The Wellington Embroiderers' Guild

Guild Meeting Speaker: Mary Self

Wednesday 12 November 2025
7.00pm
Loaves and Fishes Hall, 2 Hill Street, Thorndon

The Guild is delighted to have Mary Self as our guest speaker this month. Mary was the Artist in Residence at the Botanic Gardens in Wellington, based in the garden’s treehouse. We will hear about her residency and her concern about the possible demise of the Begonia House.

Bejeweled Insects with Cathrine Lloyd

Saturday 8 November 2025
10.00am – 4.00pm
Karori Community Centre, 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori

In this workshop, led by WEG’s President and seasoned embroiderer Cathrine Lloyd, you’ll learn the art of stitching a beautiful garden insect using vibrant threads, sequins, and beads. The Beetle workshop is the second in a series of three workshops; come to one workshop or all three – Dragonfly, Beetle, and Butterfly.

Whether you’re an experienced stitcher or a newcomer to embroidery, this class offers the perfect opportunity for you to express your love for gardens and insects while transforming your stitches into a piece of art that celebrates the magic of nature.

Craft & Curio Market

Sunday 2 November 2025
10.00am – 2.00pm
34 Mulgrave Street, Pipitea, Wellington

As part of this year’s Heritage Festival the grounds of Old St Pauls’s @oldstpaulsnz will be transformed into a vibrant Craft & Curio Market which will feature a handpicked selection of stalls showcasing all kinds of lovingly produced local crafts and incredible curiosities. This boutique market is a unique and fun heritage shopping experience for all!

As well market stall there will be games, music, tours and activities and captivating live demonstrations from the Wellington Embroiderers’ Guild @wellingtonembroiderersguild and the Wellington Combined Society of Bellringers @wellingtonbellringers.

Glimmers of Gold by Jo Dixey

1st -30th September 2025
10.00am – 4.00pm
Old St Paul’s, 34 Mulgrave Street, Pipitea, Wellington 6011

Welcome to Glimmers of Gold, atomic number, 79.
79 gorgeous hand embroidered gold humans will adorn OSP’s vestry for the month of September. ‘Glimmers of Gold’ is an exhibition created by Royal School of Needlework trained embroiderer Jo Dixey.

Jo is constantly fascinated by the short interactions we have as humans that leave us with calm or happy feelings.
‘In psychology, these tiny moments that stimulate [these feelings] are called glimmers’.

Petals and Threads: Patterns in Nature and Needle Exhibition

AUCTION: Petals and Threads

27th August -27th September 2025
Online Auction

Here’s your opportunity to own a beautiful piece of hand stitched embroidery artwork inspired by nature.

Petals and Threads is a collaborative project that brings together the work of plant artist Kate McAlpine and the talented members of the Wellington Embroiderers’ Guild. Kate – weed ecologist by day, plant artist by night – creates her original artworks using materials gathered from the natural world: native and invasive plants, seedpods, cicada shells, butterfly wings, and more.

For Petals and Threads, 20 Guild members have each selected one of Kate’s pieces to interpret in stitch. Using a wide range of embroidery techniques – and plenty of artistic licence – each embroiderer has created a unique response to Kate’s composition. The result is a series of paired works that celebrate pattern, form, and texture – expressed through the interplay of paint and thread, plant and needle, science and art.

Check it out at the link below and be sure to come along and see the artworks in person at
Te Auaha, 19th-27th September 2025

Petals and Threads Workshop: Hands-on Plant Art

Saturday 27th September 2025
1.00pm – 3.00pm
Te Auaha Exhibition Gallery, 65 Dixon St, Te Aro, Wellington

Come and join us for a creative workshop hosted by Kate McAlpine. The workshop supports the exhibition Petals and Threads: Patterns in Nature and Needle, a collaboration between plant artist and ecologist Kate Mc Alpine and The Wellington Embroiderers’ Guild.

In this relaxed, hands-on Plant Art Workshop, learn how to arrange natural materials into unique, ephemeral artworks inspired by the beauty, shapes, and textures of Aotearoa’s flora.
All materials are provided, including a variety of leaves, flowers, seeds, and other found treasures. Or feel free to bring along your own natural finds—plant material or anything else that sparks your creativity. There are no rules! Whether you’re new to art or a seasoned nature-lover, this is a chance to experiment, play, and see the natural world in a new way.

