2024 Program: Different Stitches, Common Threads
Around the corner or around the world, this program celebrates diversity in stitching. We will learn from national teachers, local members and community groups with a wide variety of methods and traditions of needle arts. While there are many different stitches to discover, we are connected by this common thread of embroidery.
Click HERE for fillable 2024 registration form.
Navigating EGA and Beyond
Fri, Jan 12
9am – 11am
Thurs, Jan 18
7pm – 9pm
Description: Membership has its privileges! Learn more about navigating the online world of EGA using your screen to open a portal to stitching techniques and inspiration.
Presenters and Panel: Carolyn Benforado, Jennifer Horejsi and Andrea Sapon
Meeting: via ZOOM
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
Access National EGA and Great Lakes Region websites by selecting the logos below:
Embroidered Portraits
Fri, Feb 9
9am – 11am
Thurs, Feb 15
7pm – 9pm
Description: During this ZOOM lecture, national fiber artist and teacher, Patrizia Ferreira shares her artwork and how to prepare for the thread painting portrait workshop.
“As an artist my main objective is to be a vehicle to develop awareness around certain topics. Very close to my heart are issues regarding the environment and my own personal immigrant story as a South American woman in the United States.”
Presenter: Patrizia Ferreira www.patriziaferreira.com
Meeting: via ZOOM
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
Three-Day WORKSHOP
Embroidered Portrait
Sat, Feb 17
9am – 11am
Sat, Feb 24
9am – 11am
Sat, Mar 2
9am – 11am
Description: Three Saturday workshops with inspiration from the lecture, participants will learn various techinques to stitch a portrait with surface embroidery. See facebook video HERE
Supply list will be sent upon registration.
Presenter: Patrizia Ferreira
Meeting: via ZOOM
Registration Fee: $10
Kit: Class attendees provide stitching materials
Class Fee: $20 – $30
Registration Deadline: December 9, 2023
Meet Madison Contemporary
Fiber Artists
Fri, Mar 8
9am – 11am
Description: Info, Show & Tell by Madison Comtemporary Fiber Artists (MCFA) and MAC EGA getting to know each other as stitching groups in Madison. We will learn about the structure of each group and the types of needle art members are making.
https://www.madisonfiberartists.com/
Presenter: MCFA & EGA Members Lynn Waishwell and Nancy Daly will invite members to talk about the group
Meeting: In Person & via ZOOM
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here
Detail from “Prismatic Forest” by Chris Thomas, MCFA artist.
Spectacular Embroidery from Imperial China Lecture
Thurs, Mar 21
7pm – 9pm
Description: Embroidery for Spectacle: Theatrical Costumes in Late Imperial China. Learn about the intricate embroidery from art historian Dr Yuhang Li from the UW, Madison.
Image above is from costume for the character of Imperial Consort Yang and was made around late 19th century and early 20th century.
Presenter: Dr. Yuhang Li, Associate Professor of Chinese Art at the University of Wisconsin, Madison
Meeting: In Person & via ZOOM
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here
"Tapas" Stitching
Around the World
Fri, Apr 12
9am – 11am
Description: Discover stitching from various corners of the world; Brazilian Dimensional, Hardanger, Greek Embroidery and Sashiko techniques shared by chapter members.
Presenters: Sue Bangert, Kari Beetham, Judy Caruso, Claire DeChristina, and Korinna Hansen
Meeting: In Person & via ZOOM (We encourage members to attend in-person due to hands-on detail of the presentation.)
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
WORKSHOP
"Tapas" Stitching
Around the World
Sat, Apr 13
9am – 1:30pm
Description: Learn Brazilian Dimensional, Hardanger, Greek Embroidery, and Sashiko techniques in round robin sessions (includes short lunch break).
Presenters: Sue Bangert, Kari Beetham, Judy Caruso, Claire DeChristina, and Korinna Hansen
Meeting: Bethany United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall, First Floor
Registration Fee: $10
Kit Fee: $30.00
Class Fee: $20 – $33
Fees include Mary Ellen Tennis finishing workshop, and materials being held during June meetings.
