About Me

I have been a needlework designer/teacher since I was young which was, alas, a long time ago.

At first I painted needlepoint canvases, then I fell in love with counted work on a study-trip in London. I survived  EGA Certification in canvaswork and later served on the Certification Committee twice.

For 25 years I taught needlepoint primarily at seminars for EGA, ANG and Callaway Gardens School of Needle Arts. In the spring of 2011 I retired from travel-teaching and now I am Queen of Queendom Website.

I have also spent a lot of time writing about needlework. I had written four books and too many magazine articles to count here and in London. My book, An Illustrated History of Needlework Tools, was even translated into German.

I am an avid collector. DH says it is in my genes, as my mother and both of my grandmothers were collectors. In addition to needlework tools, I collect lace and white work, cameos, greeting cards from the 1920’s and 30’s and all sorts of snippets of design inspiration.

In March 2008 MacSoph I (my computer) came into my life and I have been my Apple store's most avid Groupie ever since.

I am sad to write that in late 2018 we lost my long-time consultant Natalie. For all 10 years of Queendom Website, she helped me and every day I miss her.

January 2019: a photo of me with some Queen Kits.

What I'm Up To:  June, 2020

My business is on hiatus because of the coronavirus, but I am busy stitching and as I am quarantined at home currently, all I do is stitch. And stitch and stitch and stitch.

It keeps me sane.

At DH's suggestion, I have been dabbling in Tudor design.

I have stitched two large pieces, called Dressing Henry and Dressing Elizabeth. I have smaller drawings for each of Henry's wives but can't decided about stitching all six.

After Tudor?

A Thimbles Sampler for certain.

Snow Maiden for certain.

I have too many beads and too many drawings. To do them all, I would have to live to be 500 years old. So what's next? Whatever catches my fancy.