Check out Kate McAlpine’s site: https://plantart.nz/portfolio/petals-and-threads-patterns-in-nature-and-needle/

Alongside the Workshop:
The Exhibtition: Petals and Threads: Patterns in Nature and Needle Exhibition
Online Auction: Bid on all 44 artworks during the exhibition period.
Another Workshop at Te Auaha:
Stitching with Nature – 1pm 20 September
Register to save your seat below!
Calendar: A beautifully designed 2026 calendar featuring 12 pairs of selected works, available for purchase via the WEG Website and in person. More details to come!

The exhibition is part of a fundraising project supporting the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/ and us here the Wellington Embroiderers’ Guild.

Celebrate the Fabric

Wednesday 24th September 2025
10.30am
Loaves and Fishes Hall at Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, Corner of Molesworth and Hill Streets, Thorndon

Exquisite pieces of needlework are on display and in use every day at Wellington Cathedral of St Paul: beautifully decorated fabrics that hang at the front of the altars, spectacular robes and stoles worn by priests at services, and fine linens used at every service of Holy Communion. You’ll learn much about this remarkable fabric artistry when Jo Dixey talks to the Friends of Wellington Cathedral of St Paul and guests.

The event is free to Friends of Wellington Cathedral of St Paul and a donation of $10 from non-members would be appreciated. 
Light refreshments will be served.

Petals and Threads Workshop: Stitching with Nature

Saturday 20th September 2025
1pm – 3.00pm
Te Auaha Exhibition Gallery, 65 Dixon St, Te Aro, Wellington

Come and join us for a creative workshop hosted by The Wellington Embroiderers’ Guild. The workshop supports the exhibition Petals and Threads: Patterns in Nature and Needle, a collaboration between plant artist and ecologist Kate Mc Alpine and The Wellington Embroiderers’ Guild.

In this workshop you’ll be using nature as a resource, including seeds, seed pods and leaves. Participants will explore techniques for combining traditional embroidery with natural materials to make one-of-a-kind textile art pieces.

All materials will be provided and the workshop is koha.

Alongside the Workshop:
The Exhibtition: Petals and Threads: Patterns in Nature and Needle Exhibition
Online Auction: Bid on all 44 artworks during the exhibition period.
Another Workshop at Te Auaha:
Hands-on Plant Art – 1pm 27 September
Register to save your seat below!
Calendar: A beautifully designed 2026 calendar featuring 12 pairs of selected works, available for purchase via the WEG Website and in person. More details to come!

The exhibition is part of a fundraising project supporting the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/ and us here the Wellington Embroiderers’ Guild.

Fabric-a-brac: Wellington

20th September 2025
10am – 1pm 
St Anne’s Hall, Newtown, Wellington

Fabric-a-brac is a fun fabric and sewing supplies market where you can shop for vintage and modern sewing and upholstery fabric, patterns, haberdashery and more. It brings the sewing community together to share stashes, stories and delight in our mutual love of textiles.

Fabric-a-brac is volunteer-run, and is a fundraiser for hospice – in Wellington this is Mary Potter Hospice. All profits from this event are donated to their work. They’ve raised over $80,000 since their first event in 2009.

The fabulous cafe is back with all of its gorgeous volunteers and fab food. There will be tea, coffee and sweet treats for sale, so you can sit down and chat over your new projects and fabric purchases. All proceeds from the cafe also go to Hospice.

Costume Showcase 2025

September 19th & 20th 2025
Te Whaea: National Dance & Drama Centre, 11 Hutchison Road, Newtown, Wellington, New Zealand

Not to be missed annual showcase of costume design and crafting talent by the costumier graduates of Toi Whakaari 2025.
With two showings per evening on September 19th & 20th, this 30 minute showcase is one of the highlights of the academic year.

Embroidered Leaves: an Arts & Crafts Inspired Workshop

Sunday 10 August 2025
10.00am – 1.30pm
Katherine Mansfield House & Garden, 25 Tinakori Road, Thorndon

In this embroidery class seasoned embroiderer Cathrine Lloyd will guide you through a series of stitches to complete a beautiful leaf design. Inspired by the wallpaper found on the walls of Katherine Mansfield House, embellish this design with beads, sequins and beautiful threads. Whether you’re an experienced stitcher or a newcomer to embroidery, this class offers the perfect opportunity for you to express your love for nature and the style of the Arts and Crafts movement. 

