Intro to Needlepoint

Service Description

Want to learn about a fiber craft that offers endless possibilities with colors, threads, textures, and forms? An ancient craft that continues to challenge creativity and induce a stress-free and calming effect on mind and soul? In this introductory 3 hour class, we will cover a brief history of needlepoint and the supplies needed to create works of art and family heirlooms. Participants will learn about the different types of needlepoint, how to select fibers, use of various tools, and the options for finishing and displaying completed work. Our instructor Chèrie Whipple will bring samples for study and inspiration and demonstrate many tips and tricks that will be useful for new stitchers or those returning to the craft after a time away. During the class, participants will have an opportunity practice a variety of popular and decorative stitches on a small sampler. A list of helpful resources is included in the course fee, as well as all necessary supplies:  5x5 canvas  set of 5x5 stretcher bars  needle  variety of threads  1 color instruction guide About the instructor: Much of Chèrie’s career was devoted to teaching and training. While teaching mostly business subjects, she enjoyed many opportunities to gain knowledge and practice skills in the arts, which eventually led her to a Master of Arts degree in Museum Studies at Johns Hopkins University. The degree fueled Chèrie’s love of art and American craft traditions. The Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, NY, also provided her a way to give back to her community by teaching jewelry making in their Creative Workshop to tweens during summer camps and school breaks. In addition to needlepoint, Chèrie teaches courses on kumihimo braiding and makes jewelry in chain maille. She has also experimented with enameling, metalsmithing, and polymer clay. Outside artistic endeavors, she’s a foodie and culinary historian, specializing in the foodways of Louisiana and the South. Chèrie is a member of the American Needlepoint Guild and teaches classes in South Carolina and Tennessee.