When it didn’t work out for my mom and I to make a day trip for the Northern Arizona Quilt Shop Hop (part 1 of this saga), we opted instead to visit a couple of her favorite East Valley quilt shops. Both of them participate in the official Phoenix-area (Valley) shop hop that usually takes place in the fall, so we were hoping to get the scoop on that while we were there.
A Quilter’s Oasis in Mesa, Arizona
Quilt Shops
The stores we visited were A Quilter’s Oasis and Mad B’s Quilt and Sew. Afterwards, while we were in the car headed to see Barbie, we recorded a few thoughts about the two shops.
Mom: Both places [A Quilter’s Oasis and Mad B’s] are always very helpful to get you what you need and help you find what you’re looking for! You see the owner’s characteristics in the shop, just like if you go into somebody else’s home. It shows their personality.
Mom: I think they’re exceptionally helpful in A Quilter’s Oasis. They have a really big collection of batiks, so that would be a distinctive for them.
Me: I think A Quilters Oasis also had more “cutesy” fabrics, which is good if that’s what you’re looking for.
Mom: Yeah. And so many quilts displayed, which is really nice!
Carrol’s Garden quilt for an upcoming class with instructor Brittany DeVries (October 28).
They were indeed very helpful at A Quilters Oasis, which was our first stop. I think by the time we’d been there 10 minutes, three different people had asked if we needed anything! We checked out their classroom space, and even the class participants were super friendly.
We ended up in a whole conversation with the staff about our attempted trip to the Northern Arizona Quilt Shop Hop and the upcoming one in the Phoenix area. They shared what they could about shop hop plans that were already in the works.
Instructor Kathy Reynolds will teach a class on making this “Vintage” quilt on October 3.
For their store specifically, that includes deciding where to get cookies this year, because, apparently, they give away tons of them during the shop hop! The fact that they’re already working on this tells me their priorities are in the right place.
Mad B’s t-shirt collaboration with State Forty-Eight.
We followed that up by visiting another Mesa-based quilt shop, Mad B’s Quilt and Sew.
Me: Maybe the fabrics were a little more modern at Mad B’s.
Mom: Yeah, maybe a little more modern. Mad B’s always has their projects out for you to look at – if you can find them!
She laughed, because we had gone around the whole store trying to find a particular sample project that she wanted to show me. Turns out the teachers make their own demonstration samples for classes and take them home once the class is over, so it actually wasn’t even there anymore.
Space patterned fabrics at Mod B’s.
We turned our attention to gathering supplies for the next class Mom would be taking there. Sales associates helped us locate the right zippers and figure out how much of different types of fabric she’d need for the project.
The entrance to Mad B’s in Mesa.
She’s been taking extra classes at Mad B’s this summer. They offered this great deal where you’d buy a Class Pass and then could take all the classes you want in July and August without paying additional class fees.
It seems like a nice way to liven up a time of year when the heat is feeling oppressive and not much is going on!
Mom: A quilt shop hop is a regional opportunity to see different quilt shops. For us here in the Valley, they’re spread for – I don’t know – 50 miles? So a lot of times people will divide and do the West Valley one time and the East Valley another time. But there’s also groups of quilters who will just rent a bus or a van and go, for the whole day, from one shop to the next!
While many of the details were yet-to-be released, we did find out a few things about this fall’s Phoenix-area shop hop, which is more formally known as…
Hop Around the Valley: Maricopa County Shop Association Shop Hop
Dates: October 6-14, 2023
Passports are $10 and are now available for purchase at any of the shops.
Get passport stamps by visiting all 9 participating shops during the Shop Hop dates to be eligible for the grand prizes!
Have prize drawings, including two $50 gift cards for their shop!
October should be a much nicer time of year to be hopping around Phoenix. I think my mom has already bought her passport!
Another participating shop is Sun Valley Quilts. I met owner, Barbara Connoyer at the Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival., and took a photo of her and a rep from The Grace Company at their booth.
In case you’re not familiar, you can think of a quilt shop hop as kind of like a pub crawl, only with less alcohol and a lot more fabric.