Morning tea and all materials provided except those noted below. This class will be followed by our monthly Stitching Circle from 2pm, so feel free to bring your lunch and stay on for the Stitching Circle. 
Beginners are very welcome.

What to bring: sharp embroidery scissors, a 8-inch hoop. The fabric will be cut for this size hoop only. You can buy a hoop for $15 from the tutor at the start of the class if you don’t have one.

Please note: The class will take place upstairs.

Bejeweled Insects with Cathrine Lloyd

Saturday 9 August 2025
10.00am – 4.00pm
Karori Community Centre, 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori

In this workshop, led by seasoned embroiderer Cathrine Lloyd, you’ll learn the art of stitching a beautiful garden insect using vibrant threads, sequins, and beads. The Dragonfly workshop is the first in a series of three workshops; come to one workshop or all three – Dragonfly, Beetle, and Butterfly.
Whether you’re an experienced stitcher or a newcomer to embroidery, this class offers the perfect opportunity for you to express your love for gardens and insects while transforming your stitches into a piece of art that celebrates the magic of nature.

Jogakbo Bojagi by Moonhee Han

Saturday 28 June 2025
10.00am – 4.00pm
Karori Community Centre, 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori

Cost: $50 for members and associate members
$80 for non-members
$25 for the materials kit, to be paid on the day in cash or bank transfer

This workshop is now FULLY BOOKED, please check out our other International Stitching Weekend classes!

Discover the art of jogakbo bojagi (patchwork quilting) the traditional Korean wrapping cloth made by piecing together fabric in beautiful colour compositions. In this workshop, you’ll create your own bojagi using traditional Korean silk and silk thread, while learning techniques for layout, colour matching, and hand-stitching. This session is best suited for those who already have sewing experience, and is especially designed with the Embroidery Guild community in mind.

All essential materials will be provided. You’re welcome to bring along any helpful tools you already use, such as sewing glasses, scissors, a firm felt or soft mat to work on, a grid ruler, a marking tool (like a thick needle), fine sew needles, and a few thin pins.

Come and enjoy the meditative rhythm of stitching while exploring
a rich Korean textile tradition.

Check out our May Newsletter for more info on Moonhee Han and our other talented tutors.

Ei Katu and Tivaevae with Mii Tupangaia and Friends

Saturday 28 June 2025
10.00am – 4.00pm
Sunday 29 June 2025
1:30am – 4:pm
Karori Community Centre, 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori

Saturday Class Cost: $50 for members and associate members
$75 for non-members

Sunday Communal Quilt Cost: $25 for everyone

On Saturday, learn the beautiful techniques to make both Ei Katu (floral head garlands) and Tivaevae (appliqué quilts) with guidance from our guest expert, Mii.
On Sunday, come together to stich a communal Tivaevae with friends.
Attend both days for the full experience, but if you can’t make it to one, you’re still welcome and encouraged to come along to the other.

Mii Hinarere Tupangaia is an amazing cultural advocate and teacher of Cook Islands heritage. Particularly of language, artistic practices and traditions. Mii has led numerous workshops and education programs across the country – we are very lucky to have her for a class teaching traditional crafts.

This will be a lovely social class, perfect for bringing along a friend and spending some quality time doing a hands on activity. Have a go and come along, learn a new fabric craft, technique and work with new materials.

Check out our May Newsletter for more info on Mii Tupangaia and our other talented tutors.

Tatreez by Meena Al-Emleh

Sunday 29 June 2025
10.00am – 1.00pm
Karori Community Centre, 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori

Cost: $35 for members and associate members
$65 for non-members
There may be an additional small materials cost to be confirmed

This workshop has been cancelled.

Meena Al-Emleh (Palestinian, Pākehā, Darkinjung) is a researcher, writer, speaker, and traditional Palestinian tatreez embroiderer. Tatreez, which translates to embroidery in Arabic, is a traditional artform and storytelling method from Palestine. This form of embroidery is a secret language, with each motif holding deep significance and layers of meaning.

