Saturday 16 & 23 January 2027, 2 - 5pm GMT: Hungarian Written Panel with Sarah Pedlow

ONLINE WORKSHOP

Hosted on Zoom by Sarah Pedlow

Sunday 16 & 23 January 2027, 2-5pm GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)

Sarah Pedlow, the founder of ThreadWritten, is an artist working with embroidery and cultural preservation through workshops, textile travel tours, and fine art. ThreadWritten supports women artisans, traditional and contemporary textile practices, and the preservation of heritage through research, education, and the cultivation of a global community of makers. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Sarah moved to Amsterdam, NL, in 2019, where she now lives and works. She has taught and lectured at the Fashion Institute of Technology, The Textile Arts Council at the de Young Museum, San Francisco School of Needlework and Design, TATTER (Brooklyn, NY), The Embroiderers’ Guild of America, The John C. Campbell Folk School, Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, and Crafts Council Nederland. She holds an MFA in Visual Arts from Rutgers University (US) and her work has been featured in Uppercase, Veranda, House & Garden UK, Piecework, and Selvedge magazines.

Find her textile tours at threadwritten.com and her artwork at sarahpedlow.com.

Workshop Description
In this two-part workshop, participants will stitch a traditional floral pattern incorporating the Hungarian Kalotaszeg open chain stitch, írásos, and needleweaving techniques. Open to beginners and experienced embroiderers alike, students will learn or hone their skills developing consistency with the thick cotton thread. The first class will cover the foundation stitch, patterns and symbolism, and the history of the style. In the second class, students will learn the needle-weaving technique and other stitches that can accent the central motifs, while further practicing the open chain stitch.

Írásos is a true expression of Hungarian Kalotaszeg and Transylvanian culture and a pride of its people adorning textiles primarily for decorative use in the home. The first pieces date back to the 18th Century. In addition to embellishing the young woman’s blouse which is still worn today for ceremonies and festivals, some írásos originally decorated clothing while wall hangings were produced to commemorate life events and as gifts for the church. Girls would sew their dowries, comprised of pillows, sheets, and tablecloths, as well as elaborately decorated dresses that included ribbons and beadwork. While fewer and fewer women stitch írásos, the embroidery remains a rich and living part of Kalotaszeg cultural heritage today.

What's Provided in Your Workshop Pack:

• Cotton thread
• Linen fabric
• Pattern
• Needle
• Pen for transferring the pattern

Additional Materials to Bring:

• Scissors
• Optional: Embroidery hoop if you prefer using one (6 or 8 inches). Hoops are not
  traditionally used but you may find it easier.

Workshop Level: The workshop is open to beginners and advanced embroiderers. Experienced stitchers will enjoy using the stitch in a different way in the context of the tradition.

Please Note: Material packs are shipped on an insured, trackable delivery service. Any customs duties, delays, lost or undeliverable packages are the responsibility of the customer. Once a material pack leaves the workshop tutors' hands with a tracking number, the seller has no further obligation to the buyer.

If we reach capacity, we may close bookings. Be mindful that we must close bookings at least 3 weeks before the workshop, in order to ship material packs. We cannot accept bookings within the 3 weeks leading up to the workshop, because you will not receive materials pack in time. Book now to avoid disappointment.

Location
This is an online event. A Zoom link will be sent to participants the week before the workshop.

Workshop recording
The workshop will be recorded and the recording will be shared with you after the workshop. Please allow 7 working days for us to send you the recording.



Workshop Cancellation Policy

All places reserved for workshops are non-refundable. 

If you require additional information about this workshop please contact events@selvedge.org.

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