Complete Finishing Courses
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Marcia's instructional courses/seminars are designed
to teach and provide hands-on experience in the various needle art
finishing techniques.
Course listings are divided into Basic Courses and Project Finishing Courses below.
Basic Finishing Techniques Courses
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Finishing School I
In the very first school, we will master
10 finishing techniques that professionalize your needlework projects.
This is a notebook class and will cover the following: a small tassel,
the corded tassel, ruffs, pom-poms, twisted cord application and
joinery, trapunto, the ladder stitch join, the detached buttonhole loop
closure, the ribbon-ruched seam and embellished needle pages. All will
make your needlework projects spectacular. You will leave class with a
personal reference guide with samples of all that this class
represents. A must for your list of talents.
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Finishing School II
In the second Finishing School, students
will continue to master eight more important finishing techniques to
add a professional touch to their needle art projects. This notebook
class features the following exercises: old-school lacing; the
hem-stitched edge; three-color cords; roped cords; rouched ribbon
embellishment; fringing and corner finishes. Take needle art to the
next level by adding this exceptional finishing collection to your
reference library.
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Finishing School III
In your custom-made book box you will
practice lining an interior with beautiful complimentary silky moire,
tufting the interior bottom, creating a silky pocket for the unique
scissor case designed to coordinate with the antique wallpaper pattern.
This case features a chain stitch join, a picot edge, a multi-facted
bead embellishment, an overdyed silk ribbon bow and lining. A stunning
addition to your stitching collection and a lovely reflection of your
newly-found finishing abilities. You will be thrilled with your
accomplishments!
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Twisted Cord Embellishment – also available in DVD in Finishing Store
A full course in making one, two and three color twisted cords.
Course includes twisted cord application techniques.
A hands-on course for the basics everyone needs to know about twisted cords.
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Pillow Perfect – also available in DVD in Finishing Store
Learn
the professional techniques in constructing a knife-edge pillow
including blocking, zipper application, self-welt, custom sized pillow
forms, ruffles and fabric inserts.
Complete demonstration of a pillow assembly.
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Three Dimensional Standing Figure – also available in DVD in Finishing Store
A full course in the three-dimensional figure.
Learn
blocking, centering a linen or canvas design, fabric selection,
construction of the flat bottom, the weight mechanism and twisted cord
embellishment.
Complete demonstration of a standing figure.
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Christmas Stockings – also available in DVD in Finishing Store
Course
includes complete blocking instructions, fabric selection,
embellishments, lining and self-welt. Complete assembly demonstration
of a Christmas stocking.
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Exquisite Tassels – also available in DVD in Finishing Store
Learn three types of tassels; the simple tassel, the double layer tassel and the skirted tassel.
All materials included.
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Ornament Finishing – also available in DVD in Finishing Store
Choose
your favorite method of mounting an ornament; the stuffed ornament, the
single mountboard ornament and the double mountboard ornament. Course
includes twisted cord embellishment and a complete assembly
demonstration.
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Finish Your Own Ornament
Students come to class with their
own stitched ornament, backing fabric, fibers for cords and stitching
supplies. Discussion of suggested finishing techniques suitable to each
student's design. Demonstration and assembly of one and two color cords
included. Students will leave with a finished ornament.
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Project Finishing Courses
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New England Necessaire
Primitive artist, Elsie Di Cassio has
created yet another charming container to depict early life in New
England for us. Using exceptional coordinated autumn – toned over-dyed
silk fibers and silk fabrics, Marcia Brown Smith has fashioned a
luxurious interior for the box making it an elegant stitcher’s
companion. The box features a divided tray for scissor and needle
storage with bargello roofs and silk lining, as well as a larger fiber
storage section embellished with linen ribbon edging stitched with a
New England quilt pattern and a central prominent glorious monogram.
Each student will be assisted in creating their own monogram in class.
