61ST ANNUAL WOODLAWN NEEDLEWORK SHOW
NEEDLEWORK IN EVERYDAY LIFE
FRIDAY, MARCH 1ST - SUNDAY, MARCH 31ST 2024
(CLOSED ON TUESDAYS)
Special Programs
Lotus Leaf Mat Workshop with Youngmin Lee
When: February 27th, 10:00 am - 1:00 PM
Where: Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House (9000 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22309)
Cost: $165
Lotus Leaf Sangbo (covering bojagi)
Learn traditional Korean needlework techniques at this in-person workshop conducted by renowned textile artist, Youngmin Lee.
This workshop will teach you how to construct a lotus leaf shape Sangbo (covering bojagi) that you can use in daily life.Gamchimjil and Kkojipgi techniques and the Yeonbong (Lotus Bud Knot) technique will finish this simple and organically-shaped bojagi with raised line composition.
In the past, Jogakbo, patchwork bojagi, was made with leftover remnants of fabric from other projects. Bojagi construction involves hand stitching, which can be very relaxing. While working on your bojagi, wish for the happiness and well-being of the recipient of your finished bojagi. The finished project will have a unique composition of shapes, lines and texture.
About Youngmin Lee
Youngmin Lee is a textile artist who uses bojagi tradition and techniques to create her work. Her interest in textiles led her to study Clothing and Textile in college and she received an MFA in Fashion Design in South Korea. She has researched bojagi making and techniques and endeavors to apply her findings both in traditional and contemporary art. After she moved to California in 1996, she began actively working to preserve the bojagi tradition that embodies the philosophy of recycling and up-cycling, as the works are made from pieces of fabric leftover from other projects.
She works closely with the Asian American community with community engaged projects and workshops at the Asian Art Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and Saint Louis Art Museum.
In addition to teaching in person, Youngmin created the educational DVD, Bojagi: The Art of Wrapping Cloths in 2013 to reach people from afar. She teaches at the local public school to introduce and educate Korean traditional textile art. She received a grant from Alliance for California Traditional Arts Apprenticeship in 2019 and 2022 as a mentor artist and taught bojagi to her apprentice. Her new book, Bojagi: The Art of Korean Textiles with Techniques and Project, is coming in 2024.
She founded the Korean Textile Tour in 2017 to introduce Korean traditional textile art and culture to reach broader audiences. Youngmin’s works have been exhibited and collected throughout the United States, South Korea, UK, Romania, Turkey, and France. The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco has her works in the museum collection.
Special Tours of the 61st Anniversary Woodlawn Needlework Show
When: Every Wednesday and Friday in March at 2:30 PM
Where: Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House (9000 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22309)
Cost: $18 (includes admission to the Needlework show)
Want an in-depth look at Woodlawn’s Needlework Show? Join our special tour for a brief history of Woodlawn while discovering the unique stories behind many pieces of the Needlework Show. Led by a Woodlawn guide and a member of Nelly’s Needlers.
Available on Wednesdays and Fridays in March at 2:30, the price of this tour also includes your admission ticket to the Needlework Show. The tour will last approximately 45 minutes, and you are welcome to explore the Show on your own before or after the tour.
BEginning NEedlework Workshops
When: March 16, 25, and 27 from 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Where: Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House (9000 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22309)
Cost: $25 per session
Needleworkers from cultures around the globe use their skills to decorate their homes and clothing, making their everyday lives more beautiful.
Join members of Nelly's Needlers to learn the basics of three fundamental needlework techniques; counted cross-stitch, canvaswork (needlepoint), and surface embroidery.
Classes are open to adults and children aged 10 and above. Instruction and all supplies included, $25 per session. This price INCLUDES admission to the Needlework Show, so arrive early and enjoy the Show before your class begins!
**Join us for one, two or all three sessions! If you'd like to join all 3 classes, please book here and enjoy a $10 discount off your total price.**
Session 1- Saturday, March 16, 3:30-5:30 pm - Canvaswork coasters
Session 2 - Monday, March 25, 3:30-5:30 pm - Cross-stitch towel
Session 3 - Wednesday, March 27, 3:30-5:30 pm - Embroidered hat
“What Linens Know”: A Creative and Contemporary Approach to Needlework in Everyday Life with Ruth Tabancay
When: March 23, 4:00 pm
IF you missed it, View on youtube: https://youtu.be/iFqiwfmzIlM
Cost: Free (donations appreciated!)
Enjoy a fascinating presentation by multi-disciplinary artist Ruth Tabancay as she discusses “What Linens Know” on exhibit at the Woodlawn Needlework Show. Ruth’s exhibit is a unique spin on this year’s theme, “Needlework in Everyday Life” as she examines the uses of vintage linens in everyday living and embroiders a lasting memory of the remains.
In addition, during the presentation, Ruth explores unconventional concepts using various artistic medium including her stitching of reused, dried teabags to create everyday items such as quilts, bedspreads and clothing. Discover how Ruth’s professional and personal histories influence and inspire this work.
About Ruth Tabancay
Ruth Tabancay's passion for science led her to study microbiology in college. Following a stint as a hospital laboratory technologist, she went on to medical school. After 11 years in private practice, she left medicine to study art. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley; University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco; and California College of the Arts. Her work has been exhibited regionally and nationally, including The Textile Museum, Washington, D. C.; Museum of Craft and Design, San Francisco; Houston Center for Contemporary Craft; World Financial Center, New York City; and San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. She lives in Berkeley, California. www.ruthtabancay.com
Exhibitions
Free with general admission, open everyday of the show from 10:00 AM — 4:00 PM
“What Linens Know”: A Creative and Contemporary Approach to Needlework in Everyday Life with Ruth Tabancay
Discover the inventive work of nationally recognized artist, Ruth Tabancay, in the exhibit “What Linens Know” which offers a fresh and creative perspective on the theme “Needlework in Everyday Life.” In this exhibit, Ruth imagines the history of how various vintage linens may have been used and embroiders images of the remains, in memory. In addition, Ruth explores the idea of reuse in her unique, stitched tea bag art piece, “Blankie.”
From the Woodlawn Collection: Needleworking Tools
In our new exhibit, we highlight some of the needleworking tools used by wealthy women in the early 19th-century. Displayed are needleworking aids that reflect a desire for both functionality and aesthetic designs.