Eighth Biennial Seminar
The Merrimack Valley EGA Chapter's Eighth Biennial Seminar will be held on Saturday and Sunday, June 5 and 6, 2010 at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel in Billerica, Massachusetts. We would like to extend an invitation to stitchers in the area to join us for a fun-filled, educational weekend of stitching excitement. The Marriott Courtyard is conveniently just off Route 3 at Exit 27 (Concord Road), between Route 128 and I-495. The seminar is open to all members of EGA. The registration deadline is April 1, 2010.
In addition to the two structured classes offered by teachers Betty Chen Louis and Betsy Stiner, we are also offering Studio Time, a chance for you to stitch on the project of your choice while enjoying the fun and camaraderie of seminar.
The registration fee of $195.00 includes class fee, lunch Saturday and Sunday, and seminar favors. Kit fees are additional.
There will be an optional dinner at the Marriott Courtyard on Saturday night. The cost of the dinner is $35.00 per person and includes appetizer, salad, entreé, and dessert, along with rolls and butter, coffee, and tea. Seminar registration confirmations will be mailed after the registration deadline of April 1, 2010 and will include directions to the hotel.
If you desire overnight accommodations, please contact the hotel directly by calling 1-978-670-7500. We have reserved a small block of rooms at the nightly rate of $75 (plus 9.7% room tax). Please mention Merrimack Valley Chapter EGA when making your reservation. Our contract with the hotel is such that the number of sleeping rooms occupied by seminar attendees determines the rent we’re paying for classroom space, so please make sure the hotel knows you’re attending the seminar.
We will again be having a needlework yard sale during the seminar, featuring items donated by seminar participants. Bring anything you have that is stitching related. Items may be in any condition — new, partially-stitched, whatever. Kits, charts, books, threads, fabric — if it has to do with stitching, bring it with you! More details will be included with your registration confirmation.
On Saturday, classes end at 4:45 p.m. and dinner begins at 6:00. We will be inviting the seminar teachers to participate in a “Merchandise Hour” during this time. This is a scaled down version of Merchandise Night at the national seminars. The teachers will most likely be selling kits, books, and other wonderful goodies.
“Love Is …” and “A Book, A Cup of Tea and My Stitching” with Betsy Stiner
Yes, Betsy will be teaching two(!) samplers, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.
The sampler below right features the quote “Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination.” The sampler’s dominant colors are peach, blues and taupe. The sampler contains pulled thread work and there will be a presentation on the history of pulled thread work during the class. The stitches utilized are satin, Priscilla, foliage, bullion, spider web, queen, modified eyelet, eyelet, Rhodes diamond and Florentine.
Worked on 30-count cocoanut macaroon linen, with Gloriana silk, Needlepoint silk, and Perle Cotton, the finished project will be 6.67" tall and 9¾" wide.
The sampler pictured at left contains
the phrase "a book, a cup of tea and my stitching are all I need". This phrase describes the universal interests of most stitchers. The piece is stitched on 28-count cocoa vintage using Needlepoint Silk in blues, greens, purple, gold and cream. The stitches in this piece include spider web, priscilla, smyrna, queen, cross stitch over one, montenegrin, long arm, Bosnia, triple rice to name a few.
The following information applies to both samplers.
The presentation is done in Power Point and includes a historical review of stitches utilized. During each class a preface piece, which is a small design that includes many of the stitches contained in the actual sampler, will be done. The class will be presented in a relaxed and comfortable manner.
Each kit contains everything needed to finish the sampler and preface piece including thread, fabric, directions, and needle.
The student must supply scissors and a 3-inch hoop (if desired)
“Evening Flight of Butterflies” with Betty Chen Louis
Inspired by an antique Japanese lacquer box, this piece uses silk and metal threads and the concept of “optical mixing” to capture the iridescent and transparent qualities of Japanese lacquer. The blue/violet palette against the pale gray background evokes a feeling of twilight serenity.
This class explores the use of color in design to articulate a line drawing. Students will learn to utilize the characteristics of stitches and their interrelationship to create a cohesive design. Stitches are selected for their suitability for color blending and their reflection of light.
Techniques include “optical mixing” of colors, integration of silk and metal; couching of non-stitchable metal threads; hand-twisting; plus experimentation using the following stitches -- diagonal satin (random and variations), various forms of couching, unusual variations of diagonal stitches, and composite pulled-thread patterns.
The Kit includes color reproduction of project; 12" x 12" square piece of white/gray Congress cloth; needles; Au Ver A Soie silk threads, Kreinik metallic braids and cords, DMC metallic and cotton threads.
In addition to the usual needlework tools, the student must supply 12" stretcher bars (two pair), staple gun or tacks to attach canvas to frame, clamp or other device to hold frame, magnifier lamp, graph paper, red/blue pencil, silk laying tool (Teko-bari), one push pin, one sheet of white tissue paper, Kleenex.
Studio Time
Do you want to come to the seminar, but you don’t want another new project? Then, Studio Time is for you! Bring one (or more) of your works in progress and enjoy two days of uninterrupted stitching time with your friends.
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The registration deadline is April 1, 2010.
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Please send this form along with a check in the appropriate amount ($195.00 registration fee plus kit fee plus dinner fee) made payable to “Merrimack Valley Chapter EGA” to:
Pat Timpanaro
41 East Highland Avenue
Melrose, MA 02176