Different quilt shops in a region will participate with demonstrations, prizes, and fun activities. You “hop” around to the different ones. Instead of tickets or admission, you can purchase a single passport that allows you to join in the extra festivities at each shop.
Banner project via Quilt N Sew Connection, Prescott Valley.
To join in, you just start in any of the 6 participating shops and buy a passport for $5. That gets you entry into prize drawings and a 10% discount on merchandise, as you visit the rest of the shops (or as many of them as you’d like).
Route on Google Maps.
The Plan
My mom wanted to go check out that Northern Arizona Shop Hop, so we hatched a plan to make a day trip while I was visiting her recently.
The plan was to time our two-hour drive from Phoenix so we’d arrive as the shops were opening. We wouldn’t get to all of them, but we might be able to go to 3 or 4 out of the 6, and then get back to her house in time for Phillip and I to drive home to Tucson (two hours in the opposite direction).
What actually happened was a different story – more on that in a minute.
While the day did not go as planned, I had looked up a bunch of stuff about the shops ahead of time. And had done some deep dives into Google Maps street views of our destinations, because even map apps can be confusing!
Via Sew-n-Sew Fabric, Notions + More.
Let’s Go to the Hop
In case you’d like to plan your own Northern Arizona quilt store expedition (during a shop hop or not), I wanted to share the information I found about the shops I was planning on going to.
Before you drive across the state, it’s always a good idea to check AZ511 for road closures because of construction, weather, wildfires, etc.
Exit to Chino Valley, via Google Maps.
Start here!
Take the I-17 north out of the Phoenix area.
When you get to Cordes Junction, peel off onto AZ-69 North (take exit 262 for Cordes Lakes) towards Prescott.
You’ll get to Prescott Valley first, and that’s where you’ll find the first two shops on our list…
One of the town trails via Prescott Valley Parks + Recreation.
Prescott Valley
In case you’re not familiar with the area, yes, Prescott Valley is a different town than Prescott, which is almost 100 years older!
Find them at 6546 E. Second St., Suite A, Prescott Valley
From Cordes Junction, stay on AZ-69 for about 30-40 minutes.
Take a left onto Valley View Drive – which may look less like like a street and more like the entrance to the Mattress + Furniture Gallery parking lot.
Quilt N Sew Connection is in one of the Santa Fe style buildings on Second Street, across from the Post Office.
“A great selection of quality quilting fabrics, battings, books and supplies,” as well as “a passion for batiks!” On the home decorating side, they carry an assortment of upholstery fabrics for both DIYers and pros – and (heads up, cosplayers!) they also have an entire foam department.
Find them at 6479 E. Copper Hill Dr., Prescott Valley
From Quilt N Sew, cross AZ-69 and turn onto Copper Hill Drive.
ClothPlus is in a warehouse-looking building on the south side of the street.
Prescott Courthouse via Visit Prescott on Flickr.
Prescott
Prescott’s Courthouse Plaza is home to craft fairs, festivals, and lots of other outdoor events! It’s surrounded by a town square full of quirky shops and restaurants, historic hotels, and old-timey saloons. We were hoping to be there by lunchtime.
Snow falling on the shop! Via Prescott Quilt Works.
A new full-service quilt shop with “a curated selection of both traditional and modern fabrics, patterns, and supplies.” Their goal is “to inspire and help you create your vision while having fun from start to finish.”
Open Tue, Thr-Sat 10am-4pm / Wed 10am-6pm
Contact hello@prescottquiltworks.com / Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest / (928) 515-2276 Find them at 1781 E. AZ-69, Suite 29, Prescott
Get back on AZ-69 North until you spot Frontier Village Shopping Center on your left.
Prescott Quilt Works is a couple doors down from Sportsman’s Warehouse.
Overlooking Chino Valley in Northern Arizona at sunset. Via Discover Chino Valley.
Chino Valley
If we had time to squeeze it in, this would be our final stop of the day.
Antique sewing machine at Sew-n-Sew Fabric in Chino Valley.
