Virtual Lecture Series

Embroidery online: history, culturally diverse techniques and textile traditions

Learn about the rich cultural histories of embroidery online. EGA’s Education Department is pleased to announce a Virtual Lecture Series that will be given and available to EGA members over Zoom. Not a member yet? Join here!

Once a month, a guest lecturer will speak to us about culturally diverse embroidery techniques and textile traditions over Zoom. Attendance to the live lectures is limited to 500 EGA members. Not a member yet? Join here!

Among topics discussed will be the history, the symbolism, the purpose, and the practicality of how this embroidery has passed down through generations. Many of the embroidery techniques are passed down orally and by watching how it’s done, with no written instructions or patterns to follow. Besides the beauty of the traditional embroidery, there is sadness, joy, and triumph in many of these stories.

Come join us and learn about the embroiderers who preceded us and admire their gorgeous creations. It promises to be an interesting hour in your day! Questions? Contact virtuallectures@egausa.org.

Read more about our new Virtual Lecture registration process: Up to 500 participants and more

Do you have a recommendation for a virtual lecture? Is there a topic that you’d like to see covered in the Virtual Lecture series? Make your recommendation here.

Here’s how the Virtual Lecture Series process works

Step 1: During the registration period for a lecture, click the title of the lecture below to learn more and register.

Step 2: Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email letting you know that we are processing your registration.

Step 3: In 48-72 hours, you will receive an email from Zoom with the information for your lecture.

Step 4: Receive Zoom invitation reminders one week, one day, and one hour before the lecture starts.

Step 5: Enjoy the virtual lecture!

  • Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I sign up for a lecture?
    Each upcoming lecture description will contain the date and time registration begins. Registration will remain open for a period of 2-3 weeks or until the limit of 500 participants is reached.

    When the registration period begins, there will be a link to register on the page for that virtual lecture.

    If you are an EGA member, please log in before registering. This will let the website know that you are a current member.

    If you don’t log in, or are not a member, an EGA membership at-large (MAL) will be added to your cart. Need help logging in to the EGA website? Contact rduren@egausa.org.

    How many members can participate in the virtual lecture?
    Starting in January 2023, we are offering each of our lectures to up to 500 attendees. Even with this expanded capacity, there’s still a risk that our lectures will fill up quickly and that everyone who wants to see a lecture won’t be able to attend. If you would like to attend, make sure to register as early as possible.

    When will I get my Zoom invitation?
    Your Zoom Webinar Invitation will be sent out within an week after your registration is processed by Headquarters. You will also receive an automatic reminder from Zoom about your lecture one week, one day, and one hour before the start of the lecture.

    Why are you charging for these lectures?
    Starting in January of 2023, all Virtual Lectures, both live and recorded, will now have a $5 US fee. The EGA Board and the Virtual Lecture team did not arrive at this decision lightly, but we feel that this fee is both appropriate and reasonable to support the Virtual Lecture Series as we move forward.

    It’s important for our lecturers to be appropriately compensated for their time and expertise. In addition to an increased speaking fee, lecturers who choose to offer their lectures as recordings will also receive a portion of this lecture fee as compensation for their recorded lectures, just as teachers receive a teaching fee when they teach a class.

    I can’t pay online, how can I register for a lecture?

    While online registration is preferred, you may send a check or money order to EGA Headquarters to be registered for a lecture. If these options don’t work for you, please contact us at virtuallectures@egausa.org to see how we can help you get registered.

    Will recordings of the virtual lectures be available?
    While we hope you will be able to join us on the date of the live virtual lecture, recordings will be available for selected lectures. The registration period for a lecture’s recording is different from that of the live lecture, and it starts around a week after the live lecture has taken place.

    We realize that not all lecturers will want to have their lectures recorded, but for those who do grant permission, this will offer a convenient option for our members.

    Visit the page for each lecture to see if that lecture will be available as a recording.

    What’s the difference between the live lecture and the recording?
    Live lectures will give you the chance to ask questions of our lecturers and to interact directly with them; but if, for some reason, you’re not able to attend on the date and time when a lecture is scheduled, you’ll have opportunities to register to watch selected lectures later, at your convenience.

    I registered for the live lecture, will I have access to the recording?
    No. Registration for the live and recorded lectures are independent of each other.

