Embroidery group keeping art of stitching alive

With the advent of technology and entertainment, many traditional hobbies have fallen by the wayside, with “kids these days” choosing computers over crafting.

But one local group is working to preserve one of those traditional pastimes: needle arts.

Founded in the 1980s, Birmingham Needlearts is a local chapter of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America, founded to foster the art of needle working.

From basic cross stitching and needlepoint to intricate Crewel embroidery, Birmingham Needlearts works to educate those interested in the craft about the skills and history of embroidery.

The small group meets once a month at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and it has had teachers from all over the United States and Great Britain teach and lecture about needlework.

“It’s education of all types of needlework,” said chapter secretary and Vestavia Hills resident Alice Turk.

Turk said that though the group is small, there is a diversity of experience and interest levels, from beginners to members who are certified with Master Craftsman status.

“The skillset is quite varied,” she said.

Group meetings consist of everything from lectures by renowned needle artists to tutorials led by members of the guild. Occasionally, the group will work on a correspondence course, where work is done and sent to the national organization to be critiqued.

At some meetings, the group does a program around a “study box” which not only comes with tutorials for how to do the complicated stitching, but it includes the history of the particular style and often actual samples of historical work.

Crewel Embroidery, which was popular in the 1700s, was the topic of a recent study box, Turk said.

The box included actual pieces of 18th century Crewel work, which allowed the members to see a piece of history along with learning a new technique.

“It’s not only educational, but you get to see samples,” Turk said, which can show the time and effort that was put into embellishing clothing and other fabric in the past.

Turk said Birmingham Needlearts also engages in multiple philanthropic endeavors by creating works and raising funds and awareness for local animal shelters, the YWCA and others.

When St. Stephen’s works on a Habitat for Humanity house, Turk said the group will create a specialized work of needle art to place in the new home.

Turk, who was one of the original founders of the group, said she thinks Birmingham Needlearts is a place where anyone can come to have community and learn a new skill.

“My love of needlework has been enhanced by being a member of this guild,” she said, and invited anyone interested to join the group at one of their monthly meetings, which usually take place on the second Thursday of each month.

“We would love to build up our membership,” she said.

For more information on Birmingham Needlearts, go to bhamega.com.