Embroidery

For the "maybe someday" file, from today's LA Times:

In her home studio at the majestic Duncan-Irwin House in Pasadena, Chaves teaches the techniques of Craftsman-style embroidery....The one-woman business also offers do-it-yourself kits and customized pieces such as centerpieces and portieres. Her eight-hour classes are held about every other month and cover such topics as how to achieve a perfect French knot and the finer points of Belgian linen. Even novices can get a good start on a pillow embroidered with flower buds and leaves by the end of the day, she says....

"People live in the fast lane nowadays, so things like needlework have become rare," says Chaves, who estimates that there are less than a dozen commercial embroiderers in the country producing Arts and Crafts-style textiles. "I would like to see this art continue on with young people. Hopefully it won't die out like other skills." Since knitting has recently surged in popularity among fashionistas and Hollywood starlets, maybe embroidery will soon have its day, too.

Phone: Ann Chaves, (626) 792-9729.