    Can I share the recording of a lecture?
    No, the cost of registration for live and recorded lectures covers viewing by the registered individual only.

    How do I cancel my reservation?
    You can cancel your lecture registration by clicking the Cancel link in the email you will receive from Zoom. You may also email zoom@egausa.org to cancel your registration. Please be aware that virtual lecture registrations are not refundable.

    I canceled my reservation, can I still participate?
    If you canceled your registration but for some reason still want to participate, you will need to register again.

    What if the registration is closed because the lecture is full?
    If the maximum number of attendees is reached, you will be able to sign up to show you are interested in the lecture. If spaces become available, those interested will be notified by email.

    Why is the limit 500 attendees?
    Our EGA Zoom license is limited to 500 meeting participants.

    Why are the lectures held on weekends?
    There is no perfect day or time. Holding lectures on weekdays would preclude attendance for our working members and four time zones in the US increases the challenge of finding the right time. No matter which weekend day is chosen, there will be concerns about the impact on normal life (religious services, sporting events, chapter meetings, etc.) We regret that we can’t accommodate every circumstance.

  • Teachers Available to Teach or Lecture Via Zoom

    The Virtual Lecture Series Committee strongly recommends that regions and chapters offer this type of education to their members. A list of lecturers available to teach or present virtually, can be found on the link below.

Upcoming Virtual Lectures

  • Virtual Lecture 47: Pushing Boundaries: Embroidery + Book Arts with Celeste Chalasani
    Taught by Celeste Chalasani (view bio)

    Virtual Lectures

    In this lecture, Celeste describes her journey as she explored combining embroidery with book art techniques for the National Academy of Needle Arts Teacher Cum Laude program. She’ll show you six different book binding methods she learned and how she has been able to use embroidery in her art practice. You’ll also see the tools and materials needed, as well as what worked and what didn’t. Live Lecture Date: Sunday, December 15, 2024 1PM Eastern Live Lecture Registration: November 18 - December 13, 2024 1PM Eastern

  • The Red Dress project, conceived by British artist Kirstie Macleod, provides an artistic platform for individuals (majority women) around the world, many of whom are vulnerable and live in poverty, to tell their story through embroidery. Live Lecture Date: Sunday, January 26, 2025 1PM Eastern Live Lecture Registration: December 16, 2024 - January 24, 2025 1PM Eastern

Recordings Available Now

  • Virtual Lecture 41: Mediterranean Folk Embroidery: A Brief Tour of a Vibrant World with Krista West
    Taught by Krista West (view bio)

    Recordings

    Join designer and owner of Avlea Folk Embroidery, Krista West, as she takes us on a tour of folk embroidery in the Mediterranean world. Learn about the importance of textiles in the ancient world and how Classical and Byzantine motifs and colors made their way into folk embroidery. With her trademark energy and enthusiasm, Krista delights in sharing ancient beauty with the modern world! Recording: Only available through December 9, 2024.

  • Virtual Lecture 42: The Art and Story of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz with Bernice Steinhardt
    Taught by Bernice Steinhardt (view bio)

    Recordings

    Esther Nisenthal Krinitz was 15 in 1942 when Nazis ordered the Jews of her Polish village to report to a nearby train station. She chose to flee with her 13-year-old sister, never to see the rest of her family again. Decades later, determined to show her daughters the family she had lost, Esther created a series of 36 exquisite works of fabric collage and embroidery—a legacy of love, grief and the sheer force of memory. Recording: Only available through January 14, 2024.

  • Virtual Lecture 43: The Needle’s Art: Women’s Embroideries from the Great Plains with Susan Curtis
    Taught by Susan Curtis (view bio)

    Recordings

    The Great Plains region of the United States is home to women from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Each of these cultural groups embellished their lives with some form of embroidery, from the women of the Native American Plains tribes who created with quillwork and beads to the settlers who brought a variety of embroidery traditions with them to their new homes. Many of these embroideries are now found in history museums but have little information on the maker. Susan Curtis, curator of collections at the Emily Reynolds Historic Costume Collection at North Dakota State University, is working to uncover these anonymous women and bring their history and hand embroidery to light, illustrating the rich tradition of embroidery found in the Great Plains. Recording: Only available through February 11, 2024.

