Stitched into the heart of Quinte

By Kodie Trahan-Guay

With the rise of fast fashion, many people have lost touch with how their clothes are made and
the intricate craftsmanship behind embroidery that beautifies those garments.

The Quinte Needlearts Guild, founded in 1990, is a not-for-profit organization with a purpose of
encouraging and promoting the art of needlework. More than just a place to stitch, the Guild
serves as a hub for community connection, offers a space to share their knowledge and
welcomes everyone from complete beginners to seasoned stitchers. Through workshops and
lessons, members learn new and innovative techniques—not just for stitching but for related
textile arts as well. By bringing people together, the Guild fosters a shared passion for
embroidery while striving for higher standards of design and craftsmanship.

Allie Kirby, a member of the Quinte Needlearts Guild, discovered the group online and joined. A
self-proclaimed “out-of-the-box” crafter, Kirby enjoys putting her own spin on traditional
techniques. While some lessons have served as a refresher, she’s also learned entirely new
skills. One of the Guild’s outreach efforts, public stitching events, has been a highlight for her.
“We did stitch in public on Saturdays at Trenton Library and Belleville Library. I was at Trenton,
and we had quite a few interested people. We had fun. One of our girls is teaching at the
Trenton Library for the month and then she's got 20 girls. So she's teaching embroidery.”
While the Guild welcomes members of all ages, most are retirees or individuals with grown
children as they have more free time to devote to the craft.

Sharon Craven, originally from Mississauga, found her way to the Guild after moving to the
Quinte region. A chance introduction at a local sewing group led her to join Quinte Needlearts
Guild. She loved meeting other artistic people who wanted to get together to create and learn.
She says that they’ve taught her things she never would have thought to try on her own.

“You all have that common bond. It was to meet other people and just get out and it's fun. I've
met so many lovely people and we learn because this is a teaching guild, and I've learned so
much.”

Craven has even passed her love of sewing to the next generation, teaching her
granddaughters. One of them took to it “like lightning.” She’s open to teaching more classes,
particularly in schools, as she’s seen firsthand how eager children are to learn. Keeping the craft
alive for future generations is something she’s passionate about.

The Quinte Needlearts Guild is committed to preserving embroidery on a local level, with
support from the Embroiderers’ Association of Canada (EAC/ACB).

The EAC/ACB preserves traditional embroidery techniques and promotes new embroidery
challenges through education and networking. They have an education team who help students
to gain the skills to execute more complicated stitches and designs.

“Additionally an annual Seminar is held in various locations across the country with classes
taught by teachers from around the world plus vendors who sell the materials that are
increasingly becoming difficult to find,” explains EAC/ACB Secretary Sandra Baker. “We also
have an online presence through our website and Facebook that promotes the values of the
organization.”

The EAC/ACB hopes to see embroidery recognized as a true art form and exhibited more
frequently in cultural institutions. Embroidery is both an art and a trade, passed down through
generations. Beyond its aesthetic value, it offers practical benefits, including improving fine
motor skills in children.

“Families these days are busy and more emphasis is being placed on sports and the
performing arts (dance and music) than on other creative arts. Children are generally not
encouraged to work with their hands. This is evident in the fact that enrolment in trade schools
is declining to the point where there are not enough young people coming into the trades to
replace the tradespeople who are retiring. Additionally, the loss of home economic programs in
the schools and the decline of textile arts programs in the 70s and 80s created a gap in young
people having access to this knowledge,” says Baker.

Preserving the art of embroidery will require dedication from skilled artisans and support from
the wider community. If you’re curious to learn, consider attending a Quinte Needlearts Guild
meeting—whether to repair and beautify your clothing or simply to try your hand at a craft that
has stood the test of time. The skills you gain will serve you for years to come.

This article was previously published in the Spring 2025 Vol. 34 No. 1 issue of Umbrella.
There will be a Quinte Needlearts Guild exhibition at the St. Thomas Anglican Church on
Saturday, May 3rd from 10:00-3:00.