Last month, I brought up the subject of needlework price tags and the needlework things that stitchers save their money for. I was mentioning especially the big needlework events that cost a lot of money, but are great things to attend, in order to learn techniques and to connect with other needleworkers.
But national seminars are decidedly more expensive than regional seminars, and local workshops are even more affordable. Local workshops are also smaller – not nearly as overwhelming people-wise or class-choice wise.
When a needlework instructor is invited to instruct at a national seminar, many of the regional groups and local chapters take advantage of that instructor’s being in the vicinity (or in this case, in the country) and try to work out a deal to get the instructor to teach at a local event. Just such a situation has happened with Jane Nicholas, who will be teaching at the national seminar, but who also has several “local” engagements around the country around that time. For example, Jane Nicholas will be teaching in San Diego, California, at the end of September this year. There are still spaces available in both classes that Jane will be teaching – one, a beginner class in stumpwork, and the other, a more advanced class in stumpwork. The advanced class is one of the projects from her Persian Tiles book:
This local workshop is hosted by the Muchas Manos EGA chapter, and you can find the information about the workshops on their website. The registration form for the Jane Nicholas workshops (PDF) has all the pertinent information.
So, why the plug? There may be a bunch of you out there who aren’t aware that these little workshops go on around the country – and in fact, some of you may be living right down the road from one! If you are in the vicinity and have wanted to participate in this type of embroider workshop, then it’s a great opportunity to do so at a fraction of the price for larger events! If you don’t have to travel to get there and pay for lodging, and only have to pay for the class / kit fee, then it becomes a much more affordable way to participate in a class. Even if you travel to get there, you have more flexibility in lodging choices and so forth, and you avoid the peripheral expenses of the larger and busier national seminars.
I’d love to be attending this workshop – I have heard that it is quite a pleasure to learn from Jane Nicholas – but San Diego is a little off my radar this fall. It’s a great area of the country, though. I was there summer before last and had a terrific time. There’s lots to see. And Hedgehog Handworks isn’t all that far away, either (well – about 130 miles…) This, by the way, is the sound of my conscience trying to justify such a trip! Well, I can’t go – but maybe you can! If you do, I want to hear all about it, ok?
