Skip to content

YAY! YOU FOUND ME!

Oh my goodness, it's a SCISSOR SALE!

Ready to try embroidery? This STARTER KIT SHIPS FREE

REGISTER NOW: Sublime Silks EMBROIDERY EVENT in San Francisco!

  • NEW
  • DESIGNS
  • KITS & PROJECTS
    • Ultimate Embroidery Kit
    • Essential Tool Kit
    • Monogram Handkerchiefs
    • Ft. Lonesome
    • Unbelievable Times
    • From Here to Where
    • AMOR Project Bag
    • All kits & projects
  • THREAD PALETTES
    • Sublime Floss!
    • Au Ver à Soie
    • All palettes
  • TOOLS
    • Fine Tip Transfer Pens
    • Pattern Making
    • Needles and Minders
    • Scissors
    • Tool Cases
    • K&G Hoops
    • Woven Labels
  • BUNDLES
    • Pattern Making Bundle
    • Sublime Floss Bundle
    • All bundles
  • TEXTILES
  • SALE
  • HOW-TO
    • Back Stitch
    • Split Stitch
    • Stem Stitch
    • Satin Stitch
    • Fool-Proof French Knot
    • Easiest Chain Stitch
    • More Tutorials
  • • EVENTS •
Log in

Country/region

  • Australia AUD $
  • Canada CAD $
  • United States USD $
  • Afghanistan AFN ؋
  • Åland Islands EUR €
  • Albania ALL L
  • Algeria DZD د.ج
  • Andorra EUR €
  • Angola USD $
  • Anguilla XCD $
  • Antigua & Barbuda XCD $
  • Argentina USD $
  • Armenia AMD դր.
  • Aruba AWG ƒ
  • Ascension Island SHP £
  • Australia AUD $
  • Austria EUR €
  • Azerbaijan AZN ₼
  • Bahamas BSD $
  • Bahrain USD $
  • Bangladesh BDT ৳
  • Barbados BBD $
  • Belarus USD $
  • Belgium EUR €
  • Belize BZD $
  • Benin XOF Fr
  • Bermuda USD $
  • Bhutan USD $
  • Bolivia BOB Bs.
  • Bosnia & Herzegovina BAM КМ
  • Botswana BWP P
  • Brazil USD $
  • British Indian Ocean Territory USD $
  • British Virgin Islands USD $
  • Brunei BND $
  • Bulgaria BGN лв.
  • Burkina Faso XOF Fr
  • Burundi BIF Fr
  • Cambodia KHR ៛
  • Cameroon XAF CFA
  • Canada CAD $
  • Cape Verde CVE $
  • Caribbean Netherlands USD $
  • Cayman Islands KYD $
  • Central African Republic XAF CFA
  • Chad XAF CFA
  • Chile USD $
  • China CNY ¥
  • Christmas Island AUD $
  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands AUD $
  • Colombia USD $
  • Comoros KMF Fr
  • Congo - Brazzaville XAF CFA
  • Congo - Kinshasa CDF Fr
  • Cook Islands NZD $
  • Costa Rica CRC ₡
  • Côte d’Ivoire XOF Fr
  • Croatia EUR €
  • Curaçao ANG ƒ
  • Cyprus EUR €
  • Czechia CZK Kč
  • Denmark DKK kr.
  • Djibouti DJF Fdj
  • Dominica XCD $
  • Dominican Republic DOP $
  • Ecuador USD $
  • Egypt EGP ج.م
  • El Salvador USD $
  • Equatorial Guinea XAF CFA
  • Eritrea USD $
  • Estonia EUR €
  • Eswatini USD $
  • Ethiopia ETB Br
  • Falkland Islands FKP £
  • Faroe Islands DKK kr.
  • Fiji FJD $
  • Finland EUR €
  • France EUR €
  • French Guiana EUR €
  • French Polynesia XPF Fr
  • French Southern Territories EUR €
  • Gabon XOF Fr
  • Gambia GMD D
  • Georgia USD $
  • Germany EUR €
  • Ghana USD $
  • Gibraltar GBP £
  • Greece EUR €
  • Greenland DKK kr.
  • Grenada XCD $
  • Guadeloupe EUR €
  • Guatemala GTQ Q
  • Guernsey GBP £
  • Guinea GNF Fr
  • Guinea-Bissau XOF Fr
  • Guyana GYD $
  • Haiti USD $
  • Honduras HNL L
  • Hong Kong SAR HKD $
  • Hungary HUF Ft
  • Iceland ISK kr
  • India INR ₹
  • Indonesia IDR Rp
  • Iraq USD $
  • Ireland EUR €
  • Isle of Man GBP £
  • Israel ILS ₪
  • Italy EUR €
  • Jamaica JMD $
  • Japan JPY ¥
  • Jersey USD $
  • Jordan USD $
  • Kazakhstan KZT ₸
  • Kenya KES KSh
  • Kiribati USD $
  • Kosovo EUR €
  • Kuwait USD $
  • Kyrgyzstan KGS som
  • Laos LAK ₭
  • Latvia EUR €
  • Lebanon LBP ل.ل
  • Lesotho USD $
  • Liberia USD $
  • Libya USD $
  • Liechtenstein CHF CHF
  • Lithuania EUR €
  • Luxembourg EUR €
  • Macao SAR MOP P
  • Madagascar USD $
  • Malawi MWK MK
  • Malaysia MYR RM
  • Maldives MVR MVR
  • Mali XOF Fr
  • Malta EUR €
  • Martinique EUR €
  • Mauritania USD $
  • Mauritius MUR ₨
  • Mayotte EUR €
  • Mexico USD $
  • Moldova MDL L
  • Monaco EUR €
  • Mongolia MNT ₮
  • Montenegro EUR €
  • Montserrat XCD $
  • Morocco MAD د.م.
  • Mozambique USD $
  • Myanmar (Burma) MMK K
  • Namibia USD $
  • Nauru AUD $
  • Nepal NPR Rs.
  • Netherlands EUR €
  • New Caledonia XPF Fr
  • New Zealand NZD $
  • Nicaragua NIO C$