  • Virtual Lecture 44: Measuring Millimeters on a Napoleonic-Era Dress Coat with Liz Tapper
    Taught by Liz Tapper (view bio)

    Recordings

    Liz Tapper was commissioned in 2021 to recreate the embroidery for a military dress coat. The coat was to be a replica of that worn by one of Napoleon I's aide de camps in the early 1800s in France - the original now held in a museum. It was to be worked in goldwork using a variety of metal threads and to very exacting dimensions. This is the story behind the process. Recording: Only available through March 14, 2025.

  • Born into the Oneida Community, Jessie Catherine Kinsley was raised amidst ideas of free-love, gender equality, and Perfectionism, by a group of people who believed they were bringing about heaven on earth. She lived through the tumultuous years of the breakup of the Community, entered into traditional family life, and became a regionally famous artist. Though she dabbled in many media including drawing, painting, poetry, and children’s books, she is most known for her braidings. Kinsley invented an artform that used discarded dresses and fabric to create gigantic braided mosaics that depicted scenes from literature, scripture, nature, and history. Recording: Only available through April 18, 2025.

  • Virtual Lecture 46: An introduction to Early Medieval Embroidery in England with Dr. Alexandra Makin
    Taught by Alexandra Makin (view bio)

    Recordings

    In this 50-minute talk we will be introduced to the exciting world of early medieval embroidery in England. We will learn about the fibres used to make the thread and where they came from and the stitches used to create motifs, why they we used and their deeper, hidden meanings. Recording: Available through May 9, 2025

Previous Virtual Lectures

  • Virtual Lecture 11: Embroidered Beasts, Relics in Situ with Erin Harvey Moody and Christy Gordon Baty
    Taught by Erin Harvey Moody and Christy Gordon Baty (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Animals were a favorite motif in Elizabethan and Jacobean needlework -- from leopards and lions, to bears, bunnies and monkeys, to unicorns, camels and elephants. We will celebrate this theme by examining a wide variety of 16th and 17th century needlework in close up detail, looking at materials used, colors, and techniques. Date: Sunday, November 14, 2021 1PM Eastern Registration: October 18-25, 2021 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 12: Dr. Jessica Grimm and her quest for the origins of or nué, a medieval goldwork technique
    Taught by Dr. Jessica Grimm (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    As or nué is often considered the pinnacle of medieval goldwork techniques, you might be forgiven for thinking that it has been studied extensively. This is not the case. Apart from the fact that the finest pieces were made at the end of the medieval period in an area that is now Northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands, we know precious little. In my lecture, I’ll introduce you to some of the finest historical examples of this technique. We will also explore a much simpler technique that is similar to or nué and was developed in present-day Germany. Date: Saturday, December 11, 2021 1PM Eastern Registration: November 15-22, 2021 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 13: Perforated Paper Needlework 1840 – 1900 with Claudia Dutcher Kistler
    Taught by Claudia Dutcher Kistler (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    This lecture will share with you the creativity of counted thread pieces worked on specific "fabric" that was once very popular but is almost forgotten today. Between 1840 and 1900 a popular needlework pastime for both children and adults was stitching on perforated paper. In this lecture you will see an overview of the history and different types of perforated paper needlework. You will see some amazing technique and creativity in these antique pieces that you may not know was possible. Date: Saturday, January 15, 2022 1PM Eastern Registration: December 13-20, 2021 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 14: Quaker Schoolgirl Needlework in Seventeenth-Century London with Isabella Rosner
    Taught by Isabella Rosner (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    "To get my living with my hands: Quaker Schoolgirl Needlework in Seventeenth-Century London" explores the samplers, workboxes, and embroidered accessories of early modern Quaker girls educated in and around London. Extant examples are highly decorative, which is a surprise, considering that plainness was a tenet central to the Society of Friends from its founding in the 1650s. This paper uses objects in British and American collections to assess possible reasons for this aesthetic contradiction, drawing on themes of global trade, mercantilism, feminine virtue and accomplishment, and piety. Date: Saturday, February 12, 2022 1PM Eastern Registration: January 17-24, 2022 1PM Eastern