A verse section offering an ode to the stitching artist graces the
final section with a silk lining and embellished with a favorite
antique button. Hidden beneath the tray is a fully lined subtle green
silk interior with a tufted bottom that cradles a lovely turned wood
covered container with a pin cushion top featuring a colonial motif. Antique white Cashel linen in 28-count is chosen for the ground and is
stitched with crosstitch, cloud filling stitch, bargello patterns, back
stitch, and satin stitch. Thread Gather Silk n’ Colors, Gloriana Silks
and Gumnuts Silks from Australia are used for this design to create an
extraordinary object d'art that is both elegant and useful for the
needle artist. Plan to have a good deal of the box finishing
accomplished in class with careful instructions and demonstrations with
Marcia. With the stitches learned in class you can simply complete the
stitching at your own pace in your favorite stitching niche and then
apply these elements to your beautifully lined stitcher's necessaire.
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Nantucket Petticoat Row
While their beloved ship captains
were at sea in search of whale oil, the women of New England became
industrious and enterprising by opening businesses along the busy
waterfronts. These women created domestic commerce to sustain their
families while their valiant seamen were at sea and the store fronts
became known as Petticoat Row. To commemorate these women, the
Nantucket Petticoat Row is created on 32 count linen using the finest
silks and overdyes from Gloriana and Thread Gatherer to represent the
charming cobblestone Main Street, the gay variety of storefronts, the
busy docks and the bustling ship’s chandlery and the local
provisioner. The elevated docks make one feel as though the tides are
lapping at the pilings waiting for the next ship’s arrival. The
classic Main Street landmark, the Abiah Folger Franklin fountain which
is festooned with flowers all summer greet visitors with a riot of
stitched flowers. Two ships wait to offload their cargo of oil barrels
and reprovision for their next trip to sea. The many textures of this
project require a broad variety of stitches such as the Scotch, the
wave stitch, herringbone, gobelin, spider, cross and satin and more on
Zweigart 32-ct. seafoam linen. Widow’s walks atop the busy storefront
buildings with their cascading flower boxes allow the waiting
mistresses to gaze out to sea anticipating the arrival of their
Captains and seamen. These elements are appropriately presented in a
handsome 8 x 8” Nantucket basket. All stitching and finishing steps
will be carefully demonstrated and applied in class with Marcia.
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Chrysanthemums in Autumn
Chrysanthemums in Autumn is a
collaborative creation between painter, Elsie DiCassio and Marcia Brown
Smith. The beautiful hand-painted oval box was inspired by a unique
scrimshaw box on exhibit at the Boston Society Museum in Boston. It
features a graceful chrysanthemum garland trailing around the box
exterior which Elsie recreated in paint for us. The painted lid
depicts a colonial settlement in Autumn over a spray of
chrysanthemums. The box interior features a reproduction of the
painted design in needleart on 32-ct. antique white linen using rich
Autumn-toned silks and flosses by Gloriana and Weeks Dye Works. These
chrysanthemums sit atop the lids of two constructed inner compartments
on either side of a handsome scissor channel. Luscious checked and
coordinated check/stripe silks are used for the linings and scissor
channel.
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Silken Shell
Never is there a more aqueous treasure than this
perfectly polished, hinged creamy peach shell case filled with luscious
peach silk baby moiré. Inside a thimble nestles within a diminutive
stitched linen ribbon band encrusted with pearls from the sea with a
cushion of Doctor’s wool for needle storage. Outside, the gold clasp is
embellished with a magnificent watery moiré ribbon with picot edge in
shades of lavender and peach. A perfect stitching accoutrement for any
stitching mermaid.
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1800’s House Workbox
Elsie Di Cassio captures a packet ship
under full sail passing the 1800’s House in Nantucket. Painted in
primitive New England style, the scene graces the lid with hand-grained
sides creating a collectible oval painted papier mache box perfect for
stitching accessories. Marcia Brown Smith has reproduced in needle art
Elsie’s painted scene to grace the interior bottom of the box. Rich
shades of greens and blues collide in a stria silk to finish the
luxurious box interior. The stitched design is completed on 32 count
off-white linen using over-dyed silks, Gloriana silk and floss using
queen, cross over one and two, back stitch, filling stitches, blackwork
and darning patterns. A masterful object d’art depicting the glorious
sailing days of Nantucket with a Mariner's Verse tucked into the lid
taken from a Maritime sampler stitched by Elizabeth Murphy in 1799.