Registration Deadline: February 9, 2024
Hmong Needle Art
Here from There
Thurs, Apr 18
7pm – 9pm
Description: Learn about Hmong needle art that binds a culture across oceans. This traditional needlework or cloth embroidery dates back several centuries and is an art form of creating patterns and designs with thousands of needle strokes on a piece of cloth. The compositions usually incorporate motifs symbolizing family clan, nature, or folklore.
Hmong Princess Shop LLC found on FaceBook
Presenter: Ze X. Yang, owner of Hmong Princess LLC and connector of embroidery artisans in Laos and Madison in order to offer garments for celebrating the Hmong culture.
Meeting: In Person & via ZOOM
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
Stitching for the 17th of May Syttende Mai
Fri, May 10
9am – 11am
Thurs, May 16
7pm – 9pm
Description: Bunad is the beloved traditional Norwegian dress that many Norwegians own and wear for special occasions. Each bunad colorfully and uniquely tells the story of Norway’s history and plays a special role in tying Norwegians to their heritage.
Carolyn will discuss the embroidery, her personal experience creating her Bunad and introduce the 17th Mai style show of folk dress celebrated in Stoughton WI. Info at: https://www.stoughtonfestivals.com/
Presenter: Carolyn Benforado, is an artist and clothing designer who has been wearing bunad since her youth. In fact, she joined EGA to insure she would finish the linen counted thread headdress she wears every Syttende Mai in Stoughton.
Meeting: In Person & via ZOOM
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
Finishing Techniques Tapas
& More
Fri, June 14
9am – 11am
Thurs, June 20
7pm – 9pm
Description: Mary Ellen Tennis, needlework finisher extroidenaire, will present techniques specific to finishing our spring Tapas projects (Brazilian Dimensional, Hardanger, Greek Embroidery and Sashiko techniques). Mary Ellen will conduct a session for April 13 workshop attendees. Participation fees were included in the original Tapas workshop registration.
Chapter members are welcome to stay and listen.
Presenter: Mary Ellen Tennis, Witchery Stitchery, Mt. Horeb, owner and is a chapter member.
Meeting: In Person & via ZOOM (We encourage members to attend in-person due to hands-on detail of the presentation.)
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
July Social
More Details Coming Soon!
Description: Enjoy a lovely summer Saturday stitch-in & potluck, on the lake! Our in-person summer social is hosted by one of our members, at her home. More details to follow.
Host: Madison Area Chapter
Social Location: Ilene Manka’s Home
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
Boutique Workshop
Art of the Needle Show
Fri, Aug 9
9am – 11am
Thurs, Aug 15
7pm – 9pm
Description: Members will finish or work on assorted Boutique items for the Show during this in-person meeting. More specific details will be revealed prior to the workshops.
This is the perfect time to bring all your stitched donations you’ve been working on throughout the year for Art of the Needle.
Presenters: Show Committee
Meeting: In Person
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
Developing the Will
Through Needlecraft
Fri, Sept 13
9am – 11am
Description: Join us for a lecture on the journey through Waldorf Education’s 1- 8th grade Handwork curriculum. Learn how fiber arts can teach the next generations to engage their head, heart, and hands for a better tomorrow. https://madisonwaldorf.org
Presenter: Lindsay Mason, is a Handwork teacher at the Madison Waldorf School and holds a degree in Fine Art, Art Therapy and Philosophy from Mount Mary University.
Meeting: In Person & via ZOOM
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
Halloween Needlework Journey with Toni Gerdes
Thurs, Sept 26
7pm – 9pm
Note: Date Change/Special Date
Description: Come with Toni Gerdes on this Halloween Needlework Journey to explore the trivia surrounding one of our most popular holidays. Interspersed between the history and trivia of the holiday will be many slides of stitched Halloween designs by Toni and other well-known needlework teachers.
