When a group of needlepoint enthusiasts check out an embroidery exhibit at a world-class museum, they don’t just admire the needlework — they lean in close (but not too close), marvel at the complexity of each piece, the variety of intricate stitches, and the delicate fabrics. Stitch Club Detroit members did all that and more when exploring the Painted with Silk: Art of Early American Embroidery exhibition at Detroit Institute of Arts.
Stitch Club Member Rebecca Booth wished she had a magnifying class while walking through the show, to "see the actual technique...how they were executed.” Member Carrie Hartz approached the pieces with curiosity: “What stitch is this? And what kind of fiber did they use?” and “Oh, I wonder how they did that.” Member Vivienne Outlaw found inspiration: “Every piece you look at, you pick up an idea, a technique — the way it’s matted, the way it’s framed."
Creating a community of appreciation for the practice of needlework is the spirit behind Stitch Club Detroit. Stitching is way more fun with a new friend or, even better, a whole crew of stitching pals. After the pandemic, Grosse Pointe residents Amanda Metes and Abbey Schuetze came together to launch this grassroots group just as needlework of all kinds skyrocketed in popularity.
Stitch Club boasts 135 members today and hosts three monthly meetups, including one in the DIA’s Kresge Court. “Whether you knit, crochet, embroider, cross stitch or needlepoint, you're welcome to come stitch with us,” says Mettes, Stitch Club President. Outlaw adds: “People think you have to be good to join. You don’t. You just have to enjoy it.”
Hartz calls her participation in the club “life giving” with “really wonderful connections” among all ages. The group even attends retreats and checks out needlepoint shops across the state. Booth owns Knotted Needle in Grosse Pointe Woods, and it’s not uncommon to find Stitch Club members chilling out in the shop, stitching, and socializing.
Schuetze and fellow member Lish Dorsett both participate in “craftivism” to bring important issues to light, so it’s no surprise that contemporary artist Elaine Reichek’s embroideries within Painted with Silk felt especially meaningful. Dorsett says, “[Reichek’s] work almost catches you off guard in a really great way because she's really trying to convey some really powerful sentiments in them.” While Reichek’s creates her pieces in a traditional style, they touch on modern viewpoints like forging one’s own path and the importance of chosen family.
Outlaw says: “It’s important that your work speaks to you, right? And speaks to where you are in the world and what you’ve experienced. I think we’re all just sort of filters, and we pick up things as we go through.”
Feeling inspired by Painted with Silk and interested in trying your hand at embroidery? Stitch Club Detroit collaborated with the DIA to create a pattern for you. Download it here.
Stitch Club Detroit holds free meetups on the last Saturday of each month, from 10 a.m.-Noon. in Kresge Court at the museum. On Saturday, June 7, the Club is also partnering with the DIA for a special program featuring an afternoon of embroidery and needle crafts. For more information about Stitch Club Detroit, follow @stitchclubdetroit on Instagram.