Tina Alberino (CRVC) stopped by Hartford Stitch to work on the Connecticut panel (America’s Tapestry) and completed a bridge support post.
Any stitcher can participate in this community project celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Click here to visit the America’s Tapestry page on the Hartford Stitch website, where you can learn more and schedule time to lend your talents and your time to the Connecticut panel!
Vicki J. Brown (SOME) created her first mixed-media piece, Lavender Cyanotype Embroidery.
“I took a weekend workshop with Katama Murray of Teach Peace Prints and created 14 different botanical fabric prints. She inspired us to stitch on or with them, so I started, tentatively, to embroider the lavender flowers. What started as an experiment became an incredibly joyful creative process, as I played with different stitches and added silk ribbon and new threads to my standard repertoire of DMC floss. The fabric wasn’t wide enough to stretch over a frame, so I sewed on a fabric border, and then splurged on a gorgeous Italian frame from Casco Bay Frames and Gallery in Portland, ME.”
Connie Small, SOME Chapter, finished this beautiful Celebrate Harvest cross stitch, designed by Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle & Thread.
Tere Foley of the Connecticut River Valley Chapter (CRVC) embroidered a blue peacock standing on a gentle hill, surrounded by greenery. The stitching, framing, and mat fit together beautifully.
Hello to all of you after a wonderful NER Region Day! If you are looking for another opportunity for great projects with outstanding teachers, don’t forget about Southern Maine’s 4th Biennial SOME Spring Getaway, March 13-15 2026 in Auburn, Maine.
Registration closes on December 31, 2025!
Cissy Bailey Smith has returned to the US after a successful debut of her Scottish Castle Etui in the UK.
You are not limited to Cissy’s selection of silks – you may provide your own to customize your etui into the castle of your dreams in this one-day class on Sunday March 15.
Cissy will also be offering her students a “Spring” adaptation of her Autumn Thread Keep, offering more options for you to choose from in this Friday March 13 finishing class!
And don’t forget that Cissy is also teaching her Sampler Stories Huswif on Saturday March 14. Details are in the registration form.
Holly Bean is offering her bead embroidered Barn Owl on Saturday March 14for those who want to try some bead embroidery on cork fabric. This piece would be perfect for a wall hanging, book or box cover, or as finished as a necklace as shown. Holly is also teaching her Poseidon Seas Bracelet.
With so many fun and exciting projects, two outstanding teachers, and optional Studio Time, the Southern Maine Chapter hopes you will join us for the 4th Biennial SOME Spring Getaway!
For complete details of each class, information about accommodations, an event schedule and to register for the SOME Spring Getaway, click here.
THIS EVENT HAS PASSED. This page is archived here for recordkeeping (and sentimental) purposes. Click here to see the event recap!
Mark your calendars! The Connecticut River Valley Chapter is hosting a stitch-in at Granby Public Library on November 15th, and everyone is welcome.
Whether you’re an experienced stitcher or just curious about embroidery, stop by to work on your projects, meet fellow fiber enthusiasts, and enjoy some relaxed, creative time together. Bring whatever you’re working on—or just bring yourself and your questions!
Just show up ready to stitch and socialize. We’d love to see you there!
Stop by Granby Public Library to check out CRVC’s display showcasing members’ favorite techniques. It’s a great opportunity to see different styles and approaches to embroidery up close, get inspired for your own projects, and discover techniques you might want to try yourself!
WHEN: November 15th, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
WHERE: Granby Public Library | 15 N Granby Rd. Granby, CT 06035
Questions? Contact event organizer, Kathryn Lord.
What a wonderful day! On November 1st, 2025, members from across the New England Region gathered for our annual Region Day, and it was everything we hoped for and more.
The day featured excellent courses from Clara Warschauer and Kris Andrews that gave attendees the chance to explore new techniques and expand their skills. Whether you’re a longtime stitcher or relatively new to embroidery, there was something for everyone to take home and incorporate into their work.
The venue itself was beautiful, and lunch was delicious (always a bonus at these events!). But more than anything, it was wonderful to spend time with fellow stitchers, share ideas, and celebrate our shared passion for embroidery.
NER was Clara’s first stop on her 2025 International Teacher Tour in conjunction with EGA National Seminar in Dallas. Click here to see a clip of Clara’s class on Instagram.
Kris taught her class all about the butterfly’s life cycle, along with surface stitching and stumpwork embroidery techniques in her Butterfly Curio Box class.
One of the highlights was viewing the America’s Tapestry panels in person. Seeing these stunning pieces up close reminded us all why we love this craft—the artistry, the dedication, and the stories woven into every stitch.
Many thanks to the following people for bringing and sharing information about the America’s Tapestry panels:
We also had a fantastic Stash Sale where chapters set up tables overflowing with books, patterns, and kits—perfect for anyone looking to add to their collection or discover something new. T.F. Woodcraft (Tanya Sanders) was on hand with beautiful slate frames and other heirloom-quality traditional tools, and it was wonderful to see members browsing, chatting, and finding treasures to take home.
We also want to thank the following for providing us with an opportunity to shop during the day:
Thank you to everyone who attended, taught, volunteered, and helped make the day such a success. We’re already looking forward to next year!