  • Join lecturer Candy Marang for a virtual lecture on Conservation and Re-Creation in Textile Conservation at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens. We will look at the Cromwell bed linens and other recreation projects worked on by the Stan Hywet Needlework Guild. Date: Sunday, March 13, 2022 1PM Eastern Registration: February 14-21, 2022 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 16: Stitcherhood is Powerful: The Work of a Feminist Embroiderer and Historian with Harriet Alonso
    Taught by Harriet Alonso (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    In 1973, Harriet Alonso took her first needlepoint class. Within a year, she was designing and stitching her own “political posters.” This talk will include her work from the 1970s and early 1980s which reflect the history of its day as well as new pieces reflecting more recent times. Date: Sunday, April 10, 2022 1PM Eastern Registration: March 14-21, 2022 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 17: The Garments of Salvation: exploring the world of Greek Orthodox liturgical vesture with Krista West
    Taught by Krista West (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Master ecclesiastical tailor Krista West has made church vestments and paraments for Greek Orthodox churches throughout North America for over 25 years. She will introduce us to this world of color, ornament, and sublime beauty by sharing about her work and explaining how vestments and paraments are made and used. She has lectured extensively throughout the US and is an enthusiastic speaker on this fascinating topic. Date: Sunday May 15, 2022 1PM Eastern Registration: April 11-18, 2022 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 18: Ernest Thesiger and the hidden history of needlework by men with Dr. Joseph McBrinn
    Taught by Dr. Joseph McBrinn (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    By bringing to light a fascinating range of surviving textiles by men in public collections and private hands and taking the English embroiderer Ernest Thesiger as a central case study, this talk will show that needlework by all sorts of men deserves to be rescued from obscurity and re-evaluated. Date: Saturday, June 11, 2022 1PM Eastern Registration: May 16-23, 2022 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 19: Elizabethan Embroidery And The Trevelyon Miscellany Of 1608 with Kathy Andrews
    Taught by Kathy Andrews (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Thomas Trevelyon, a London craftsman of whom little is known, created his miscellany in 1608 when he was about 60 years old. Join Kathy Andrews for a brief overview of the concept of a miscellany. We will see a facsimile of the Miscellany and explore the embroidery designs within. Participants will see both period and current examples of embroidered pieces whose designs are inspired/taken from the Miscellany. Date: Sunday, July 10, 2022 1PM Eastern Registration: June 13-20, 2022 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 2: The Art of the Japanese Internment Camps with Toni Gerdes
    Taught by Toni Gerdes (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Even with great adversity, you can’t keep the artistic, creative spirit down, but also, that creative spirit actually thrives during adversity to help people through hard times and to bring people together. This is what I show, during my 60-minute lecture based on the art that has been discovered from the time of World War II and the Japanese Internment Camps. Date: February 13, 2021 at 1PM Eastern Full | Registration opens: January 11, 2021 at 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 20: The History and Mysteries of the Bayeux Tapestry with Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer
    Taught by Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    This talk discusses its history, both the history depicted on the Tapestry and the history of the Tapestry over the almost 1000 years of its existence, including a few narrow escapes. Mysteries of the tapestry include questions about what some scenes depict (the Latin phrases on the cloth are sometimes very inadequate) and who commissioned, designed, and embroidered it. Date: Saturday, August 13, 2022 1PM Eastern Registration: July 11-18, 2022 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 21: Rozashi: A 1400 Year Old Needle Art from Japan with Margaret Kinsey
    Taught by Margaret Kinsey (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Rozashi is an ancient Japanese embroidery technique. Its origins are vague. It resembles Bargello/Florentine embroidery in our culture. The Japanese say it origins are in the Tempyo (700-799 AD) period. During the Tokugawa and Meiji eras, as late as the 1820s, the ladies of the court considered Rozashi as the most refined art and handiwork. It was even called the hobby of the Imperial household. Date: Sunday, September 18, 2022 1PM Eastern Registration: August 15-22, 2022 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 22: Creating Needlework Maps with Catherine Jordan
    Taught by Catherine Jordan (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Come and enjoy this “show and share” lecture on creating needlework maps! You will see Catherine’s collection of commemoratively based needlework maps as she talks about the process of where ideas come from, what makes a valuable map, and the intricacies of designing, stitching, and painting needlework maps. Date: Sunday, October 9, 2022 1PM Eastern Registration: September 12-19, 2022 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 23: Sartorial Embroidered Gowns of Marjorie Merriweather Post 1900-1929 with Howard Kurtz
    Taught by Howard Kurtz (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Evening dress turquoise silk moiré, orange silk crêpe orange tulle, turquoise gold silk floss, turquoise silk ribbon, cording beading and cotton/silk embroidery. Callot Soeurs, Paris, ca. 1907. From the Hillwood Museum & Gardens Costume and Textile Collection, Washington D.C. Date: Saturday, December 10, 2022 1PM Eastern Registration: November 14-22, 2022 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 24: Quaker Schoolgirl Needlework in Seventeenth-Century London with Isabella Rosner
    Taught by Isabella Rosner (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    "To get my living with my hands: Quaker Schoolgirl Needlework in Seventeenth-Century London" explores the samplers, workboxes, and embroidered accessories of early modern Quaker girls educated in and around London. Extant examples are highly decorative, which is a surprise, considering that plainness was a tenet central to the Society of Friends from its founding in the 1650s. This paper uses objects in British and American collections to assess possible reasons for this aesthetic contradiction, drawing on themes of global trade, mercantilism, feminine virtue and accomplishment, and piety. Live Lecture Date: Saturday, January 28, 2023 1PM Eastern Live Lecture Registration: January 5-26, 2023 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 25: A Journey into Tibet’s Sacred Textile Art with Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo
    Taught by Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    A California woman traveled to the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile in India to manage an economic development fund. In a twist of fate, she ended up sewing pictures of buddhas instead. She ultimately learned that a path is made by walking it, and some of the best paths are made by walking off course.