“This store has been a dream of mine for over 30 years and to see it come to fruition has me beyond words. Our goal is to provide a one stop shop for all your basic sewing needs.”
Open Mon-Sat 9am-6pm
Contact yoursewnsew@yahoo.com / Facebook / (928) 636-3769 Find them at 1120 S. Hwy 89, Suite E. Chino Valley
Get back onto AZ-69, but prepare to take a pretty quick right.
Exit onto AZ-89 North.
Go through like 6 traffic circles. Make sure you’re still on AZ-89 when you come out the other side of each one!
At the stoplight intersection with Rt 2 S, make a U-turn. (Where are those traffic circles when you finally need one?!)
Sew-n-Sew will be on the right, in a strip mall with a blue roof.
Quilter’s Quarters shop, photo by Paula Fleming via Google Maps.
Cottonwood + Flagstaff
The other two participating shops that we knew we wouldn’t be able to fit into our day trip…
Usually, going to Northern Arizona in the summer means cool weather instead of Phoenix heat.
However, as the shop hop got closer, the whole state seemed to be scorching. Even in the high country, they were expecting temps of 98-100, which is not cool. But cooler than Phoenix by about 20 degrees, so that’s something.*
I checked in with Mom.
Me: If it’s hot up north, do you still want to go?
Mom: Sure!
Mom remembered she had a doctor’s appointment scheduled for the morning of our trip. It would mean heading north a bit later, but we could make it work if the appointment didn’t go too long.
Me: If we leave straight from your doctor’s office, do you still want to go?
Mom: Sure!
The appointment went too long. It was midday before Mom finally reappeared in the waiting room. We started talking about if it made any sense to try to drive up just for the afternoon. Then Mom had an idea.
Mom: Instead of making a long drive, do you want to visit a couple nearby quilt shops and then go see the Barbie movie?
Me: Sure!
That was a plan that worked out perfectly. The Barbie movie was great! And I’ll fill you in on the Phoenix-area (East Valley) stores we visited in the next few weeks.
*Temperatures were around 37 Celsius in the normally-much-cooler northern Arizona region. Hot. But slightly less hot than the Phoenix area, where it was 47 C!
“We … find our way on canoes as we travel across the ocean where there are no street signs.”
Even in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with no land in sight – and no GPS – Lehua Kamalu knows where she’s going.
Hōkūle’a was designed to replicate traditional Polynesian voyaging canoes. Photo courtesy of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
I learned about Lehua through an interview on the Overheard at National Geographic podcast. As part of the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS), she has learned to find her way across the waves by employing ancestral knowledge and constant, keen observation of her surroundings.
Captain navigator Lehua Kamalu before departing on a voyage from Hawaii to California in August 2018. Photo by Hye Jung Kim / Polynesian Voyaging Society.
“Wayfinding for us really is the idea that with the naked eye, with all of your senses, [you] immerse yourself into the signs of the natural world around you.”
The Polynesian Voyaging Society was founded in the 1970s, part of a Hawaiian cultural renaissance of pre-colonial arts, language, knowledge, and skills. They re-learned how to build the large, ocean-going canoes that had originally brought Polynesians to the Hawaiian islands centuries ago, as well as the navigational methods that guided them.
“Waves create regular, readable patterns in the ocean that are long range and very consistent, particularly in the tropics, particularly here in Polynesia, and are very reliable to find your way.”
The first voyaging canoe PVS built was the 62-foot long Hōkūleʻa, which was launched in 1975 and has since traveled over 140,000 nautical miles! The next canoe, Hikianalia, was built in 2012.
Photo courtesy of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
In 2018, after years of honing her navigational skills, Lehua Kamalu became the first woman to captain one of these canoes on an extended voyage.
It was fascinating to hear her describe what it’s like to sail across the Pacific Ocean without present-day navigational equipment.
“The navigator’s job is to spend as little time sleeping as possible. And as much time watching for consistency, watching for patterns in the sky and in the ocean, and also for changes and comparing what’s going on between the two.”
