The Green Bay Area Chapter of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America brings hand embroidery to hundreds through hands-on community events.
By Dorreen Dembski
This year, the Green Bay (WI) Area Chapter of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America (GBA-EGA) launched a new community education initiative to introduce more people to the art of hand embroidery and to create opportunities for community members of all ages to learn, create, and connect. The chapter has already reached well over 100 participants through a series of events ranging from hands-on workshops to a large-scale community event.
Initially, GBA-EGA launched a community education series called “For the Love of Stitching,” with a focus on providing an opportunity for people of all ages to explore the art of embroidery. Planning for the initial series was led by GBA-EGA members Tracy Reeb, vice president of programs, and Dorreen Dembski, with support from a steering committee that included President Karen Matzke and members Karie Czapanskiy, Kay Olson, and Jayne Jackowski. Additional GBA-EGA members volunteered at each event, offering one-on-one instruction and encouragement to new stitchers.
Meet, Greet, and Stitch
The series kicked off on April 11, 2026, with “Meet, Greet, and Stitch,” a free, hands-on introduction to embroidery held at a local library. Ten adult participants chose from two beginner-friendly projects and learned basic techniques with guidance from six GBA-EGA volunteers. Beyond the stitching itself, the event created a space for genuine connection between the participants and chapter members; members hope many attendees will return for future events or consider membership.
“I love seeing the joy our participants are experiencing with something that ignites their creativity and perhaps helps them discover a new passion,” said Dembski.
Youth and Teen Outreach
GBA-EGA’s next event, “Adult & Me Stitching Day Out,” welcomed children ages 6 and up paired with an adult partner. Three children attended with their adults, along with one additional adult participant. The project kit, created by Reeb and Olson, invited children to color a simple design on cotton fabric, transfer it using heat with adult supervision, and embellish it using the running stitch and its variations.
Though the session was scheduled for two hours, the time passed quickly. One child, surprised the session was ending, exclaimed, “I feel like I’ve only been here 30 minutes!” Another young participant left inspired, already planning to embroider his own drawings onto a sweatshirt.
In August, GBA-EGA’s youth outreach drew more attendees. A four-day camp, called “Introduction to Hand Embroidery” and “Hand Embroidery for Teens,” was offered through a local parks and recreation program. With advance planning, the camp was advertised in the park and recreation department’s program guide to attract attendees. The camp introduced participants, ages 8 to 17, to the fundamentals, including hooping, fabric preparation, threads, needles, and basic stitches, with each student completing (or almost completing) a small project by the camp’s end. Thirteen students attended.
“Each child’s adult—whether parent or grandparent—seemed very pleased with the activities, and the children themselves were wonderful participants. It was so much fun!” said Dembski.
Dembski and Reeb, along with the committee members, have worked closely to bring this initiative forward and hope to expand the series with additional events this fall and beyond. While pleased with the early response, they note that building community awareness remains an ongoing effort. Therefore, they are trying to partner with other community organizations or host their gatherings in established locations that will publicize future embroidery events.
By Invitation: A Garden Party for the Ages
They believe awareness of GBA-EGA is growing, however. Its greatest reach came in July, when GBA-EGA was invited to teach embroidery at a large public event.
Approximately 120 people participated in a small hand-embroidery project at a garden party hosted by a popular Green Bay exhibit venue. Inspired by the elegance of the early 1800s and reminiscent of the popular Netflix series Bridgerton, the party drew guests dressed in grand fashion, elegant updos, sparkling jewelry, and long gloves. Attendees enjoyed miniature pastries, ballroom dancing lessons, floral arranging, and period-inspired activities, including the GBA-EGA’s embroidery station.
Reeb designed a make-and-take project that could be completed in about 10 to 15 minutes. After selecting a letter (which was traced by an GBA-EGA member onto a handkerchief), choosing a favorite thread color, learning to separate embroidery floss, and threading his or her own needle, each participant stitched a simple monogram onto a handkerchief, using either a classic running stitch or a decorative whipped running stitch. This was all done with guidance from GBA-EGA volunteers.
With seating for about 12 at a time, the chairs at the embroidery station rarely stayed empty for long. Attendees, including several men who enthusiastically joined in alongside their partners, enjoyed the opportunity. GBA-EGA members also displayed examples of their own needlework on a nearby table, prompting a few attendees to sign up for information about the guild and future community events. The collaboration was made possible through the generous support of Blue Green Events, one of the event’s organizers, which provided the handkerchiefs, embroidery hoops, needles, and floss.
GBA-EGA members noted that many stitchers began with uncertainty but quickly relaxed into smiles and conversation as they proudly completed their personalized keepsakes.
GBA-EGA participated in one final summer event: They were invited to a “textile day” held at Heritage Hills Historical Village, near Green Bay. Reeb noted that it was especially gratifying for members when a child from the Youth Camp recognized them, and happily exclaimed that she was working on her embroidery!
A Shared Mission
Across every event, the instructors and volunteers are united by a shared goal: passing along the joy of stitching to a new generation.
“Our goal is to teach embroidery in a way that inspires confidence, so people want to keep going,” said Reeb. “Simplicity and enjoyment are the perfect starting point.”
She added, “Embroidery is my happy place, and teaching it makes it even more meaningful. There’s something special about watching someone unwind, stitch by stitch, and find their own sense of peace.”
For Dembski, the work is rooted in personal experience.
“It’s a prerequisite for me that whatever activity I undertake as a hobby brings me joy in an otherwise chaotic world. Embroidery does that for me. When I was thinking about proposing this program to my guild friends, I was hoping that our events would help others could experience that joy, too. My guild embraced the idea with open arms. Plus, if we don’t teach the next generation, who will?” she concluded.
From intimate workshops to a 120-person party, the Green Bay Area Chapter of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America is building community, one stitch at a time.