  • Virtual Lecture 26: Elizabethan Embroidery And The Trevelyon Miscellany Of 1608 with Kathy Andrews
    Taught by Kathy Andrews (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Thomas Trevelyon, a London craftsman of whom little is known, created his miscellany in 1608 when he was about 60 years old. Join Kathy Andrews for a brief overview of the concept of a miscellany. We will see a facsimile of the Miscellany and explore the embroidery designs within. Participants will see both period and current examples of embroidered pieces whose designs are inspired/taken from the Miscellany.

  • Virtual Lecture 27: Making My Bed: Creating imaginative worlds with 3D embroidery with Salley Mavor
    Taught by Salley Mavor (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Artist Salley Mavor will talk about her 40+ year career creating imaginative worlds with 3-dimensional embroidery. The presentation will cover a wide range of artistic adventures, from illustration to doll-making to stop-motion animation, all done in her signature hand-stitched style. This is an opportunity to take a behind the scenes peek at Ms. Mavor’s innovative process, which incorporates embroidery, fabric, and found objects. Recording now available!

  • Virtual Lecture 28: Bojagi, Stitching and Wrapping Happiness with Youngmin Lee
    Taught by Youngmin Lee (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Bojagi (Korean Wrapping Cloths) are pieced together from small scraps of cloth. It is the most unique form of Korean textile art. Bojagi occupied a prominent place in the daily lives of Koreans of all classes. They were used to wrap or carry everything from precious ritual objects to everyday clothes and common household goods and also to cover food. It is also strikingly contemporary: the designs and colors of bojagi remind one of the works of modern abstract artists. Bojagi can be described as a true form of abstract expressionism. Youngmin Lee will talk about bojagi during this lecture and show her bojagi works after the lecture. Live Lecture Date: Saturday May 20, 2023 1PM Eastern Live Lecture Registration: April 28 - May 18, 2023 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 29: How to Research an Antique Sampler with Cindy Steinhoff
    Taught by Cindy Steinhoff (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    An antique sampler reveals some of its physical characteristics and often some information about the girl who stitched it, but what else can it tell us? Cynthia Shank Steinhoff will discuss how she learns more about the samplers she collects and researches. The result is a full documentation of a sampler’s appearance and history. Many of the characteristics that she identifies for older samplers can be used to provide a full description of a needlework piece made today. Recording now available!

