View Sampler and Teacher Information

Luck be a Stitcher Sampler
Brazilian Embroidery, Stumpwork and Silk Ribbon designed by Sharon Shetley
Have a little taste of each in this combination design. There are Rolled Rose flowers and accent buds using Ciré
thread with bullions and Lazy Daisy; Wisteria drape in clusters through out stitched with Glory thread, using
French knots. Leaves and calyx add a different texture with Silk ribbon; and the adorning Sierra Snow Rose has
high standing dimension with Stumpwork petals created two ways, both over a wire frame. All white petals in the
back are Detached Buttonhole, stitched on a Needle Pad instead on fabric. Front petals are stitched on separate
fabric from the main design and like the Detached Buttonhole petals are later attached to the design by the wires.
Fun Twisted Drizzles in the center finish this beautiful flower.
Hardanger Band designed by Bob Herceg
This intermediate-level band includes three large-format filling stitches that demonstrate the creation and use of
curves and circles to create striking flower-like designs. The components of the filling stitches are traditional,
including wrapped and woven bars, adjoining wrapped bars, buttonhole arcs and buttonhole eyelets in #12 pearl
cotton. The band is completed with Smyrna cross stitches and smaller flowers/stars of satin stitches. Color choices
include traditional whitework and soft lavender/sage.
Punto Antico Band designed by Kathryn Drummond
Learn some of the beautiful stitches and techniques of Punto Antico embroidery as you stitch this lovely sampler
band. Each step of the cutwork motif will be fully demonstrated in class. An intermediate level of experience and a
good pair of sharp, fine-pointed embroidery scissors is recommended.
Ukrainian Whitework Band designed by Terri Bay
This band is a very traditional Ukrainian Whitework Embroidery band, worked with satin stitches and eyelets.
Eyelets are used very often in Ukrainian Whitework and are worked in many different ways. This band uses three
types of eyelet, the single eyelet, a spot eyelet, and chained eyelets. As eyelets are so important in Ukrainian
Whitework special attention will be given to them in class. There will be lots of hints and tips on how to make
your eyelets as perfect and uniform as possible. Time will also be spent answering the age old question - "How is
this different from Hardanger?" It is worked entirely with pearl cotton sizes 8 and 12 in white, of course. It is
whitework! Be sure to bring any lighting and magnification you need to work white on white with 28 count fabric.
Most of this band is beginner level, with the chained eyelets venturing into intermediate. It is not recommended to
work this band in hand as it includes pulled techniques. I used an 8 inch Q-Snaps(tm). Hoops and scroll frames can
also be used. As this will be on one large piece of fabric with other bands you may need to use a different size than
what I used when working a single band.
Pulled/Drawn Thread Band designed by Terri Bay
This lovely band features nine different pulled stitches and one drawn stitch. Class time will be spent on not only
learning the stitches, but also on the difference between pulled work and drawn work. It is worked with pearl
cotton in sizes 8 and 12 using white, lavender, and green. The stitches vary between beginner and intermediate
level, but all are clearly diagrammed and will be covered step by step. This class uses a lot of tension - be ready to
PULL that thread! There is a tiny bit of cutting so be sure to bring Hardanger type scissors. It is not recommended
to work pulled thread in hand. I used an 8 inch Q-Snaps(tm). Hoops and scroll frames can also be used. As this will
be on one large piece of fabric with other bands you may need to use a different size than what I used when
working a single band.
Bargello Sampler Band designed by Bob Herceg
This beginner-level band includes three smaller bands with traditional Bargello-style stitching and some twists.
The topmost band also includes some easy canvaswork-type stitches (Smyrna cross stitch, scotch stitch) for further
texture variations. The middle is the most classic with vertical straight stitches in #8 pearl cotton that form
repeating geometric patterns. The bottom band includes a repeating motif to explore variations in fiber (#8 pearl
cotton, floche and floss) and the subtle differences in texture and sheen. Color choices include whitework and soft
lavender/sage. A laying tool is useful in this type of embroidery; an extra tapestry needle works just fine.