In this workshop Meena will speak to the 3,000 year old history of this artform, as well as the meanings of some motifs and colour-use. We will then learn and practice tatreez together.

Check out our May Newsletter for more info on Meena Al-Emleh and our other talented tutors.

Kawandi with Wendy Welsh

Sunday 29 June 2025
10.00am – 3.00pm
Karori Community Centre, 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori

Cost: $50 for members and associate members
$80 for non-members

The traditional Kawandi is a hand stitched quilt originating from the Siddi people, made from scrap fabric, including old saris. Come along and learn this new way of assembling quilts by hand with Wendy.

Requirements:
Fabric:
A 12” x 12” square of a soft, open weave fabric for the backing.
A piece of batting the same size as the backing – preferably Pellon or lightweight batting.
A variety of scraps ranging in size from 3” to 6” width. Include a range of patterns – florals, stripes, spots etc.
Equipment:
Thread. Aurifil 12wt or DMC Perle 12 or 8 in a colour of your choosing.
A needle big enough for your thread, sharp and longish. E.g. Chenille or Milliner.
Small sharp scissors
Thimble (optional)
Pins

Wendy can provide the backing and the batting for $10. Please advise on
the registration form if you require this material pack.

Check out our May Newsletter for more info on Wendy Welsh and our other talented tutors.

Embroidered Heart with Cathrine Lloyd

Saturday 14 June 2025
10.00am – 3.00pm
Karori Community Centre, 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori

$30 Materials fee included in the price of the class.

This Karori Arts & Crafts workshop is suited to all levels, from beginners to experienced embroiderers who want to have a few hours of fun. Learn how to mount fabric in a hoop. Practice using running stitch, chain stitch, blanket stitch, and French knots. Incorporate fun embellishments into your embroidery work, like sequins, beads, and pipe cleaners.

Cathrine Lloyd is our guild president and a seasoned embroiderer. She holds an MA, Certificate in Adult Teaching, and City and Guilds Certificate in Surface Embroidery. Cathrine has undertaken courses at the Royal School of Needlework, the Pascal Jouen School of Embroidery in Brittany, and L’Ecole Lesage in Paris. Her work was recently exhibited in the Dream Gardens exhibition at the Aratoi Museum and Art Gallery.

Real Bodies by Jo Dixey

22 April 2025 to 4 May 2025
Hutt Art Society, 9/11 Myrtle Street, Hutt Central, Lower Hutt 5010

This show is not to be missed. Jo’s life drawing studies have been transformed into beautiful and intricate thread works for this exhibtion. The exhibition shows pieces from sketch to finished embroidery, really showing the breadth of visual drawn art and embroidery techniques.

We Did It Our Way II

22 April 2025 to 4 May 2025
Hutt Art Society, 9/11 Myrtle Street, Hutt Central, Lower Hutt 5010

This exhibition is a showcase of various member from the Tararua area. You can check out both Real Bodies and this together! A lovely collection by some talentent artists, noteably exploring mixed media, texture with 3D qualities, unique canvas choice such a wood, music sheets and collaged fabrics. Beautiful to see in person.

40 Years of Stitch in Upper Hutt

22 February 2025 – 4 May 2025
Whirinaki Whara Taonga, 836 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt 5018

This exhibition marks a significant milestone – 40 years of the Upper Hutt Stitching Guild, a community that has nurtured creativity, craftsmanship, and connection through the art of stitching. Showcasing a rich variety of works from intricate, fine art pieces to playful, accessible designs, each work tells a story of personal expression, skill, and the creative journey of its maker.

Dream Gardens at Katherine Mansfield House

15 Mar 2025 to 27 Apr 2025
Katherine Mansfield House & Garden, 25 Tinakori Road,
Thorndon, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand

After a season at Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History, a smaller ‘Dream Gardens’ comes to Katherine Mansfield House & Garden to continue the conversation between threadwork artist Cathrine Lloyd, sculptress Emily Efford, and painter Keren Chiaroni in a new setting. The exhibition also features an AV work by Kim Potter.
This mini exhibtion conisides with our Sunday 13th Stitch in at the Katherine Mansfield House so you can check out the incredible work and then have a coffee and do some of your own!