Stumpwork - Part II Cabinet of Curiosities

Course Type, Length, and Start Date 

History, Technique, Project and Design

18-months.   January 1st, 2025, late registrations taken

Subscription Payments

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$85.64/month for 9-months USA Shipping

$88.76/month for 9-months Canada Shipping

$90.43/month for 9-months Rest of World Shipping

Kit Contents

The class kit will include a fat half yard of 40 ct Picadill linen and five spools each of five different thread type (Soie Paris, Soie Ovale, Soie Perlee, Soie Gobelin, and Silk Gimp) will provided to enable the student to practice all the needlelace stitches in multiple scales.  There will be samples or full boxes of 19 thread types (purls, gimps, facette, rococo, lacet, stumpwork forms, etc) to allow the student to experiment with them to learn the techniques taught before embarking on a project they envision.  Additional materials such as wires, contact paper and muslin will be provided to learn detached techniques.

Course Description

This 18-month online course is a stand alone course, but complimentary to the Cabinet of Curiosities.  It is intended to be a comprehensive investigation of stumpwork techniques of the 17th century.  It includes:

• 20 sets of detailed instructions for detached needlelace stitches, showing how to work them in multiple thread types
• Animations for each of the stitches to aid in working
• 18-lessons in the application of low and high relief embroidery, needlelace and how to attack the typical motifs found in 17th century stumpwork.  There are highly detailed sets of instructions to demystify filling animals with needlelace in multiple colors, making wired detached pieces, faces, three-dimensional shoes and other complex topics never seen in instructional materials.
• Historical information and photos to support all the lessons showing how these motifs were filled in various creative ways
• A 18-month optional project to make a stumpwork mirror.  The motifs can be worked separately or the entire project by the study by purchasing the materials from the materials list.  Full instructions for the entire project.  A kit for the mirror project has been assembled and can be purchased separately.
• Templates to design stumpwork mirror frames, four fully designed mirror frames and several large designs if the student wanted to go forth and do a complicated project
• Weblinks to supporting visual and historical material

For more information or any questions, feel free to email me at: tricia@alum.mit.edu.

Course Flexibility

At Thistle Threads, we understand that life’s commitments can make it difficult to focus on a course every month. That’s why my courses are designed to be self-paced, allowing you to learn at your own rhythm. You can take breaks when needed, and the course material will remain available to you, often serving as a valuable reference for future projects once completed.

Course Access and Delivery

Upon the start date of the course, you’ll receive a username and password to access my teaching site on the Thinkific platform. Logging in will immediately give you access to the first lesson, ready for download. Course materials will primarily be provided in PDF format, but may also include additional resources like stitch diagram animations, videos, or Pinterest board links.  The instructional material fills about three 3" binders and it is recommended that the students keep the material filed on their computer or iPad if they prefer.  

Once the course is completed, you’ll receive access to non-public YouTube playlists, where videos and animations will be available for future reference and continued learning.

Access Timeframe

Course materials must be downloaded within three months of the course's conclusion. During the course, all lessons—including new ones and previously released content—will be accessible. So, if you’re unable to log in during a month, you can always catch up by reviewing any missed lessons at your own pace.

Prerequisites

Nothing but an interest in historical embroidery of the 17th century is needed for this course.  It is intended to be the first time students try the needlelace techniques as learning projects with plenty of thread and fabric for practice with tension control and the mechanics of the stitches.