Beginners Embroidery

This class serves as an introduction to the art of embroidery. Students will learn how to set up an embroidery hoop, draw out a design with erasable chalk, and hand embroider over it to bring their design to life. We will be learning a variety of embroidery stitches, including backstitch, which will allow students to utilize bold linework in their designs, as well as satin stitch, which can be used to fill in shapes with solid color. We will practice stitching onto squares of fabric which can be displayed on the hoop, used as a patch, or made into a variety of other craft items.

• Setting up fabric in an embroidery hoop
• Planning an embroidery design
• Learning backstitch, satin stitch, French knots, and more
• End result: a work of embroidery art which can be displayed in the hoop or stitched onto a garment
• Takeaway: the skills and knowledge to practice embroidery basics independently

Previous basic sewing skills preferred but not required, come one come all! Folks are welcome to provide project ideas (e.g. a basic line drawing) if desired. Participants should be aged 16 or older.

• Fabric squares, embroidery hoops, needles, thread, chalk, scissors
• Access to A2's Fiber Arts Shop and tools for the duration of the session.

Maria Cuneo is a mixed media fiber artist based in Allston-Brighton, specializing in embroidery and cloth sculpture as well as painting and drawing. Often working with upcycled and at times unconventional materials, she dabbles in a wide variety of craft mediums, bringing an experimental and exploratory quality to both display pieces and functional objects. Her work has been featured in Boston University’s Newbury Center and Silber Way Art Exhibitions, E Drumm Designs Gallery, Allston’s Rat City Arts Festivals, as well as in private local art spaces. Her fiber artwork was also recently featured in a solo exhibition at Harvard Ed Portal's Crossings Gallery. Maria is currently studying gastronomy at Boston University and is passionate about environmentalism and anticonsumerism.