Online Studio

Lizzy Pye is an embroidery tutor first and foremost, classically trained on the Royal School of Needlework Apprenticeship. In 2009 she was lucky enough to be one of the final six graduate Apprentices, finishing with a Distinction and very sore fingertips! She is proud to be a Royal School of Needlework tutor, and also teaches a lot of her own classes and private students. She is passionate about passing on her skills through teaching, and preserving both skills and heirlooms for future generations to enjoy. She has worked on some fascinating projects over the years, including the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding gown and embroidery designs for the Royal Opera House. She was commissioned to write the Royal School of Needlework’s Essential Stitch Guide: Whitework, published in 2012, and in 2020 Crowood Press published her second book: Goldwork Embroidery, Techniques and Projects. Lizzy also runs an online shop through which she sells the embroidery products with which she loves to work, alongside her own range of embroidery kits.

Terri Bay, a teacher and designer from South Carolina, began teaching Ukrainian Whitework at Nordic Needle’s retreat. One class lead to another and now she has taught Ukrainian Whitework, Hardanger, Pulled and Drawn Thread and Blackwork at the EGA National Seminars, ANG Seminars, NAN, Regional Seminars, chapter workshops, and various retreats and other fun events. She was honored to be featured as the Designer Across America in the June 2018 issue of Needle Arts Magazine and will have a design in Needle Pointers in the fall of 2021. Terri is a member of EGA, EAC, ANG, and NETA. www.terribayneedleworkdesigns.com

Celeste Chalasani is an award-winning designer and teacher specializing in Stumpwork. She has taught extensively both in person and virtually for the Embroiderers’ Guild of America (EGA) at chapter workshops, regional and national seminars; the National Academy of Needlearts; other regional guilds; Quiltfest and Craftsy. She is a graduate of the National Academy of Needlearts Teachers’ Certification program specializing in Stumpwork.

“Teaching Stumpwork is a labor of love for me. I am passionate about sharing what I know. I approach teaching from the understanding that different people learn in different ways. I strive to provide clear written instructions with step-by-step color photos, orally explain the technique with color coded visual aids, demonstrate stitches and techniques, and work one on one with each student as they practice their techniques.”

 www.celestechalasani.com

Needle Arts Profile: Celeste Chalasani

Emma Broughton is a graduate of both the Royal School of Needlework Apprenticeship (2009) and The University of the Creative Arts (2012). Specialising in hand embroidery as well as screen printing and digital fabric design.

She is the Author of ‘Embroidered Boxes’ book published in April 2019.

Under the name Fairy Wren Embroidery, she teaches embroidery and box making classes, and offers a wide range of embroidery kits and undertakes commissions with her unique designs. Embroidered box making is her true passion because it combines her love of embroidery with 3D construction.

Kathy Andrews is a textile artist and embroidery teacher who works with students of all abilities, teaching them the techniques and the joy of hand embroidery. She received her Certificate of Technical Hand Embroidery with Merit from the Royal School of Needlework and her City and Guilds Certificate in Design and Stitched Textiles. Her work has been exhibited at several shows and galleries across Ireland and the United Kingdom. Kathy is a member of the Cedar Valley Chapter of the EGA and the EGA Fiber Forum. With her enthusiasm for stitch and encouraging classroom atmosphere, she is a sought-after teacher of embroidery. Kathy has taught for EGA chapters in the United States, a mini-class at EGA National and globally in her many online courses.

Susan Hoekstra is a Senior Master Teacher, receiving her certification from the ANG. She has been teaching in Europe and the United States for 23 years and taught classes and studio time in Brussels, BE, London, UK and Utrecht, NL from 1996 to 2001. She is the designer of the 2016 ANG SOTM, “Pineapple Leaves.” ANG national seminars include “Teaching Needlework 101” and “Stacked Rectangles” at the ANG 2020 Virtual Seminar, “Waiting For The Chickens” in Washington, D.C., “Maple Leaves” and “American Folk Sampler” in New Orleans, “Hark, The Herald Angel” and “A Thread for All Seasons in Myrtle Beach, “A Berlin Work Cardinal” in Chicago, “Ben’s Kites” in Philadelphia, and “Dove in The Window” in San Antonio; as well as presenting color theory talks and needlework classes at the regional level in Irvington, VA, Chatham, NJ, Hyde park, NY, Devon, PA, Pottstown, PA, Camden, ME, and College Station, PA; in addition to other locations. Her strong belief in color theory greatly influences her way of teaching and she encourages her students to be creative in the stitching process. Her designs focus on “quilt geometrics,” animals and primitives.

