Embroidery Class for Children Offered at Historic Richmond Town, Begins 5/15

Now is the chance for kids 3rd grade or older to learn about embroidery. On 4 spring days, Staten Island's two needlework Guilds join forces to present a needlework class. Class will be held on Sundays - May 15, and 22 and June 19 and 26 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm at Historic Richmond Town. All materials needed for the class are provided in a kit. Each student needs to bring an 8 - 10 inch embroidery hoop to class. Reservations are necessary and can be made by calling Nadine Jackson at 718-442-3328. Payment of $25 per student for the 4-week session will be collected at the door.

A bright, colorful design of counted cross stitch on Aida cloth lets you learn many basic stitches. The design is specially adapted to introduce the skills needed to master this craft. You'll customize the design to add your own name and the date that you begin learning. The tradition of making samplers is an important part of early American history. Stitchers learned the alphabet as they completed each letter in the sampler. You can participate in the tradition in 2011, in celebration of Staten Island's 350th birthday!

The class will be taught by member of Staten Island's two embroidery groups Staten Island Chapter of the Embroiderers' Guild of America , Inc. and 4 Bridges Stitchers of the American Needlepoint Guild. The teachers have experience teaching needlework; many are also certified classroom teachers.

Historic Richmond Town

The Staten Island Historical Society operates Historic Richmond Town, New York City's historic village and museum complex. Historic Richmond Town is comprised of more than 25 homes and public buildings, including the Voorlezer's House, a National Landmark building dated to the 1690s; the Third County Courthouse, built in 1837; and P.S. 28, an elementary school built in 1907. Together, these buildings recreate the history of over 300 years of continuous residence on Staten Island. Located in the heart of Richmond County, Historic Richmond Town is a 15-minute drive from all bridges and a 30-minute ride from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal on the S74 bus.

Visitors to Historic Richmond Town can tour furnished historic structures as well as the exhibition galleries in the Historical Museum. The museum features the exhibitions Made on Staten Island, which presents the Island's industrial and social history; TOYS!, which explores the many ways that children learn about themselves and their world through toys; and Bringing Up Baby, which explores the role that children's furniture has played in American homes during the past three centuries.

The mission of the Staten Island Historical Society is to create opportunities for the public to explore the diversity of the American experience, especially that of Staten Island and its neighboring communities from the colonial period to the present day. Historic Richmond Town is a joint project of the independent Staten Island Historical Society and the City of New York through the Department of Cultural Affairs, and is a member of the Historic House Trust.