Needlework group is homespun

Midge Boardman, People

BURBANK -- The secret to Debbie Berlin’s fascination with embroidery

is the threaded needle.

The Burbank resident said she is entranced by watching a blank piece

of fabric turn into something beautiful.

Berlin is president of the Southern California Chapter of the

Embroiderer’s Guild of America, which meets once a month at Glendale

Central Library.

Her frame of mind dictates the type of needlework she does.

“I can have 20 different projects going at the same time,” she said.

“It depends on whether I’m in a frilly mood (stitching something

fanciful) or a crumby mood (pulled thread embroidery) or an

intellectually lazy mood (one-color dimension) or a creative mood (doing

a picture).”

Berlin was quick to add that each person is free to do whatever

needlework he or she likes. The “he” refers to three male members,

including a former Marine.

“If it involves a needle and thread, I’m sure we have a member, or two

or three, doing it,” she said.

And many successfully compete in the L.A. County Fair and similar

events, she added.

Roni Jeffery, another Burbank resident, who joined the guild just a

year ago, is already is on the board.

“It’s relaxing,” she said. “I like the camaraderie and learning new

techniques.”

Jeffery said she enjoys duplicate stitching (embroidery over knit) but

is partial to stitching pictures she can frame, pillows, pin cushions,

scissor fobs, Christmas ornaments, needle and eyeglass cases.

During the guild’s social hour, members walk around to ooh and aah at

each other’s work, Berlin said. Of the 106 members, between 40 to 65

attend the meeting each month.

Meetings usually feature a local or out-of-state teacher who

demonstrates different stitches such as blackwork (often known as the

poor man’s lace), hardanger (traditionally worked in white thread on

white fabric), cross-stitch (Berlin’s favorite) or beaded necklaces.

Outreach projects include a large Mother Goose nursery rhyme wall

hanging for the LAC+USC Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles

and a variety of hand-stitched items for the Latino Alzheimer’s Mother’s

Day luncheon for male and female caregivers.

Carol Follingstad of Burbank and Marti Nurse of Glendale also serve on

the guild’s board.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Embroiderer’s Guild of America, Southern California Chapter.

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. social hour, 7:30 p.m. business meeting, thefourth

Thursday of each month.

WHERE: Glendale Central Library Auditorium, 222 E. Harvard St.,

Glendale.

PHONE: Membership Vice President Laura (626) 930-1165, or President

Debbie Berlin at 848-8355.

DUES: $35 annually to cover cost of speakers/teachers.