information on requirements will be supplied when enrolment is confirmed.
Suitable for all levels of experience.
Annette has written the book The Borris Lace Collection: A Unique Irish Needlelace with Marie Laurie, Milner 2010. It includes the story (history) and 16 projects with instructions. This project is not in the book but the book will help if you have it or borrow it from our Guild library, which has one copy. Annette will also bring copies of the book to share or you can purchase a copy from her for $30 or buy it online.
Making my own embroidered lampshade with Kate Malfroy
For enrolment information click here.
Date: 27 July
Time: 10am – 3pm
Cost: $200 members, $250 non members
Payment due by: 6 July
Location: 70 Maclaurin Cres, Chifley (Embroiderer’s Guild rooms)
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.
Be inspired by this recently completed embroidered lampshade made by a Guild member. The fabric pattern is enhanced with a few, well placed areas of embroidery.
Included in your course cost will be everything you will require (except fabric) to make a small/ medium size drum shade (25cm diameter x 22cm high – base not included). – NOTE: the size of the lampshade has changed.
You will need to provide a piece of fabric 90cm x 40cm. The embroidered area of the fabric should be 81cm x 22cm, which is what you will see on the finished shade, ie you do not need to work the entire piece.
The best base cloth is a lightweight natural fibre like shirt or quilting fabric. Bear in mind that the back of your embroidery needs to be as neat as possible, ie no hanging threads etc that will show when the lamp is turned on. Ideally your finished piece should be as flat as possible on the back to ensure the best adhesion between the fabric and the PVC wall. Kate has a a YouTube channel with a number of short videos explaining various shadey things, and she recommends that intending students watch at least the clips relating to fabric size, type, pattern direction – all will be helpful preparation. Link to the channel is on the home page of her website https://www.lampshadeworkroom.com.au/. If you have any questions regarding your potential project, we can help you contact Kate directly.
2024 Classes being planned
Details are still being finalised, but here are the tentative dates for other classes this year:
- 24 – 25 August – Sue Senewiratne – Indian Folded Bag
- 12 – 13 October – Leanne O’Sullivan – “Maru” Japanese Stitching
- 8 – 10 November – Di Kirchner – Creative Canvaswork
Previous Classes
Designing My Own Embroidery with Dr Sharon Peoples
Date: 6 April
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
Beginner and Intermediate raised embroidery created using a variety of common embroidery stitches and raised embroidery (Stumpwork) techniques.
Conserving Heritage Textiles with Victoria Pearce, Director and Senior Conservator Endangered Heritage
Date: 17 February
Victoria will begin with an introductory talk on conservation theory, followed by access to the Endangered Heritage laboratory, where she will cover basic triage, cleaning and storage of items. The class will also cover quarantine, acidity pH and maintenance and archival storage material identification.
Snowflake Mandalas with Di Kirchner
25 & 26 November
The Snowflake Mandalas are embroidered in the style of Aemilia Ars, an Italian needlelace embroidery technique. Often called ‘Punto in Aria’ or ‘Stitches in the Air’ this type of embroidery uses foundation threads couched on to card as a base for the embroidery stitches such as needlelace, wrapping and Venetian Picots.
Limerick Lace with Annette Meldrum
Sat 11 & Sat 18 November
The class will explore light and heavy darn stitches traditionally used in Limerick Lace, and a variety of other filling stitches as time allows and eyelets. The project as shown is 11 cms wide, and can be framed or edged or appliqued onto a dark fabric for effect.
Canvaswork Happy Hussif with Ann-Marie Anderson-Mayes
Sat-Sun 21 & 22 October 2023
The Happy Hussif is worked in stranded silks on 24-count Congress Cloth, but it will work just as well if it is worked in stranded cottons, therefore you may choose to provide your own stranded cottons, or purchase the Optional Thread Pack containing hand-dyed silks, and Ann-Marie will be happy to customise your thread set should you wish.
Embroidery framing tips and techniques With Fine Framing by Antoinette
Sunday 6 August 2023
Antoinette has over 20 years’ experience in all kinds of framing, and will be delighted to share her tips and techniques for framing your embroidery items. During the morning she will cover all aspects of framing different types of embroidery, including preparation, cleaning, blocking and lacing, through to the final framed result.
Sculptural Embroidery + Shadow Mounting Workshop With Meredith Woolnough
24th – 25th June 2023
This technique-based workshop explores the unique embroidery processes that Meredith uses to create her artworks. By (machine) stitching onto a combination of woven and water-soluble fabrics we will create a range of experimental embroidered artworks. Students can expect to create a range of experimental stitched surfaces and sculptural forms in this workshop. We will also explore Meredith’s signature shadow mounting technique so your embroidered creations can be presented in a professional manner, ready for framing.
Temari Balls with Leanne O’Sullivan
Saturday – Sunday 22nd – 23rd April 2023
An enjoyable workshop with Leanne O’Sullivan from Kimono House Japanese Textiles & Craft making temari – the traditional Japanese surface embroidered decorative ball.
Geometric needle run embroidery on net with Annette Meldrum
18th and 25th March 2023
This class will explore the geometric needle run, a counted thread tradition that was widely worked in Colonial Australia when materials were scarce, but mosquito netting was readily available. Women sought to decorate their homes using the meagre supplies available.
Patterns are mostly running stitch, over/under each bar of the net or sometimes both bars either side of a single hole of the net. We will follow patterns by counting the bars or meshes.
This technique is simple and relaxing and will be a favourite!
The net is a little coarser than usual with slightly larger holes than traditional tulle making it easier on the eyes to stitch. It is imported from the Czech Republic and is very robust making it easy to wash and suitable for a scarf.
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
