Tambour Beading Masterclass

One of my absolute favorite blog posts of all time on my own blog was this one...and it's because it speaks to my lifetime hope and dream of traveling to Paris to study at the L'Ecole Lesage to learn haute couture embroidery techniques.


Many of these techniques involve a certain type of embroidery using a tambour hook...often referred to as Broderie de Luneville and worked with the back of the embroidery facing up and the beads/sequins being threaded from underneath.

From La Broderie de Luneville by Mick Fouriscot/Roland Gravelier

So, while I wait to gather the time and resources for my dream trip, I have been on the hunt to find a tambour work teacher here in the States, contacting Lacis and following down many leads to no avail. That's until my beading friend, Dot aka SpeedieBeadie, wrote on a list that she was attending a Tambour Beading Masterclass in June. What? Who? Where?

Work in progress -- Bob Haven

Dot led me to Robert Haven who is a costume technologist, Associate Professor of Costume Technology at the University of Kentucky. Last year, Mr. Haven went on sabbatical to complete the Professional course in Haute Couture embroidery at Lesage. Here is his completed work using all of the techniques used by the atelier to embellish the garments for the runway.


With 150 hours of class time and 300+ hours of personal stitching time.



After Paris, Mr. Haven took three concentrated certificate courses at the Royal School of Needlework. This is his finished goldwork piece...which I absolutely adore...it's not tambour beading but I can't help getting off topic...I love it...


And, if that isn't enough...Mr. Haven has also studied Japanese embroidery and his University will be hosting the 2011 Japanese Embroidery World Exhibition...He will also be the first site to incorporate a Japanese Embroidery class into an academic curriculum with a class to begin in May 2011. Phew! I cannot wait to meet this man!

And, luckily, he wrote last week that someone had unexpectedly canceled from his Beading Masterclass this June and would I be interested??? And how! I jumped, made my reservations and I am on my way...I'll be leaving on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 to attend his class. I'm hyperventilating just writing about it...And yes, I'll tell you all about it!

Work in Progress by Bob Haven

The classes for this year are full but Mr. Haven is keeping a list for next Summer's courses. Last he wrote, there were already 12 people signed up for 2011...And there may be an opportunity for a Fall class in New Orleans.

Check out his website which is rich in information and images to whet your appetite. And his tambour beading video on YouTube is a "must see"...

Is it June yet?

[Note: All pics of beadwork/embroidery above are by Bob Haven (except for the first three) and were used with his permission.]