Gary Clarke's Sea Turtle Workshop

Gary with class participants and volunteers.

The minute we walked into Room 122 on a warm October morning, we knew we were in for something special. A wonderfully decorated table filled with tasty tidbits and fruit was at one end of the room and fresh coffee was at another table. And a very talented gentleman from Tasmania was there to guide us through a beautiful project called “Sea Turtle.”

Fourteen stitchers gathered—some came from distant places—and we were led through our paces by Gary Clarke. The kits and instructions were such that I am sure all fourteen “Sea Turtles” will soon grace our show and tell tables. Although the one finish from Minnesota might have to be via a photo. We were given plenty of time to finish the steps and the stitching time was the most I’ve enjoyed in the many workshops I have attended.

Bonnie did an outstanding job of organizing the workshop. She also had two helpers that made the workshop a special event for the attendees. Thank you to Judy and Joyce for being the support crew for both days. They set up snacks and lunch and cleaned and let the attendees focus on the stitching. What a treat!

Special thanks again, to Bonnie and Judy and Joyce, for making the two days so enjoyable. And of course, thanks to Gary Clarke for coming so far to share his project and so many interesting tales about Tasmania. The folks at national EGA who were instrumental in making the International Teachers Tour a reality deserve a huge thank-you as well.

~Laura H.

Master of Illusion

For many people, the word illusion conjures images of card tricks, rabbits in top hats and disappearing ladies. However, for the embroiderer, illusion means something quite different. It is what we strive for as we work our needle and thread. Whether it is creating depth in a landscape or fashioning berries that look good enough to eat, embroidery is all about illusion.

We are all aware of various techniques and stitches to bring our embroidery to life. But have you ever considered using organza? I hadn’t until I came across the work of Gary Clarke. Gary is an embroidery artist living in Tasmania, Australia. He has written Embroidery Illusions which describes his techniques in working with organza. Gary also travels the world to teach but this year announced his retirement which is to begin in 2020. 

“Embroidery worked on fine transparent organza… creates an illusion of stitching suspended in air.”

— Gary Clarke

One of Gary’s more popular designs (not included in the book) is his piece titled Sea Turtle. By using organza, the turtle looks like it is swimming off of the fabric and through the water.  The fish in the background remain there so that your eye is drawn to the sea turtle.

This beautiful piece will be one of Gary’s last teaching engagements in the United States. Long Beach EGA will be hosting this class on October 26 & 27, 2019. It is a fantastic opportunity to learn how to use organza in your embroidery projects from the man who perfected its use. Registration for Gary’s class ends on July 26, 2019.

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     THE SEA TURTLE

   Designed & Taught by Gary Clarke

       October 26 - 27, 2019

Registration Closes July 26, 2019

This project has a very tropical look:  the turtle is in full focus around the face and blends off as the water distorts the image.  The student will get a feel for stitching on organza and tips for this style of work.  The aim of this class is to become aware of the potential in organza.  It is a lesson in “less is more”, in sketching a subject, then training the viewer to where their eye needs to go.

Technique:  Organza Embroidery               Skill Level:  Intermediate                Design Size:  12 x 12

Kit Cost:  $75

Kit Contents:  Organza, Printed Cotton, Thread, Needle, Work Frame, Instructions & DVD.

(Note:  The fish in the background are stitched in 1 strand of 6-stranded cotton.  Some thread will be provided however, students may wish to bring their own colors.  Remember the organza will mute the colors, so choose vibrant colors.)

Location:  Long Beach City College, PCH Campus,

Lifelong Learning Center, Bldg. QQ, Room 122

                 1305 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., Long Beach, CA 90806

To reserve a space, fill out the following form and return it with the $75 kit fee to:

              Bonnie Freund, 1930 St. John Rd. #29H. Seal Beach, CA  90740

Questions ?  email Bonnie at LongBeachEGA@gmail.com

Note:  Teaching fees are additional and will be collected when those fees have been determined, closer to class dates.

Class size is limited to 28 students

Name: _________________________________________  Phone ________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________________________

                   ____________________________________________________________________________

Email:  _____________________________________________________________________________

              ___________ $75.00 Kit Fee                            _________   LBEGA $57 Primary Dues

                                                                                      _________     $15 Plural Dues

                                                                                        _________    $3 Pac. S.W.Region Dues

Make checks payable to:  LBEGA.  Return form with payment of  $___________ to:

                        Bonnie Freund, 1930 St. John Rd. #29-H, Seal Beach, CA  90740

Gary Clarke Coming to Long Beach

Long Beach EGA is proud to announce that Gary Clarke will be teaching his beautiful design, Sea Turtle, this October. Registration is currently open to LBEGA members and will open to other guilds on April 15th. Gary, who resides in Australia, recently announced his retirement. So if you have ever wanted to take one of Gary’s classes, this is the time to do it. Please see the flyer for details and enrollment information.   

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     THE SEA TURTLE

   by Gary Clarke

       October 26 -27, 2019

Class size is limited to 28 students. It will be open to current Long Beach EGA members only through April 15, 2019.

At that time registration will be open to others, however, membership in LBEGA, Pacific Southwestern Region is required

This project has a very tropical look:  the turtle is in full focus around the face and blends off as the water distorts the image.  The student will get a feel for stitching on organza and tips for this style of work.  The aim of this class is to become aware of the potential in organza.  It is a lesson in “less is more”, in sketching a subject, then training the viewer to where their eye needs to go.

Technique:  Organza Embroidery               Skill Level:  Intermediate                Design Size:  12 x 12

Kit Cost:  $75

Kit Contents:  Organza, Printed Cotton, Thread, Needle, Work Frame, Instructions & DVD.