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1800’s House Workbox Accessories
A sailor’s ditty bag
complete with the Captain’s ports of call in 32-count linen and
Gloriana silks is the ideal addition to the 1800’s House Workbox and a
suitable housing for stitching tools while out on the sea whaling. The
ditty bag is stitched in shades of ocean blue and green with a crest in
deep scarlet and gold metallic featuring the ship’s name and date of
sail. Whale tails frolic near the hallmark overseen by a sleepy
lobster, ports of call and record of the whale oil haul. Gracing the
upper edge of the bag is a stitchable linen ribbon with ocean waves
pattern and an eyelet and cord closure. The bag will hang from a
sailor’s tape loop.
In addition, a charming snail is stitched
and fitted into its own unique shell housing to create a perfect
cushion for precious pin storage while under way. These accessories are
created to complete the 1800’s Workbox and remind the Captain of his
home port of Nantucket
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May I Have This Dance?
Perfect accessories for the notable
Victorian lass out for an evening are the garden fan to stay cool after
dancing, the dance card for recording her dance partners and the
evening bag necessaire for her lip color and handkerchief. The garden
fan features a French garden design with lush flowers, pathways, a pool
and garden gate embellished with a flurry of silk ribbons at the top
edge. This design is stitched over one on 32 ct. linen in brick, green,
blue, and an array of springtime colors mounted on a custom-made turned
maple handle designed to accommodate an attached hand- painted dance
card booklet by artist Elsie DiCassio. The garden band evening
necessaire is in silk with drawstring closure designed to hold a
lipstick or compact pocket. A short presentation on the language of the
fan is included. Half-day class.
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Mercy Otis Warren's Gift
Mercy Otis Warren presents her
brother James Otis, The Patriot of Barnstable village a gift of a
writing set featuring Mercy's stitching talents for her favorite
brother. The two siblings wrote extensively of the issue associated
with the Revolutionary period and cherished their relationships with
the key figures of this time. James' gift is a suede desk blotter with
needlework monograms and stitched ribbon borders. A hand-painted box by
Cape Cod artist, Elsie DiCassio, captures the richness of a
leather-bound book which is actually a writing box and drawer with
silk lining, pen channel for favorite writing implements, flannel pen
wipes, and other accessories. A personalized monogram overlay
embellishes the box top.
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Lancaster Manor Pocket
Wendy White has designed the Lancaster
Manor Pocket as a stunning sampler-style bag with luxurious crimson silk
charmeuse interior featuring a fan-shaped storage pocket for specially
designed scrimshaw tools by Marcy Pumphret as well as a three-part
storage pocket and delightful lady bug interior band. Handsome crimson
twisted cord finishes the pocket closure. Finishing design by Marcia.
Full day class.
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Coventry Collection
This charming flower basket complete
with pre-assembled floral chintz lining is home to a host of garden
accessories. The gardener's journal is silk lined and houses a host of
butterfly thread winders. The blossom pin cushion in silk ribbon and
velvet with a personalized monogram is the perfect resting spot for the
darling bumble bee with gossimer wings. To complete the set, the kit
includes a fanciful pen with a large designer flower on the top. A
full day class taught by both Wendy White and Marcia Brown Smith.
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Anita Potter
Simplicity is the Shaker motto and Wendy White
has designed this lovely Shaker basket with Anita Potter's sampler in
the interior surrounded by crisp blue cotton sateen to complete the
lining. Also featured is a handsome Shaker pin cushion and emery to
match. A full day class with Wendy presenting the impressive stitched
sampler design and Marcia demonstrating complete finishing for the
basket, pin cushion and emery.
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Wine Country Cask
Create your own classic wine cask filled
with exceptional accessories and cork closure, stitchable linen ribbon
motifs and distinguished grape and forest silk stripe lining. The
stunning wine cask is stitched on 32 count Lakeside Linen with Bijoux
metallics and Gloriana silks. The wine label overlay is also Lakeside
linen with a stately border and French monogram in Gloriana silks and
Bijoix metallics. The four-panel interior features stitchable linen
wine regions or varieties by design with grape cluster and insignia
flourishes. The pocketed panel houses a specially designed tablet for
wine notations, the scissor sheath panel features an over-dyed silk
ribbon attachment for your favorite embroidery scissors as well as a
wooden grape cluster button. The accessories panel holds a grape thread
winder in exotic wood and the needle page is a trapunto wool felt grape
cluster on a felt grape leaf. The back cover is personalized to the
wine region and stitching group. Pre-stitching is recommended.
Finishing class is one full day.
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