Currently, she’s one of the 400 crew members of two Polynesian voyaging canoes (Hōkūle‘a and Hikianalia) that are circumnavigating the Pacific on the 43,000-nautical-mile “Voyage for the Earth,” Moananuiākea.
While we haven’t seen any big storms yet, it’s technically Arizona monsoon season. One of these days, the clouds will move in overhead to deliver much-appreciated rain to this desert town.
In the meantime, our schedules shift to avoid the midday heat. Events move to nighttime, indoors, or up in elevation. This season’s Happenings List focuses on events in cooler parts of Arizona and at cooler times of day.
Night market at MSA Annex.
If you’re new to the Happenings List, here’s what to know:
The Happenings List is my seasonal selection of goings-on for lovers of art, craft, culture(s), and nature.
*Goodies: The List is peppered with extras, freebies, and discounts! Just look for the asterisks (*).
Not in Arizona? In the last section are Happenings and Goodies you can enjoy from virtually ANYWHERE!
World Embroidery Day is July 30! So this time, the ANYWHERE section also includes worldwide embroidery classes and bonus embroidery Goodies!
Full disclosure: There’s not much to disclose. I’m not paid to list particular events. I don’t work for any of these companies. As an Etsy affiliate, I may earn a small commission from links I share, but I choose which artists and products to highlight.
Did you go to one of the events on the List? I’d love to hear how it went! Send me an email or hashtag social media posts about your experience with #TCJreco.
That’s enough things, right?! Let’s get to the List…
July 8, 4-5:30pm / Fushicho Daiko Dojo, Phoenix / Trial class fee $20
Single-class sessions on Taiko, Japanese ensemble drumming, so you can try it out before deciding whether to commit to ongoing classes. Learn the background and significance of Taiko and learn your first song! Try Taiko classes for adults are on Saturday evenings at the beginning of each month. Classes for kids happen less frequently, so watch the registration page.
July 9, 2-4pm / Tempe Public Library, Tempe / Free.
Step-by-step paper craft class on turning a “retired” book into a colorful, decorative peacock! There is no fee, but registration is required.
*Part of the library’s Adult Summer Reading Program. Earn points and prizes by signing up, logging your time reading, and participating in events (like this class)!
July 12 – October 11, 6pm / Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix / Tickets $8.
Four-film series celebrating Cuba’s complex history, which provides deeper context for the museum’s current special-engagement exhibition Juan Francisco Elso: Por América (which runs until 9/17). The films will screen monthly, starting this summer and continuing through Hispanic Heritage Month. Each screening will be on a Wednesday at 6pm in Whiteman Hall on the first floor of the Phoenix Art Museum.
The related Juan Francisco Elso exhibition is in the Steele Gallery, (between the museum entrance and the room where the films are showing). This special exhibition requires a $6 ticket for adults (youth 17 and under are free)!
*Enjoy free general admission to the museum before the films (starting at 3pm), because all 4 screenings take place during Pay-What-You-Wish-Admission evenings!
now – July 22 (Thursdays through Saturdays) / Red Rock Ranch and Farms, Concho / Free.
Six-week festival of lavender grown in the mountains of northeastern Arizona. See the fields in bloom, learn about growing and cooking with lavender, visit the lavender shop to purchase plants and gift items, or cut your own lavender bouquet (clippers provided).
Red Rock Ranch’s wine tasting room will be open during the festival for tastings, as well as for purchasing wine and cheese plates.
Pets are not allowed at the farm during the festival.
Post-festival hours: Starting July 29, the Wine Tasting Room and Shop will be open Saturdays 1-6pm.
July 1-3 / Charlie Clark’s Orchard, Pinetop / Free.
Arts festival with live music, food and drink under tall pines. Attended by thousands of seasonal and year-round residents and visitors, it takes place in the Orchard, a park-like setting adjacent to Charlie Clark’s restaurant.
The Festival is organized by the High Country Art Association, a non-profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to showcasing creative, original visual arts and fine crafts in the White Mountains.
Read about a camping trip we took near Pinetop-Lakeside.
