Thread Painting Workshop

Learn the basics of free motion embroidery or thread painting using your regular zigzag sewing machine. Lower the feed dogs and use your needle like a paint brush to create flowers, leaves, trees, weeds, ripples in water, etc. You can spend the entire day perfecting your stitches or start a small landscape. Information on design will also be discussed.

Kathy Tidswell combines painting on fabric with free motion machine embroidery to produce thread painted works of art. She also blends innovative and traditional techniques to create unique wall quilts and original wearable art. Nature is a large influence on her work and she strives for realism. Her pieces have been juried into Canadian Quilters’ Association National Juried Shows (winning two awards), Grand National Juried Exhibitions, Studio Art Quilt Associates regional shows and Ontario Network of Needleworkers Threadworks. Her work has been published nationally and internationally. Kathy teaches her methods throughout Canada and in Europe. In 2005, she was awarded Canadian Quilters’ Association Teacher of the Year.

Cost $50 plus supplies

Supply List

1. Zigzag sewing machine and its manual.
2. Darning foot.
3. New machine embroidery needles 75/11 or 90/14 if you are using rayon embroidery threads. Metallic or metafil needles if you want to use metallic threads.
4. 7 inch to 10 inch slim (3/8″) wooden embroidery hoop. A regular hoop will NOT substitute. It is too wide to pass under the presser foot. If you don’t have one, slim hoops will be available to purchase from Kathy for $10.
5. You will be making samples of weeds, trees , flowers, texture in water etc. so bring threads in greens (several shades), browns, yellows, blues etc. If you have rayon embroidery and metallic threads in these colours, bring them, but it’s not necessary to purchase them especially for this class. Instead, bring threads from your stash in these colours.
6. Several squares of muslin or plain light cotton approx. 12 inches square and several pieces of stabilizer such as tear- away to back your pieces.
7. Scissors, pins, ruler etc. ie normal sewing kit.
8. If you plan to start the 5 inch by 7 inch landscape, you will need small pieces for sky, mountain and water.

River Art Centre, 8746 Main Street, Florenceville-Bristol

Space is limited. To register, call the Gallery, 392-6769.

Tidswell’s exhibit, Colours of Nature, was at the Gallery May 15 – June 19, 2021.