(Note:  The fish in the background are stitched in 1 strand of 6-stranded cotton.  Some thread will be provided however, students may wish to bring their own colors.  Remember the organza will mute the colors, so choose vibrant colors.)

Location:  Long Beach City College, PCH Campus,

Lifelong Learning Center, Bldg. QQ, Room 122

                 1305 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., Long Beach, CA 90806

To reserve a space, fill out the following form and return it with the $75 kit fee to:

              Bonnie Freund, 1930 St. John Rd. #29H. Seal Beach, CA  90740

Questions ?  email Bonnie at LongBeachEGA@gmail.com

Note:  Teaching fees are additional and will be collected when those fees have been determined, closer to class dates.

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Name: _________________________________________  Phone ________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________________________

                   ____________________________________________________________________________

Email:  _____________________________________________________________________________

              ___________ $75.00 Kit Fee                            _________   LBEGA $57 Primary Dues

                                                                                       _________                   $15 Plural Dues

                                                                                         _________    $3 Pac. S.W.Region Dues

Make checks payable to:  LBEGA.  Return form with payment of  $___________ to:

                        Bonnie Freund, 1930 St. John Rd. #29-H, Seal Beach, CA  90740

Happy Birthday to Us

Lots of fun was had at this year’s birthday celebration. We were treated to a delicous luncheon and a needle threader class taught by Marilu Morency. Yes, the very same Marilu who taught our November program. Afterwards, we shopped a pop-up boutique that offered special items at “what a deal” prices. A big thank you to all those who were involved in planning this day!

Year in Review: 2018 Programs

Thanks to Bonnie F., our VP of Programs, 2018 has been an exciting year for our guild. Here is a recap of the various programs that were offered this last year.

January

Besides a wonderful catered luncheon, we had lots of fun playing a guessing game. Each member brought a handmade item in a brown paper bag. As each item was revealed, we had to guess who created it. It was lots of fun and there were quite a few surprises.

February and April

Margery Williams designed and taught this beautiful pincushion named Cecilia.

March

Guest speaker, Cara Varnel, shared her expertise in the conservation of textiles, especially her work with the costumes from Gone with the Wind.

May

David McCaskill shared with us “32 Years of Tips and Tricks.” David is an artist, designer and teacher and last year was the recipient of the 2017 American Needlepoint Literary Award.

June, August & October

The Wave designed and taught by Joni Stevenson grew our repertoire of needlework techniques.

July

Frances P. taught Blackwork Butterfly from the EGA Petite Project collection.

September

Bonnie F. taught this delightful cross stitch witch on perforated paper. Designed by Idele Gilbert.

November

Marilu Morency designed and taught this pretty necklace using the technique of needle weaving.

Pacific Southwestern Region Seminar Cruise

Want to get away for a week of stitching, sun and sea? Well look no further. EGA’s Pacific Southwestern Seminar is a week long cruise to Mexico. This seven day cruise leaves from Long Beach, CA and will stop at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. An additional three days will be spent at sea, so there will be plenty of time to stitch. Reservations close on October 7, 2018. See details below:

Pacific Southwestern Region Seminar Cruise

CARNIVAL SPLENDOR of the SEAS

APRIL 6 – 13, 2019 - 7-nights to the

MEXICAN RIVIERA

Leaving out of Long Beach - Sailing Time 4:30 pm

Rates per person based on           Double Occupancy     Single Occupancy

          Interior Cabin                               $673.40                        $1,237.40

          Ocean view Cabin                         $788.40                        $1,447.40

          Balcony Cabin                               $968.40                        $1,827.40

Vacation protection insurance is extra but highly recommended:

                             Interior Cabin           $79

                             Ocean view                $95

Balcony                     $109

Reservations and deposits are to be made by calling

WORLD O’TRAVEL   SANDY FLEMMING or CHERYL KELLEY

818-999-5250 or 800-660-0828 or wot@worldoftravel.com

A deposit of $250/person is due no later than October 7, 2018. Once a guest puts down their deposit a specific cabin will be assigned. The final Payment is due no later than January 7, 2019. 

Preferred method of payment is credit card.

A passport must be presented at the pier and is required of all travelers.  It must be valid for 6 months beyond your return date or October 27, 2019.  If anyone is traveling on a foreign passport, then a visa might be required for travel to Mexico.

Suggested gratuities are $12.95/day/person or $90.65/person and may be pre-paid or added to your onboard account and paid at disembarkation.

Pricing includes all taxes and is based on the categories noted above and where they are located on the ship.  Pricing may be higher if a guest requests a cabin in a different location such as more mid-ship or on a higher deck.  Putting the individual deposit down early is recommended.  Rates for a 3rd and/or 4th passenger in a cabin is available only at time of booking.

This is a no classes – no teacher seminar.  Bring projects you wish to work on.  There will be plenty of experienced stitchers who will be happy to help with any problems.  We will have a reserved stitching area so you can stitch every day, or you can get off the ship and shop or sightsee.

The following information will be needed for each passenger when making reservations:

          Name as it appears on your passport

          Address

          Telephone Number(s)

          Email

          Credit Card number/expiration date/3 digit code /name on the card.

          Name of Cabin Roommate(s)

          Queen bed or 2 twins

Special onboard Requests:  Dietary Restrictions, Wheelchair for embarkation/disembarkation at the pier

Special equipment on board:  Scooter/Wheelchair rental (additional charge)

Dining Options:  Early (6:00pm) Late (8:15pm)

This is a 7-day cruise to Mexico, stopping at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta with 3 days at sea – plenty of time to stitch, read and relax.

Additional information and questions should be directed to WORLD OF TRAVEL

I’m looking forward to seeing you on the cruise.

Joyce Lifshin

PSR Seminar Chairman

joyjac@earthlink.net