Fine arts and crafts festival that takes place over the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends in a grassy park in Downtown Flagstaff.
Vendors: Juried selection of 70 artists from across the Southwest.
Food + beverage: Square Root Foods, Hot Bamboo, Safari Samosas, Cody Coyote Kettle Corn, Lulu’s Italian Waterice, Single Speed Coffee Roasters, and the Shady Beer Garden, which features local and regional breweries and benefits Special Olympics Arizona.
Entertainment: Nonstop live music, including Craig Yarbrough, Flag5, Matt Bingham, Matthew Henry Hall, Rideshare, Sister and the Sun, Two Hand Union, Stan Clark and Tim Hogan, Paul and Friends, and TheatriKids.
Via Pinetop Lakes Golf + Country Club on Facebook.
July 1 + 10, August 2 + 16 / Pinetop Lakes Golf and Country Club, Pinetop / Free.
Live music and dancing on several summer Wednesdays and Saturdays. The event is free and open to the public! Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets to sit on.
Food + beverage: Hamburgers, hot dogs, adult beverages, and soft drinks available for purchase. (Cash only.)
Entertainment: Free line dance lessons at 3:30pm. Live music 4:30-7:30pm.
August 3, 10am-3pm / Prescott Quilt Works, Prescott / $45 class fee
5-hour course on the art of Boro stitching, a traditional Japanese textile technique renowned for its beauty, history and sustainability. Instructor Socorro “CoCo” Alaniz will explain how Boro originated in Japan during the Edo Period (1609-1868) as a means of mending and repurposing textiles in rural farming communities. Learn about its profound cultural significance and walk away with a beautiful handmade scarf!
A limited number of kits will be available for purchase at Prescott Quilt Works
a week before the class. These will include linen or muslin fabric for the scarf,
lace findings, and other cute accessories to add to your project.
September 30, 5pm. / High Country Motor Lodge, Flagstaff / General Admission Ticket $75
All-ages festival outside a refurbished mid-century motel off Route 66. Featured performers include Color Green, Sylvie, The Senators, Spencer Cullum + Rich Ruth, and Kacy + Clayton. Proceeds benefit the Glen Canyon Institute, which is working to restore the ecosystem of Glen Canyon and Colorado River.
Doors open at 4pm. Bands start at 5pm.
Food trucks and a full bar will be on-site. All attendees will be carded.
The show will go on rain or shine!
*Complimentary valet parking for all attendees presenting a valid Flagstaff Fadeaway ticket.
Now – August 12, Saturdays 6pm – 8pm / Reid Park Zoo, Tucson / Admission $6-11.
The zoo opens up on summer Saturday nights for live music and entertainment, keeper chats, animal encounters, crafts and games. Each week is themed around a different kind of animal from the zoo.
Face painting and glitter tattoos will be available for purchase.
Ticket details: $10.50 for adults (ages 15-61), $8.50 for seniors (ages 62+), $6.50 for youth (ages 2-14), and free for children under 2.
Now – August / Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Tucson / Included with admission.
Incorporating locally-found materials, Chilean artist and poet Cecilia Vicuña arranged hundreds of hanging knotted fibers and into what she calls a “poem in space,” which speaks to the way we are interconnected with each other and our environment. This is an exhibition created specifically for the Great Hall of MOCA Tucson, shaped by contributions from the community!
Goodies:
*Outside the museum is Mini MOCA, a small artworks exchange in the style of a little free library.
*Discounts for Downtown Clifton Hotel guests: 2 for 1 admission at MOCA, as well as 10% off any purchase in the MOCA Shop.
“Solar Tower” by Jerald Jacquard outside Tucson Museum of Art.
Now – September 17 / Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson / Included with admission.
Every-other-year exhibition of innovative and diverse new works by Arizona artists. It provides an opportunity for emerging artists to exhibit their art in a museum setting and to introduce it to the public. A new juror from outside the state is selected to curate each Arizona Biennial, reviewing the works of hundreds of artists to create a cohesive exhibition that becomes an overview of artistic creativity in Arizona.