J. Marsha Michler is a nonfiction author of 13 printed books, and 8 self-published eBooks on the topics of crazy quilting, embroidery, silk ribbon embroidery, wire jewelry, and knitting. Her quilts have won awards at quilting shows, and her work has been featured in national magazines and other publications including our Needle Arts magazine. Holding a degree in Business Marketing, and three-quarters of a degree in fine arts, summa cum laude and dean’s list, she has taught classes on crazy quilting, embroidery, and wire jewelry. She actively pursues crazy quilting, embroidery, fiber spinning, knitting, fiction and poetry writing, ballroom dancing, stone wall building, and resides with her husband and dog in the beautiful and inspiring foothills of Southern Maine.

Kim Beamish has been embroidering for over 25 years. Kim is a certified teacher through the Embroiderers’ Association of Canada (EAC/ACB). She is a counsellor for EAC/ ACB. She holds a Mastercraftsman in Counted Thread from the Embroider’s Guild of America (EGA). Kim has taught classes and workshops for EAC/AC and EGA. Her passion and curiosity for embroidery has led to her exploring many media and needlework techniques. Kim designs two and three dimensional pieces that combine techniques. Her pieces have been exhibited internationally and have received many awards. Kim’s designs have been published in books such as Cross Stitch Christmas and Whitework Inspirations. Many projects have been featured in magazines world wide such as A Needle Pulling Thread, Just CrossStitch , Stitch and Inspirations magazines.

After spending her early years as an expatriate, Valentina Grub graduated from Wellesley College (BA hons Medieval & Renaissance Studies, Classical Civilization), then continued to the University of St. Andrews (MPhil, PhD Medieval Art History). She also works as a freelance embroiderer and textile historian and has written two epistolary novels set in 1820s Europe. She currently lives in Saratoga Springs, NY. For more information, go to https://valentinasgrub.com/

Laura Smith is an embroidery innovator, nationally known designer, and teacher. She holds the Master Craftsman in Color from the Embroiderers Guild of America (EGA) and has won their National Gold Thread Award for service in 2021. She has served as chair for the Master Craftsman in Color Program from 2006 – 2018, Chairman of Fiber Forum (2011 – 2015), seven terms as president of her chapter, and has held every chapter office. She is a former Executive Director of an arts center and holds an MBA as well as an undergraduate degree in chemistry — valuable for understanding paint and mixed media materials.

Sarah de Rousset-Hall is a professional embroidery artist and teacher based in West Sussex in the United Kingdom.

Sarah graduated from the Royal School of Needlework’s Future Tutor Programme in 2020, where over 3 years studying at Hampton Court Palace she learned a wide variety of embroidery techniques including Goldwork, Blackwork, Whitework, Crewelwork, Silk Shading, Canvaswork, Applique, Stumpwork and Box Making. She also spent time in the RSN’s commercial studio learning conservation and restoration techniques.

Since graduating, Sarah has taught regularly for the Royal School of Needlework and elsewhere, both in person and online as well as working in the RSN Studio and taking on private commissions and art pieces. She also volunteers with the Broderers of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

In February 2022 Sarah exhibited three art pieces at The Worshipful Company of Broderers Exhibition: The Art of Embroidery at the Bankside Gallery in London. Her Blackwork portrait of David Bowie, worked during her training is also currently on display at the exhibition celebrating the 150th anniversary of the RSN at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London.

Connie took her first class in goldwork embroidery in 2019 at the SF School of Needlework and Design. Finding herself drawn to the shine and shimmer of the materials and the joy that embroidery brought her as a pastime, she decided to take more classes and started training in tambour beading. Soon she had learned enough techniques to experiment with beads and sequins and started creating designs of her own. A small collection of her first designs came in the form of greeting cards, of which the butterflies design has been adapted to regular needlepoint in an online class with EGA for 2023. Her hope is to train further in tambour beading and to continue to create new art pieces to inspire, open up and to bring to new people who are yet to discover the joy of embroidery.

Lizzy Pye is an embroidery tutor first and foremost, classically trained on the Royal School of Needlework Apprenticeship. In 2009 she was lucky enough to be one of the final six graduate Apprentices, finishing with a Distinction and very sore fingertips! She is proud to be a Royal School of Needlework tutor, and also teaches a lot of her own classes and private students. She is passionate about passing on her skills through teaching, and preserving both skills and heirlooms for future generations to enjoy. She has worked on some fascinating projects over the years, including the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding gown and embroidery designs for the Royal Opera House. She was commissioned to write the Royal School of Needlework’s Essential Stitch Guide: Whitework, published in 2012, and in 2020 Crowood Press published her second book: Goldwork Embroidery, Techniques and Projects. Lizzy also runs an online shop through which she sells the embroidery products with which she loves to work, alongside her own range of embroidery kits.