Schwalm Band adapted from a Linda Driskell design taught by Debi Feyh
Schwalm is a whitework technique from Germany. The main stitches are coral knots and chain stitches. This
particular design was adapted from one of Linda's Heirloom Samplers from the 1990s. While some Schwalm
designs involve cutting and withdrawing threads, the heart filling stitches are done entirely by pulling the threads
tight. That's right! There is no cutting involved! You can choose to do the design entirely in white or stitch the
hearts in lavender and the vines in soft sage.
Bonus Blackwork Band by Ryan Evelyth
This band includes traditional, linear motifs in your choice of simple backstitching or reversible Holbein
Blackwork. A dash of beading is included in the finishing design for additional sparkle. Only the chart and
instructions will be included. There will not be a class; however, Ryan will be available at times during the retreat
to answer questions.
Meet the Teachers
Terri (Bay) has never met a needlework technique she didn’t like.
Like so many others she
began with cross stitch and progressed into Hardanger, Pulled/Drawn work, Blackwork,
Ukrainian Whitework, Romanian Point Lace, and many others. Her designing business was born
out of frustration over the very small amount of printed works on Ukrainian Embroidery. Terri
has a degree in Music Education from Indiana State University and has taught music and
needlework in many forms. She currently lives in South Carolina with her husband, three
daughters who flitter in and out of the house on occasion, and specialty fiber donor Taz.
Kathryn (Drummond) is a needlework designer and teacher from Winnipeg, MB.
She was
raised in a needle-working family, with grandmothers who quilted, knitted, crocheted, tatted and
sewed and a mother who did all of those (except the tatting) plus needlepoint and cross stitch; her
Mom was always willing to teach her any and all of them. She took needlework and design
classes at the local needlework store where the owner, Carolyn Mitchell, encouraged her to try
designing her own needlework pieces. Her designs have been published by Rainbow Gallery and
in A Needle Pulling Thread and the EAC magazines. She has owned her own needlework store and taught many of
her own designs in that shop while it was hers and when it belonged to Carolyn. She has also taught some
workshops for the local Winnipeg Embroiderer’s Guild and at EAC Seminar in Winnipeg in 2013. Kathryn loves
many forms of needlework, but her current favorites are canvaswork, blackwork, Casalguidi, Punto Antico and
Schwalm. Kathryn also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Genetics from the University of Manitoba.
Debi's (Feyh) love of learning, especially arts and crafts, goes back as far as she can remember,
and that is a lot of years! Today, as co-owner of Nordic Needle, she continues to research
needlework, focusing on heritage techniques. Debi has designed and taught many classes for the
Nordic Needle retreat including Canvas, Schwalm, and Näversöm (Swedish pulled/drawn
thread). Debi's love of Scandinavian needlework techniques spills over into her personal life as
well. She traveled to Norway last May to research Sami textiles and needle arts. Debi has
amassed an extensive collection of needlework treasures and research materials. The Spirit Room
in Fargo hosted an exhibit of some of her Näversöm work entitled “Needle Artistry of the Swedish Shepherdess”.
Bob
(Herceg) enjoys all kinds of counted thread embroidery, especially Hardanger which he
discovered in an Emie Bishop book at a craft store many years ago. He is fascinated by old
samplers and ethnic embroideries. His many original designs have won many awards, most
recently Nordic Needle's Hardanger Design contest and Parkersburg Art Center's Regional
exhibit. This is Bob's second retreat as teacher, but he comes also for the inspiration and the
fellowship.
Sharon (Shetley) is from California.
She has been stitching, designing and teaching Brazilian
Embroidery for more than 35 years. Her first magazine article was in 1986 with a McCall’s
publications. She now has over 60 articles. Sharon retired from the medical field 2 years ago to be
able to give her full attention to Threads in Bloom and designing. Brazilian Embroidery will
always be her passion, but really enjoys coming to the Nordic Needle Retreat, not only to teach,
but learning different needle arts which may be incorporated into her Brazilian Embroidery and
Stumpwork designs; and always meeting new friends and having reunion with friends met in previous years at the
Retreat.