Botanical Embroidery at U.S. Botanic Garden with Heather Kerley
Workshop | This class is completed
Join Heather for this engaging workshop as you learn to translate a line drawing based on plants into an embroidered botanical image. During the first part of the program, students will meet at the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory, learn about the Garden’s collection and plant morphology basics, then make drawings of a few favorite plants. Students will then have a 1-hour break to travel from the Garden to Washington Studio School. After regrouping at WSS, the second part of the program will feature Heather providing instruction on the basics of hand embroidery. Students will choose one of their plant drawings, learn to transfer it onto a piece of fabric, prepare their hoops and begin stitching using a few beginner stitches such as running stitch, backstitch, stem stitch, and French knots.
This workshop is offered in collaboration with the U.S. Botanic Garden.
- Schedule:
10am, meet at U.S. Botanic Garden
10am-12pm, drawing segment at U.S. Botanic Garden
12pm-1pm, recess to allow for transit to Washington Studio School and lunch
1pm-3pm, at Washington Studio School hand embroidery segment
Please do not bring large searing shears to the U.S. Botanic Garden. Small sewing scissors or thread cutters are fine.
There is flexibility for the regroup time back to WSS. However, please make an effort to arrive ready to resume instruction by 1:30pm
- 7 x 7 inch piece of white cotton muslin or linen
- 5 x 5 inch embroidery hoop
- Embroidery floss in dark colors
- Set of assorted embroidery needles size 1-5
- Water-based fabric pen
- Small embroidery scissors
- Snippers
- Sketchbook
- Graphite pencil
- Black fine-tipped marker
- Tracing paper
- Masking tape
Heather Kerley
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