If you have any pictures from Region Day, please email them to Tina at admin@ner-ega.org, and we’ll add them to this post!
We’re excited to see America’s Tapestry getting some wonderful press coverage! This remarkable project—13 hand-embroidered panels commemorating our nation’s 250th anniversary—is capturing attention across the region and beyond.
The Eagle Tribune recently highlighted that four New England panels (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island) are going to be displayed at our Region Day event at the Doubletree by Hilton in Nashua on November 1st, giving visitors a chance to see the work in progress and even add their own stitches.
William & Mary News featured an in-depth look at the project underway at the Muscarelle Museum of Art, where the Virginia panel is being stitched. The article introduces project founder Stefan Romero, who was inspired to create America’s Tapestry after visiting The Great Tapestry of Scotland.
Needle ‘n Thread, Mary Corbet’s popular embroidery blog, called America’s Tapestry “a BIG project” and praised its impressive organization. Community News covered the New Jersey panel’s progress, including a public event at Princeton’s Updike Farmstead.
The coverage highlights what makes the America’s Tapestry project so special: bringing together stitchers from across all thirteen original colonies to tell the often-overlooked stories of diverse individuals who contributed to our independence—from the Pine Tree Riot of 1772 in New Hampshire to the Coosuk Abenaki who helped Patriots defend the northern border (Eagle-Tribune).
Want to learn more? Check out these articles and follow the project at americastapestry.com or on Instagram @250tapestry.
Registration closes February 9th, 2026!
The Pioneer Valley Chapter (PVC) presents “Fall Daze,” an elegant stumpwork ornament workshop, held via Zoom, with Celeste Chalasani. This class is appropriate for all stitchers, including beginners!
NOTICE: This class is only available only to NER members. If seats remain, registration will open to all members. Click here to learn more about joining!
LOCATION: ZOOM (Attend from home!)
DATES: Saturday, April 11th, 2026
TIME: 12 PM – 6:30 PM, EST. | 9 AM – 3:30 PM, PST.
REGISTER BY: February 9th, 2026
KIT COST: $50
CLASS FEE: All teacher fees are covered for NER members from the National Seminar 2023 monies.
“Celebrate autumn with this elegant Stumpwork ornament. Sun kissed acorns hold tightly to the mighty oak while golden leaves prepare to fall. Rust velvet ribbon tied festively into a bow tops it all.”
– C. Chalasani
Each student will receive written instructions along with their kit. If you require left-handed instructions, please note so on your registration form.
Celeste will provide a Zoom link. If you are not capable of accessing Zoom, contact a friend and join them at their computer.
The class will be recorded, and the video instructions will remain available online through July 31, 2026!
Along with their usual stitching supplies, students will also need:
Magnification is highly recommended.
Students will transfer the design before class.
Celeste Chalasani is a graduate of the National Academy of Needlearts (NAN) Teachers’ Certification Program 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; for the National Academy of Needlearts; and for other regional guilds. She also teaches an online class for Craftsy.
“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.”
– C. Chalasani
Celeste holds a BS in Business Administration. She is a Life member of EGA and NAN, and a member of the National Embroidery Teachers Association.
UPDATE: Registration for this event has closed.
The Southern Maine Chapter (SOME) is pleased to offer “Sherry for Jack”, a series of four surface embroidery Zoom classes taught by Hazel Blomkamp, beginning on January 7th, 2026. The design is as featured in Hazel’s book, Crewel Intentions.
SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate to Advanced
TECHNIQUE(S): Surface Embroidery
SIZE: 8 1/8” x 4 ¾”
This16-hour class will be presented in four, four-hour sessions, beginning on January 7th, 2026.
LOCATION: ZOOM (Attend from home!)
DATES: Every Wednesday in January (7th, 14th, 21st, 28th), 2026
TIME: 9 AM – 1 PM, EST.
REGISTER BY: OCTOBER 15th, 2025
Participants will need a copy of Hazel Blomkamp’s book, Crewel Intentions. If the book isn’t available at your library, you can purchase one from Hazel for $16.00 by checking the box in the registration form. The book contains 7 patterns with valuable embroidery instruction that will help you stitch other pieces.
This project includes and iterates on the basic embroidery stitches, making it a great class for stitchers seeking both familiarity and challenge. In addition to practicing old favorites, participants will learn a wide range of intermediate embroidery techniques including:
Hazel Blomkamp has dabbled with all the needlecrafts since childhood. When her children were babies she developed a passion for embroidery to break the tedium of life with toddlers, using it as her evening reward for having got through the day with her sanity intact. her children are now young adults and she still embroiders in front of the television every night. She has been designing for the past 18 years. Preferring to design projects which appear to be traditional, she pushes the boundaries by introducing other forms of needlecraft into traditional techniques, exploring further in everything that she does. Along with designing, she runs a busy website from home. She teaches at her home studio, in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, and travels throughout South Africa and to Australia teaching embroidery and fine beadwork. She is a regular contributor to South African and Australian embroidery magazines and is a columnist for South African Stitches Magazine.
Email the organizer, Betty Bell.