Botanical Embroidery: 2-Day Workshop

In this beginner two-day workshop you will create two hand embroidered milkweed designs and apply them to an item of clothing to create a uniquely embellished piece. The botanical designs provided in the class are based on embroideries made by Amanda McCavour.

On day one of this class, you will learn how to use water-soluble fabric to transfer the provided designs to a piece of clothing that you bring in or a small piece of linen provided in your class kit. We will start from the very beginning, stretching our fabric in the embroidery hoop and threading our needles. On day one, you will learn beginner stitches like running stitch, split stitch, seed stitch. French Knot and Fly Stitch.

On the second day, we will begin a new milkweed design and learn more advanced stitches. You will learn how couching stitch can be used with rayon seam binding and yarns provided in the class kit to create dimensional designs.

During the class we will slow down and think about how stitching can be used to trace drawn lines and add a special feature to a loved item of clothing. You will learn embroidery skills that you can apply to all kinds of designs and surfaces. At the end of the class you will come away with a one of a kind embroidery that will show off the hand embroidery skills you have learned and some supplies to continue stitching.

Please bring in an item of clothing that you would like to stitch onto. I recommend denim or woven items like a jean jacket, collared shirt, scarf, or canvas bag. Wondering if you have the right type of item? Bring in a few options and we can discuss prior to starting the project as a class. You will also have the option of using linen fabric provided to create a patch that can be applied to an item of clothing after the class.

All materials other than your item of clothing will be provided in your course kit.

Materials provided:

1. 8” wooden embroidery hoop

1. Needle Threader

1. Sewing Needles

1. Embroidery Floss

1. Two 10” x 10” pieces of linen fabric

1. 4 Botanical Template Designs

1. 2 Markers

1. Small scissors

1. Water Soluble Fabric

1. A workshop handout outlining the stitches we will use in the class

1. 5” x 5” sheet of Heat-n-bond for patches

1. Rayon Seam Binding

1. Wool Yarn

Schedule: Sunday, January 19 and 26 from 10:00 AM-4:00 PM. There will be a one-hour break for lunch. We recommend bringing a lunch as there are limited options nearby.

Registration: Public $145, Members $125 (plus applicable taxes and fees)

Registration deadline: Sunday, January 12.

About Amanda McCavour

Amanda McCavour is a Canadian artist who works with stitch to create large-scale embroidered installations.

Her immersive installations speak to themes of memory, environment, colour and line. She is interested in finding connections between scientific research and decorative patterns found in textiles and wallpaper. Her lace-like pieces are made by sewing into fabric that dissolves in water. When the fabric is dissolved, the thread drawings interlock together even without a base. Plants and their ecologies are similarly linked—a biological network is a bound system that sustains a community of plants.

McCavour holds a BFA from York University and an MFA in Fibers and Material Studies from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. McCavour shows her work in galleries nationally and internationally and has completed residencies at Harbourfront Centre’s Textile Studio in Toronto, and the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture in Dawson City, Yukon. She has been recognized by the Ontario Crafts Council, The Canada Council for the Arts, The Handweavers and Spinners Guild of America, The Ontario Society of Artists, The Surface Design Association, and The Embroiderers Guild of America.

Join Toronto Botanical Garden

Join the Toronto Botanical Garden (TBG) as a member to get a discount on this program, upcoming events and classes, and free parking. A TBG membership helps you deepen your knowledge and connection to the natural world, become a part of a dynamic community of plant people, and be inspired! Become a member !

Safe Program Access

• To ensure the safety of our participants and instructors, all staff, volunteers, and participants are welcome to wear masks indoors and maintain physical distancing.
• To learn more about what we’re doing to make your next visit safe, enriching, and uplifting, please review our list of Frequently Asked Questions.
• Please review our Health and Safety Policies and Refund Policy and Terms of Agreement.
• This is an in-person, indoor, Adult Education program at the Toronto Botanical Garden.
• If you have any accessibility requirements please email [email protected]. For more information on accessibility at the garden please review our Accessibility Features webpage.

We appreciate your support and cooperation.