The Embroiderers Guild, Qld Inc

The Embroiderers' Guild, Queensland Inc promotes, preserves and encourages all aspects of embroidery by providing a venue for embroiderers to meet, classes to be held and heirloom pieces to be collected.

In 1964, four Queensland members of The Embroiderers’ Guild of New South Wales began monthly meetings in members’ homes.  Four years later in 1968 about 30 people became The Queensland Embroiderers’ Guild.  Presently, there are several hundred members throughout Queensland and our Guild is thriving.

The Guild has branches in Toowoomba (commenced in 1969), Southport (1972), Gladstone (1983), Noosa-Cooroy, known as Wallace House Noosa Branch (1983), Rockhampton (1987), Sunshine Coast (1995) and Capricorn Coast (1995).  The Guild also has suburban groups which meet throughout Brisbane.  Contact us for more information.

Visiting the Guild

In 1983 the Guild purchased the old Masonic Temple, 149 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley.  In 1984 the building was renovated.  In April 1985 the official opening and exhibition was held.  The building was fully paid for by mid-1989, a fact of which we are very proud.

Visitors are very welcome whenever the Guild Rooms are open and prospective members make two visits before being inspired to join.  Meeting days and times are available on our website.

Craft Fairs are held each April and November and attract many visitors to our centre.   Come along to browse and purchase unique and beautiful gifts for Mother's Day or Christmas from the Guild's Gift Shop and many other tables of wonderful home-crafted items.  Two floors of fabulous stalls and a delicious morning tea, too!

Classes

Classes are held regularly with in-house or visiting tutors - many calsses are available to both members and the public.   Classes for Young Embroiderers are held each vacation and are extremely popular.

An up-to-date list of classes is available on our website.  Recent classes have included crewel work, Mountmellick Embroidery, Stumpwork, Goldwork, Hardanger and Casalguidi.

Free basics stitches class: New to embroidery?  We offer a free basic stitches class to new members to lear or revise the basic stitches and procedures of embroidery.  This not only helps you prepare for other classes offered by the Guild but also provides a sound technical basis for your embroidery.

Exhibitions

Our first large exhibition of embroideries and quilts in Brisbane was held in 1974.  Large exhibitions are held biennially; smaller displays , talks and demonstrations are on-going activities.  For the Australian Bicentennary Year 1988, the Guild completed the Queensland section of the Parliament House embroidery which is now housed in the new Parliament House in Canberra.

Library

The Lesley Beckman Library, named after the late Lesley Beckmann, in honour of Lesley's dedication to the library over many years, is an extensive collection of over 2000 books, videos and magazines on all facets of embroidery, textiles and patchwork. This collection provides members with a wonderful resource for research and interest.

A small group of volunteers helps to develop the collection and keep the library in order. New resources are added to the collection each year through purchase and generous donations from members, friends of the Guild and publishers of books on embroidery and related fields.

Members are welcome to browse the shelves and borrow books, videos and magazines from the library's catalogue.

Collection for Education and Research

The Embroiderers’ Guild Collection has examples of embroidery representing as widely as possible the types and styles of embroidery of all periods and from all parts of the world as well as needle-work accessories, tools, patterns, books and any other items that may be considered relevant. The Collection seeks to preserve the embroidery heritage of all Queenslanders. The embroideries date from late 1600's to the present. Each year the Guild acquires from the current members work. There are changing displays in the main meeting room. In conjunction with the Guild's major exhibition every second year the Collection team mounts a display in keeping with the theme.

Viewing of the Collection is available by appointment only.