Toni Gerdes holds Level II Teachers’ certification from the National Academy of Needlearts (NAN) specializing in canvas embroidery and has earned many awards for her work.
Note this is a special scheduled meeting, and not the usual third Thursday of the month.
Presenter: Toni Gerdes
Meeting: In Person & via ZOOM
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
2 DAY WORKSHOP
Monet Kimono
by Toni Gerdes
Fri, Sept 27
9am – 4pm
Sat, Sept 28
9am – 4pm
Description: Inspired by the beautiful Impressionist paintings of Giverny by Claude Monet, this is the seventh in Toni’s kimono series. The use of painterly stitches for this beautiful landscape will be created using many different silks, with some added metallics for highlights which will bring the light to this rendition of Monet’s work. The bridge will be done in a raised stem stitch technique.
Presenter: Toni Gerdes
Workshop Location: In Person
Registration Fee: $20
Kit Fee: $190.00
Class Fee: $40 – $80
Registration Deadline: June 20, 2024
The Art of Felting
Fri, Oct 11
9am – 11am
Description: Jarka Sobiskova, local multimedia artist and teacher, will discuss and demonstrate felting techniques and the significance of felting in womens art with this hands on project.
During the meeting, a hands on workshop of felting techniques will be held for registered participants. Materials will be supplied.
Presenter: Jarka Sobiskova, Artist, creating beautiful creations in wool, clay, and paint. https://www.instagram.com/jarkas_art/
Chapter members are welcome to stay and listen.
Meeting: In Person
Kit Fee: $10.00
Registration Deadline: July 13, 2024
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register her
Embroider Memories
Bordando Memorias
Thurs, Oct 17
7pm – 9pm
Description: The art of embroidery has been used in Latin America for centuries and has given women a platform to create surface designs for pleasure, business, therapy, and even protest. Presenter, Maria Amalia Wood will discuss her project: Bordando Memorias/Embroidering Memories she leads with “Latina immigrants” in the Madison area.
Presenter: Maria Amalia Wood- Worked for many years with product development in Latin American craft communities. Her art practice is built on a foundation that includes a commitment to high quality craftsmanship, intellectual curiosity, and constant searching for authenticity and relevance.
Meeting: In Person & via ZOOM
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here
Art of the Needle
Show
Sat, Oct 19
10am – 4pm
Sat, Oct 20
Noon – 4pm
Description: For 45 years, our Madison Area EGA Chapter has hosted Art of the Needle, showcasing members’ stitching. We invite the community to celebrate our work, talk with members and view hands-on demonstrations in this two day event.
Members look forward to seeing each other’s work, view the chapter’s 2025 Program, shop Boutique and Stash, buy Drawing tickets and let’s not forget, chat with friends and family!
For more information, visit our Art of the Needle Show page here.
Stitch-In & Show Reflection
Fri, Nov 8
9am – 11am
Description: Time to stitch & share about the Show.
Presenter: Carolyn Benforado & Nancy Daly
Meeting: In Person & via ZOOM
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
Chapter Annual Meeting
Thurs, Nov 21
7pm – 9pm
Description: At this important annual member meeting we will:
- Review our chapter’s progress and discuss chapter business for the year to come
- Elect new officers and approve 2025 budget
- Reveal in detail, 2025 Program
Presenter: Board of Directors
Meeting: In Person & via ZOOM
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here.
Winter Social
December 14
9am – 12pm
Description: Stitch-in, show and tell with potluck to follow.
Presenter: Carolyn Benforado & Nancy Daly
Meeting: In Person
Members: No charge for members and guests. Guests please register here
Choose EGA!
The mission of The Embroiderers’ Guild of America is to inspire passion for the needle arts through education and the celebration of its heritage.
The Embroiderers’ Guild of America (EGA) is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for stitchers of any experience level, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, ability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or other background to develop their skills and express their creativity through the needle arts. EGA affirms its commitment to inclusion, diversity, equality, and accessibility (IDEA).
