Every year we celebrate fibre crafts by stitching in public during the Stampede in Calgary. Join us at the BMO centre on Monday and view all the great work submitted to the Western Showcase Art Show. On the last weekend of Stampede we have volunteers at the Heritage Cabin stitching on the porch and inside. Learn more about the Summer Kitchen from Stampede Volunteers and see what we are all working on.
Styles of Stitching!
Members of our guild create art in a variety of different styles and it all falls under the "UMBRELLA" of Embroidery & Needlecrafts!
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Here are just a few of the examples of what some of our members have created over the last few years. We will add more examples over the months as people show off their items at our monthly meetings during Show & Tell
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Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about these creations. Our contact form is on the "How to Join" page.
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More styles will be added over the next few months!
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Happy Stitching!
Surface Embroidery
Surface Embroidery is a 'catch all' term for any stitching that isn't counted. It is normally worked on regular fabric (either cotton or silk) and uses many different stitches. Many Surface Embroideries are based on drawings or can be done free hand
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One example is of our "Faces" Guild Project that were submitted to Seminar 2023 in Winnipeg. It is based on a contour line drawing program presented by Ann Alcorn
(Stitched by Sabrina - Marvel Characters)
Stumpwork (Raised Embroidery)
Stumpwork or Raised Embroidery is a style where the surface of the stitching becomes 3D. Using various techniques, padding, stuffing and layers of thread are combined to create these unique artworks. Originating to cover "Caskets" or boxes to has evolved into a striking style
Goldwork (Surface Embroidery Style)
Goldwork is any surface embroidery that incorporates Gold or Metal Threads. This is a technique that goes back thousands of years across the world. The metal threads are couched (or tacked down) with another thread (mostly silk or cotton).
Needle Painting (Silk Shading)
Needle Painting or Silk Shading is a style of embroidery that uses different colours of thread to create detailed art. The directions of the stitches help to mimic the look of items like fur and feathers. It is just like painting, but with less mess!
Blackwork
Blackwork is a style of embroidery has evolved from an Spanish style introduced to England by Queen Catherine of Aragon in the 1500s. This style uses a single strand of thread to create a geometric design, first developed for clothing and then as artwork. Over the 20th Century, Blackwork evolved into a "Sketching with Thread" style that includes decorative and figurative subjects. Using a range of thread thicknesses, stitchers can create shading!
Canvaswork (Counted Needlepoint)
Canvaswork is a Canadian term for Counted Needlepoint and evolved from the classic style used for year to create pillows and chair covers. This style used many different styles of thread and layered stitches to create geometric designs. This style also uses the grid of the canvas to reimagine landscapes and figurative subjects as well
Cross Stitch
This is a style where you use lots of colours to create art. Most Cross Stitch patterns are created by using a grid style pattern with symbols to represent all the different colours. You use mainly the same "Cross" stitch throughout the entire design. This is a versatile format that is loved the world over!
