Mixed Media Stitching with Kristin!

I (literally) have been stitching for the past 55 or so years. The very first project I remember making was a set of kitchen towels for my dear Aunt Alice. Our Woolworths had all the DMC thread colors, the towel blanks, and iron-on transfers letting me stitch up a perfect gift for my favorite relative.

Fast forward so many, many, many years later and stitching is still a favorite pastime of mine. As my love of Mixed Media Art has grown and expanded, so have the possibilities of combining acrylic paint, 3-D objects, stencils, and dyed fabric with my stitches.

Join me for 3 days to explore the joy of Mixed Media Stitching!

• We will create some one-of-a-kind fabrics and embellishments with rust dying and Indigo dying. These are amazing to stitch on as you gain inspiration from the fabric.

• There will be a great stash of vintage fabrics and quilt squares to use as inspiration or the base of your project.

• I will show you a plethora of hand-embroidery stitches to include in your pieces.

• We will problem-solve ways to attach small 3-D objects to your fiber work

• We’ll make a fabric bead or two - warning, they are addictive!

• You may decide to incorporate slow stitching in your life as a stress reliever and creative outlet. I’ll get you started down that path.

• You’ll start a stitching project like a small art quilt with what you learn in this workshop. I’ll help you plan it out and get you on your way!

Students please bring:

• 10 x 12 (or thereabouts) Zippered Lingerie Laundry Bag (it will turn blue as it’s for your Indigo-dyed items)

• Small embellishments like buttons, metal tags, charms, and/or beads with which to adorn your piece

• A small collection (what will fit in a 9 x 12 envelope) of curated cotton fabrics and lace. If you know you love to work in a particular color palette, bring that as well as some lighter colors. 

• We will have an Indigo vat to dye 100% silk or cotton fabrics. Once everyone has dyed the items they desire for class, it will be open for dying for the balance of the weekend. Cotton, silk and natural fibers work if you’d like to bring additional items. 

• Embroidery thread - black, white, red and your favorite, always reach toward colors. These can be a variety of weights and colors plus I will have some to share.

• If you have favorite needles for hand-sewing, bring them, if not some will be provided

• Needle-threader, if you need it

• A battery-operated light source, if you need it to see your stitching

• Small spray bottle

• If you have a sensitivity, please bring rubber gloves for Indigo dying. I’ll have some basic Latex ones. 

• Glue Stick

• Small scissors for snipping threads

Your Kit Fee ($30.00 paid in cash to Kristin) includes: 

Shared fabrics, threads, beads, vintage fabrics and lace, paints, use of the Indigo Vats & tools for that, tools you need for successful stitching, tools you need for making fabric beads, and other cool stuff!

Your Instructor:

Kristin Reese Williams has spent a lifetime playing with yarn, embroidery floss, glitter, clay, rubber stamps, paper, paints, and glue (you get the picture). 

She was lucky to have an incredibly talented craftswoman for a mother who saw great value in children’s art and craft classes. That planted a seed for lifelong learning and craft supply hoarding. Mixed Media Stitching —Collage using abandoned quilt squares, StencilGirl® stencils, acrylic paint, embroidery floss and found objects — is her current obsession. 

For ten years Kristin was the owner and operator of Ephemera Paducah, an art & craft workshops space for adults located in Paducah, Kentucky. Kristin taught a variety of classes and workshops as well as hosted Nationally-recognized artist-instructors, attracting droves of students annually to the space.  

Kristin’s work has been featured in Art Journaling Magazine and Ephemera Paducah was featured in the Winter 2018 Where Women Create Business. She is also a designer and columnist for StencilGirl Stencils. 

After closing the shop and studio at the end of 2022, she gifted herself a “Gap Year” to reconnect with friends, travel, and figure out the next chapter of life. She is excited to step back into the classroom and hangout with Mixed Media Peeps!

See more about Kristin on her website, Facebook Page, Instagram,StencilGirl Products, and Pinterest.