  • Virtual Lecture 3: Sashiko, A Form of Japanese Embroidery with Jacqui Clarkson
    Taught by Jacqui Clarkson (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Are you curious about Sashiko? Is there more than Sashiko?, Hitomezashi?, Kogin?, Boro? What are these? What am I stitching? Please join me as I share my journey of discovering Sashiko, it’s history and how we are embracing it in today’s needlework world. Date: March 13, 2021 1PM Eastern Full | Registration opens: February 15, 2021 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 30: The History and Mysteries of the Bayeux Tapestry with Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer
    Taught by Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    This talk discusses its history, both the history depicted on the Tapestry and the history of the Tapestry over the almost 1000 years of its existence, including a few narrow escapes. Mysteries of the tapestry include questions about what some scenes depict (the Latin phrases on the cloth are sometimes very inadequate) and who commissioned, designed, and embroidered it. Live Lecture Date: Saturday, July 8, 2023 1PM Eastern Live Lecture Registration: June 16-July 6, 2023 1PM Eastern

  • What do you really know about the linen cloth you stitch on or linen thread that you stitch with? In order to gain an appreciation of the linen thread that we use in our weaving, the Frances Irwin Handweavers Guild set out on a 2-year journey to learn about linen. From preparing the garden and growing, reaping, and preparing flax to be spun into linen thread and woven into cloth, guild members experienced these processes literally from the ground up! Come along with us on this journey as we share our experiences with you so that you, too, can learn more about the linen you hold in your hands.

  • Virtual Lecture 32: The Plymouth Tapestry with Donna Curtin
    Taught by Donna Curtin (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Museum Director Donna Curtin describes how the Plymouth Tapestry project came to be, how the Tapestry is being made, and shares images and film clips of this remarkable masterwork-in-the-making, including the ten six-ft. long embroidered panels completed to date.

  • Virtual Lecture 33: ‘Este dechado’: Mastering Needlework in Mid-19th Century Mexico with Dr. Lynne Anderson and Dr. Mayela Flores Enriquez
    Taught by Dr. Lynne Anderson and Dr. Mayela Flores Enriquez (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Drs. Lynne Anderson and Mayela Flores will introduce the world of Mexican sampler making, showcasing the unique features of Mexican “dechados” and discussing the important role of needlework in Mexican female education, including how this changed over time due to historical, cultural, and religious influences. Live Lecture Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023 1PM Eastern Live Lecture Registration: September 18 - October 12, 2023 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 34: Stitches in Time: Textile Conservation for the Needleworker with Newbie Richardson
    Taught by Newbie Richardson (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Stitches in Time: Textile Conservation for the Needleworker will focus on the unique needs of needlework, quilts, and embroidery in terms of preventive conservation, stabilization, display, and repair. Live Lecture Date: Saturday, November 11, 2023 1PM Eastern Live Lecture Registration: October 16 - November 9, 2023 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 35: Reviving the art of embroidery: Lady Victoria Welby and the founding of the Royal School of Needlework, 1872-1881 with Lynn Hulse
    Taught by Lynn Hulse (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Lynn Hulse explores the early history of the Royal School of Needlework (RSN) through the lens of its founder, Lady Victoria Welby (1837-1912). Welby is better known today as a philosopher of language, but during her lifetime she was credited with reviving the art of embroidery, brought into disrepute by the ‘uselessness and ugliness’ of Berlin work, the most popular type of fancy work in the early Victorian period. Live Lecture Date: Sunday, December 17, 2023 1PM Eastern Live Lecture Registration: November 13 - December 15, 2023 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 36: EGA history from 1960 to 1980 with Ann Strite-Kurz
    Taught by Ann Strite-Kurz (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Join Anne Strite-Kurz as she shares a look at the beginnings of EGA! Margaret Parshall founded a needlework school in Millbrook, NY and recruited Erica Wilson in 1954 to be the first teacher followed by two other Royal School of Needlework graduates along with Olga Hansen from Denmark. In 1958 Mrs.Parshall became the nucleus in establishing a branch of The Embroiderers’ Guild of London (founded in 1906) in New York. In 1970 EGA withdrew from the London Guild and The Embroiderers’ Guild of America came into being with headquarters on Lexington Ave. Live Lecture Date: Sunday, January 14, 2024 1PM Eastern Live Lecture Registration: December 18, 2023 - January 12, 2024 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 37: Samplers of the Netherlands – or not! with Susan Greening Davis
    Taught by Susan Greening Davis (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Habsburg Netherlands, Dutch Republic, Batavian Republic, Kingdom of Holland, The Netherlands……so many names AND SO much needlework! From The Isle of Marken, Amsterdam, Black Samplers, and Friesland/Leeuwarden, to name a few. Darning, Stoplappen, Merklappen, and Stickmustertucher - Souvenir Sewing Rolls - such a wealth of samplers! The Dutch had very specific meanings for their motifs and what type of work was done in what region. Susan looks forward to sharing this with you. Recording now available!