This year’s juror, Taína Caragol, is the Curator of painting, sculpture, and Latinx art and history at the National Portrait Gallery, who led the portrait commission of former President Obama by Kehinde Wiley.
*First Thursday. On the first Thursday of the month, TMA offers extended hours (5-8pm), pay-what-you-wish admission, art and gallery activities, entertainment, and a cash bar. Reserve your free ticket online.
*Second SundAZe. Focused on intergenerational learning, the Second Sunday of the month features activities and art-making for kids, as well as docent talks, free performances, and pay-what-you-wish admission.
July 14 + Aug 11, 6-8pm / Marana Heritage River Park, Marana / Fee $38
Evening painting class inside a barn on July and August evenings! An experienced instructor will guide you stroke-by-stroke to create your very own take-home masterpiece! The cost of registration includes a 16×20″ canvas and painting supplies. No experience necessary.
Participants who are over 21 may bring beer or wine to enjoy responsibly (with ID). Although not provided, you can also bring your own food to the event.
Each month’s paint subject will be on the Town of Marana Parks and Recreation Facebook page.
Advance registration is required on the event website.
July 15, August 12, September 16, 10am-5pm / The Annabelle Studio, Tucson / Free.
Indoor market meant to reflect Tucson’s unique, diverse maker community, especially BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ artists. Every Old Pueblo Market has new vendors, because they give priority to creators who are just starting out and may have not have market experience.
July 29-30 / Tohono Chul Gardens, Galleries, and Bistro, Tucson / Free.
Annual plant sale where Tohono Chul hosts dozens of nursery growers, who showcase their botanicals under the shade of ramadas. You can pre-order plants from Borderlands Restoration Network to pick up there.
August 9-13 / Headquarters: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tucson – Reid Park, Tucson / $30 registration + activity fees.
4-day festival for recreational birders, featuring a Nature Expo / vendor fair, field trips, workshops, photography events, and social hours. It’s organized by Tucson Audubon Society, a nonprofit for engaging people in the conservation of birds and their habitats.
The Opening Celebration and the Nature Expo are free and do not require registration.
Scholarships Available: Tucson Audubon Society is committed to connecting all people to nature regardless of income. Anyone with a financial need is encouraged to apply. Scholarships are given based on availability of funds.
*ANYWHERE: Online guide to the birds of Southeast Arizona.
The Old Town Artisans shops are right across the street from the Presidio Museum.
August 19, 6:15pm – 9:30pm / Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum, Tucson / Free.
Modern-day Tucson’s official founding day fiesta to “Celebrate All Things S cuk-sǫn/Tucson.” Food, drinks, family activities, and cultural performances, including folklorico dancing and Waila Music!
August 31 – September 3 / Casino Del Sol, Tucson / Free.
Colors of the Stone with To Bead True Blue and Artisan Workshops is a show that includes established and emerging glass artists, gem cutters, ceramists, bead makers, jewelry artists, mineral hunters, lapidaries, and gold smiths.
Shop from a collection of artisan handcrafted products made from sustainable materials in natural colors and buy directly from the source.
September 1-3 / Tucson Convention Center, Tucson / Adult Full Weekend Membership Pass $64
Community-based pop culture event that seeks to be America’s friendliest convention! The 3-day con features Q+A panels, workshops, costume contests, photo ops, and a large exhibitor hall. There will be actors, authors, comic book artists, and cosplayers appearing as special guests.
Artist Alley: Meet writers, pencillers, inkers, and colorists from all over the world. Some offer one-of-a-kind sketches and commissions at their tables (usually grouped together in one aisle or section of the exhibitor hall).
Game Area: Play video games – including vintage arcade games – board games, card games, and role-playing games!
Inclusive Quiet Zone: A welcoming place to take a break from the hectic convention floor.
*Early Bird Pricing: Adult (age 14+) Full Weekend Pass $50 through 7/7. Kids (age 9-13) $20.
Water Harvester– short documentary about rainwater collection that’s perfect for monsoon season!
