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THE LEARNING CURVE – “SEWING” THE SEEDS
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The Fritillary seeds were sown back in 1981 when Helen, then an executive legal secretary and office manager gave up the “day job” for the love of textiles – fine embroidery, hand sewn silks, traditional stitches and original designs. The art textile world was very different then – there were few if any hand embroidery classes; on-line and video embroidery courses simply didn’t exist; and it was almost impossible to find pure silk embroidery thread: specialist threads were scarce; Kreinik-type fibres, DMC and others existed but were hard to source.
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Almost exactly ten years after the foundation of the True Embroideries Studio, Helen was commissioned to write her first book, The Embroiderers’ Countryside.
Helen’s publishers, David and Charles took a chance and allowed her to create the first in a new genre of books – “embroidery books not just for embroiderers” as Helen has always described them! Books that celebrate the love of textile through Helen’s own unique art. The Embroiderers’ Countryside was quickly followed by The Embroiderers’ Country Album, it’s companion volume – and both were reprinted, both in hardback and later in softback format. First editions are now collectors items, signed copies changing hands in excess of £100 – spot a cheap one on E-bay or Amazon if you can – it’s an investment! |
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The Timeless Art of Embroidery, The Myth and Magic of Embroidery, and Helen M. Stevens’s World of Embroidery and Embroiderers’ Year followed – soon to be joined by the Masterclass Series: Helen M. Stevens’ Embroidered Flowers, Embroidered Butterflies, Embroidered Birds, Embroidered Animals, Embroidered Gardens and Embroidered Landscapes. If you would like signed copies of any available titles please contact us direct.
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Embroidery books for all levels
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The success of these books led to a demand to learn stitching “the Helen M. Stevens’ way” and Helen began to be in demand for embroidery classes. Happy to travel to Embroiderers’ Guilds, embroidery clubs and other embroiderers’ groups, Helen was delighted to share her skills. Her contemporary re-invention of traditional stitches: stem stitch, feather work (opus plumarium), fly stitch, straight stitch, seed stitch and many others struck a chord with true embroidery lovers everywhere, and her emphasis on using pure silk, hand embroidery, silk shading (needlepainting), various unique types of silk thread and blending filaments ensured that many more books and classes were to follow.
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Needlepainting and silk shading
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Live embroidery classes became a regular feature
of Helen’s work – based in the beautiful market
town of Bury St. Edmunds in the heart of the
English countryside.
more details of live classes,
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Internet embroidery classes with something for everyone. Introductory (beginners) embroidery classes, Intermediate embroidery classes, Advanced embroidery classes and special Concept embroidery classes – each aimed at embroidery lovers at all levels of skill.
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Introductory embroidery classes
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Intermediate embroidery classes
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Advanced embroidery classes
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FREE EMBROIDERY CLASS – a “taster” to see how you enjoy Masterclass Lessons On-line back to top
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There’s even a free embroidery project to see how you enjoy the video interactive format, a Forum to discuss your embroidery and needlepainting queries and all the advice you need on silk shading, silk embroidery stitches and other textile techniques. You can even buy all your silks on-line – as well as materials, fabrics, needlework tools, Kreinik, DMC and other specialist threads.
 
click on the Champagne Rose to start the free online embroidery class
best viewed using explorer, plugin maybe necessary for firefox users
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After 25 years the “True Embroideries” family had grown so extensive that fabric design, fashions, furnishings and accessories were all staking their claim … and so Fritillary was born! Hand in hand, Helen’s sister websites now invite you into the best of
TRUE EMBROIDERIES
and
“The Fritillary Experience”
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