Cross-Stitch Seminar: Christmas in Williamsburg

Artist, author and teacher Eileen Bennett is a recognized expert in the art of sampler stitching. Eileen is a much sought-after needlecraft instructor in the United States and abroad for her encyclopedic knowledge of historic embroideries. She is the author of seven books, including the two-volume A Note Book of Sampler Stitches, The Red Book of Sampler Stitches and A Note Book of Pulled Thread Stitches, that embroiderers routinely turn to for well-documented, historically accurate stitches. Eileen's designs are noteworthy for their authenticity and are much-admired for their comprehensive, easy-to-follow instructions and diagrams. Eileen has sold over 500,000 leaflets since opening her company, The Sampler House, in 1984. A member of The Embroiderers' Guild of America, Eileen has spent numerous years researching antique samplers and creating designs to offer today's stitcher that include both a challenging counted thread experience and a relaxing cross-stitched project.

For additional information on Eileen's books, designs or classes, visit her website: www.thesamplerhouse.net.

Jackie du Plessis was born and raised in South Africa. An art teacher by profession, she immigrated to the United States in 1995. She began her journey into the needle arts at a young age with the guidance of many talented women who passed along their love for needle art. Shortly after moving to the United States, she opened a finishing company under the It's Fine-ally Finished trade name. She soon developed and expanded into creating and designing projects with the focus of teaching finishing techniques. She has taught for many organizations, both national and international. Some of her work has been featured in Sampler and Antique Needlework Quarterly and Just CrossStitch magazines.

Jackie is passionate about her love for all needlework techniques and is tremendously fulfilled with passing on her knowledge to fellow stitchers and encouraging them to create and finish projects. To view some of Jackie's projects, visit her website: itsfineallyfinished.com.

Since 1976, Joanne Harvey has produced needlework reproductions and original designs under the name of The Examplarery. Her work is licensed by many of the leading museums and private collections, including Colonial Williamsburg, Winterthur, Rhode Island Historical Society, SPNEA, Peabody Essex Museum and Historic Deerfield. Joanne has blended her reproduction needlework seminars and lectures on historical needlework with woman's social history. Her work has also been commissioned by various motion picture productions as well. Her background includes a degree in Art Education and American History, and she has worked as a guide supervisor and conservation technician at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich.

Teacher Betsy Morgan was born in Florida and has lived in eight states and two foreign countries. She now makes her home on a small horse farm in rural Virginia with her husband, daughter and assorted horses, dogs and cats. She learned to embroider more than 50 years ago and has admitted to never being happier than when she has a needle in her hand. In the mid-1990s, she started designing needlework and became a professional in 2003 upon creating Willing Hands Needlework Design. Her teaching has taken her all over the United States and Canada, as well as England and Australia. She holds a BFA in graphic design from Philadelphia College of Art.

To view some of Betsy's projects, vist her blog: willinghandsstitching.blogspot.com.