Back to Basics the Right Way: Bad Habits Broken Here

Back to Basics the Right Way: Bad Habits Broken Here is a series of classes designed to teach new stitchers good habits in stitching or to help seasoned stitchers improve their techniques and stitching quality and to help experienced stitchers remember what they might have forgotten.

Each level of Back to Basics is offered as a four (4) day class and includes written booklets, discussion time and stitching time. Students will provide the usual stitching tools along with three 12" x 12" canvases, stretcher bars, thread, and an open mind. 

Back to Basics - Level 1

In the first class of the Back to Basics The Right Way series, Tony shows the student the correct way of stitching to improve needlepoint techniques. Included in the session are a discussion of essential tools, easy and proper ways to thread a needle, beginning and ending threads, how to mount the canvas on the stretcher bars (and why to use them), compensation and other techniques. Stitches covered include diagonal stitches, line stitches, crossed stitches, tied stitches, and plaited stitches. Other stitching includes filling patterns, knots, Bokhara couching, canvas appliqué, and traditional canvas appliqué slip. 

As always, Tony's Tenets are an integral part of the class.

Back to Basics - Level 2

Second in the Back to Basics series of classes, the object of this class is to explore all the aspects of good canvas embroidery technique in a sequential order to strengthen the student's stitching technique. In this class Tony continues to explore stitch families and include blackwork, pulled work, and reverse appliqué.

Participation in Back to Basics Level I is a requirement for participation in this class.

Back to Basics - Level 3

The third installation in the series of classes that comprise Back to Basics The Right Way: Bad Habits Broken Here steps it up a notch. Here the goal is to take all of the techniques and tools reviewed in the first two classes and incorporate them into more difficult stitching. Added embellishment to the canvas through needle lace, cut and drawn work, more blackwork, and the different methods of combining them all will be practiced. Textures, directional stitching, combination of threads, choosing the number of threads based on weight of the stitch, stitches from Brazilian tapestry work, overlapping stitches and more will be covered in this class.

As always, the student will work each stitch as Tony describes best practices, works with each student, tells stories and encourages fun through needle work.

Registration for Back to Basics Level III requires completion of Back to Basics I and II.