Reid Park Zoo web cams– see what the animals are up to! August 12 is World Elephant Day.
The Thief Collector documentary looks at the painting Woman-Ochre’s theft and the secret lives of the crime’s main suspects. It is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime. You can also pre-order the Blu Ray/DVD before its August 15 release date.
Tempe Library volunteer-lead discussion of recent novels or the occasional nonfiction title on the third Tuesday of the month.
7/18:American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
8/15: The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah
Socialize with the group 6-6:30pm
Book discussion 6:30-7:45pm
You will receive the URL after you register.
Juan Francisco Elso, Pájaro que vuela sobre América [Bird that Flies Over America], 1985. Carved wood, branches, wax, jute thread, and basket elements. Courtesy of Mr. Reynold C. & Dr. Marlene L. Kerr, Miami, Florida. Photo: Manu Sassoonian.
Learn about Juan Francisco Elso’s deep cultural and aesthetic ties to Mexico and Mesoamerican cultural traditions from Mexico City-based artist Magali Lara and Cuauhtémoc Medina, Chief Curator at MUAC (University Museum of Contemporary Art, Mexico City).
Presented on Zoom (in Spanish with live English translation).
San Francisco School of Needlework and Design (SFSNAD) exhibiting artist Lesia Pona demonstrates traditional embroidery techniques from across Ukraine. She will highlight embroidered shirts from regions such as Merezshka (drawn thread), Vyrizuvania (cutwork), and Nyzynka (vertical weaving stitch).
There are over 250 stitches used in Ukrainian folk embroidery with techniques unique to each region.
A portion of ticket sales will go towards Razom for Ukraine, a 501(c)3 based in the Bay Area helping provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by the war in Ukraine.
Related in-person San Francisco School of Needlework and Design events:
July 22 – September 16: Lesia Pona’s exhibition, “Life is One Fragile Thread: Traditional Embroidery of Ukraine” in SFSNAD’s Hanging Thread Gallery. Free admission.
July 22, 10am-1 pm: donation-based Merezshka (drawn thread) embroidery workshop with Lesia Pona at SFSNAD. Followed by an artist reception (2-4pm).
July 22, 10:30am – noon (Central) / 9:30-11:am Pacific / Class fee $60
Class with a master embroideress from Sumpango, Guatemala, a town known for its beautiful embroidery tradition. Fee includes live Zoom instruction, background cultural information on the patterns, step-by-step stitching PDF guide, a canvas tote stenciled will the embroidery pattern, and a variety of naturally-dyed cotton threads.
Materials will be shipped to you.
Class recording will be available for participatants to re-watch.
August 9 (part 1) + August 16 (part 2), 10 am-3 pm / Class fee $360 + materials
Two-session Zoom course using embroidery to explore the history of the shamrock of Northern Ireland. It is part of a series on the symbolic flora of the UK’s four countries taught by Lucy Barter, SFSNAD Creative Director. Each classic design will consist of cross filling, blackwork patterns, gold couching, pearl purl, and padded satin stitching.
Upcoming courses will be centered around the thistle of Scotland and the daffodil of Wales. (The course on Englands’s Tudor rose was in June.)
Materials: The kit for these classes will be sold separately. Your instructor will email you with further instructions.
September 6 + 13: Scotland’s Thistle
October 11 + 18: Wales’s Daffodil
PS Photos I didn’t take link to their respective sources.
The Summer Night Market is starting up again, so I’ve updated the links and info in this post. There are now over 60 participating vendors! The Market happens from 6-10pm the last Friday of the (Tucson) summer months – May through September.
2023 dates are May 26, June 30, July 28, August 25 + Sept 29.
Emily lighting up the Melrose Macramé booth (more of Jessica’s macramé and Emily’s lights in the top/featured photo)
A few dozen vendors bring their handmade goods and set up around the shipping container shopping center – along with food trucks and a DJ. Of course, the regular shops, restaurants, and bar stay open too.
Links to Etsy shops have been converted to affiliate links. Etsy purchases you make after clicking them earns a small commission that helps this site without costing you anything extra!
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