  • Virtual Lecture 39: Curiously Wrought – A Closer Look at Needleworked Buttons with Gina Barrett
    Taught by Gina Barrett (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Using thread to create and decorate buttons has a long history. This talk will look at the types of needlework found on buttons, with a focus on those found during the 19th century. We’ll take a look at examples in Gina Barrett’s collection, and discuss the people who made these little works of art.

  • Virtual Lecture 4: The Culture of Folk Embroidery in 3 European Countries with Sarah Pedlow
    Taught by Sarah Pedlow (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Join us for an engaging talk on the history and culture of folk embroidery from three different countries in Europe and the people keeping traditions alive today. Date: April 10, 2021 1PM Eastern | Registration: March 15-22, 2021 1PM Eastern

  • Searching for inspiration instead of stitching the same projects again? Don’t want to continue spending tons of money on framing and finishing? In “Finding New Life: Innovative Finishing Techniques for Needlework,” Patrick Barron shows you creative and unique ways to show off your stitching skills by repurposing things you have around the house. From stitching on colanders and finials to candy tins and cookie cutters, Patrick will walk you through how you can show off your needlework in a unique and environmentally friendly way. Patrick will go through some of his favorite projects and give you an overview of how he decides what new and exciting thing he will work on next. Come join us to feel inspired and think outside the box! Recording: Only available through November 19, 2024.

  • Virtual Lecture 5: Historic Threads with Annette Gutierrez Turk
    Taught by Annette Gutierrez Turk (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    A historical look at the colcha embroidery stitch and how it came into existence in the New World of Spain in the 16th century.  Date: May 8, 2021 1PM Eastern | Registration: April 12-19, 2021 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 6: Maya Textile Artists: Passionate Celebration of Cultural Heritage with Diane Herrmann
    Taught by Diane Herrmann (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Exciting wearable art with vivid colors, the indigenous clothing of Mexico and Guatemala displays consummate expertise, and artistic beauty. Ancient techniques of preparation, construction and embellishment continue today with modern materials. Still, the textiles contain the designs and patterns that have held meaning in the culture for centuries. Maya weavers today labor to keep traditions alive and still survive in the 21st century. Date: June 12, 2021 1PM Eastern | Registration: May 10-17, 2021 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 7: The Story of Seedbeads with Naomi Smith
    Taught by Naomi Smith (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    An exploration of Indigenous beadwork from a historical and contemporary perspective. This presentation focuses on the story of seeds beads and how they became a much esteemed part of Indigenous life in the 19th century. Date: July 10, 2021 1PM Eastern | Registration opens: June 14-21, 2021 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 8: The thobe, a traditional embroidered Palestinian dress with Wafa Ghnaim
    Taught by Wafa Ghnaim (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Author and teaching artist, Wafa Ghnaim, will discuss the evolution of the thobe from the nineteenth century through the contemporary period. Date: August 14, 2021 1PM Eastern | Registration: July 12-19, 2021 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture 9: Haptic Memory with Dr. Sharbreon Plummer
    Taught by Dr. Sharbreon Plummer (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Join Dr. Sharbreon Plummer (Past EGA Research Grant recipient) for an exciting conversation about her doctoral research project, Haptic Memory: Centering Black Women’s Experiences in Fiber Art Narratives. Haptic Memory examines the inequities faced by Black women in artistic interpretation, and how their creative production through fiber intersects with labor, maternal relationships and ancestral memory. Date: September 11, 2021 1PM Eastern | Registration: August 16-23, 2021 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture Encore: The Culture of Folk Embroidery in 3 European Countries with Sarah Pedlow
    Taught by Sarah Pedlow (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Join us for an engaging talk on the history and culture of folk embroidery from three different countries in Europe and the people keeping traditions alive today. Date: August 15, 2021 1PM Eastern | Registration: July 19-26 , 2021 1PM Eastern

  • Virtual Lecture: Embroidery, Clothing, and Feminine Identity in Jewish Yemen with India Hayford
    Taught by India Hayford (view bio)

    Previous Virtual Lectures

    Nothing identifies or disguises us as quickly as the clothing we wear. How we dress reflects our place in the world and how we want other people to perceive us. Nowhere has clothing and its embellishment been more important to identity than among the Jewish women of Yemen.