  • Niger XOF Fr
  • Nigeria NGN ₦
  • Niue NZD $
  • Norfolk Island AUD $
  • North Macedonia MKD ден
  • Norway USD $
  • Oman USD $
  • Pakistan PKR ₨
  • Palestinian Territories ILS ₪
  • Panama USD $
  • Papua New Guinea PGK K
  • Paraguay PYG ₲
  • Peru PEN S/
  • Philippines PHP ₱
  • Pitcairn Islands NZD $
  • Poland PLN zł
  • Portugal EUR €
  • Qatar QAR ر.ق
  • Réunion EUR €
  • Romania RON Lei
  • Russia USD $
  • Rwanda RWF FRw
  • Samoa WST T
  • San Marino EUR €
  • São Tomé & Príncipe STD Db
  • Saudi Arabia SAR ر.س
  • Senegal XOF Fr
  • Serbia RSD РСД
  • Seychelles USD $
  • Sierra Leone SLL Le
  • Singapore SGD $
  • Sint Maarten ANG ƒ
  • Slovakia EUR €
  • Slovenia EUR €
  • Solomon Islands SBD $
  • Somalia USD $
  • South Africa USD $
  • South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands GBP £
  • South Korea KRW ₩
  • South Sudan USD $
  • Spain EUR €
  • Sri Lanka LKR ₨
  • St. Barthélemy EUR €
  • St. Helena SHP £
  • St. Kitts & Nevis XCD $
  • St. Lucia XCD $
  • St. Martin EUR €
  • St. Pierre & Miquelon EUR €
  • St. Vincent & Grenadines XCD $
  • Sudan USD $
  • Suriname USD $
  • Svalbard & Jan Mayen USD $
  • Sweden SEK kr
  • Switzerland CHF CHF
  • Taiwan TWD $
  • Tajikistan TJS ЅМ
  • Tanzania TZS Sh
  • Thailand THB ฿
  • Timor-Leste USD $
  • Togo XOF Fr
  • Tokelau NZD $
  • Tonga TOP T$
  • Trinidad & Tobago TTD $
  • Tristan da Cunha GBP £
  • Tunisia USD $
  • Türkiye USD $
  • Turkmenistan USD $
  • Turks & Caicos Islands USD $
  • Tuvalu AUD $
  • U.S. Outlying Islands USD $
  • Uganda UGX USh
  • Ukraine UAH ₴
  • United Arab Emirates AED د.إ
  • United Kingdom GBP £
  • United States USD $
  • Uruguay UYU $U
  • Uzbekistan UZS so'm
  • Vanuatu VUV Vt
  • Vatican City EUR €
  • Venezuela USD $
  • Vietnam VND ₫
  • Wallis & Futuna XPF Fr
  • Western Sahara MAD د.م.
  • Yemen YER ﷼
  • Zambia USD $
  • Zimbabwe USD $
  • X (Twitter)
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
Sublime Stitching
  • NEW
  • DESIGNS
  • KITS & PROJECTS
    • Ultimate Embroidery Kit
    • Essential Tool Kit
    • Monogram Handkerchiefs
    • Ft. Lonesome
    • Unbelievable Times
    • From Here to Where
    • AMOR Project Bag
    • All kits & projects
  • THREAD PALETTES
    • Sublime Floss!
    • Au Ver à Soie
    • All palettes
  • TOOLS
    • Fine Tip Transfer Pens
    • Pattern Making
    • Needles and Minders
    • Scissors
    • Tool Cases
    • K&G Hoops
    • Woven Labels
  • BUNDLES
    • Pattern Making Bundle
    • Sublime Floss Bundle
    • All bundles
  • TEXTILES
  • SALE
  • HOW-TO
    • Back Stitch
    • Split Stitch
    • Stem Stitch
    • Satin Stitch
    • Fool-Proof French Knot
    • Easiest Chain Stitch
    • More Tutorials
  • • EVENTS •
Log in Cart

Item added to your cart

View cart
Access Denied
IMPORTANT! If you’re a store owner, please make sure you have Customer accounts enabled in your Store Admin, as you have customer based locks set up with EasyLockdown app. Enable Customer Accounts

A Found Piece of History

March 10, 2012
Share

or: The Little Needlework Teacher with Green Hair

Surprised that I collect embroidery books? Prolly not. But what I found today is truly special. Books on embroidery are often small print-runs, and some of my favorites are long out-of-print. I rarely turn down any vintage embroidery books that come my way. Friends and family kindly give me what they find, I'll scoop up a pile at a thrift store or garage sale, pay the few dollars, and take them home to sort through. The result is a pretty big collection. But, most of my books are still in storage and I've really been missing them. So, while at an estate sale today I made sure to check out the books.

Today's find was different. 

Score! The lady of the house was a needleworker. Nothing different about that. I bought the whole pile ready to grow my personal resource library again -even though I already have one or two of these titles, especially those by Constance Howard. (The Constance Howard Book of Stitches is one of my favorites.)

Let's meet Constance Howard, or "Mrs. P" (as she was called by her students):

 

There she is. I've seen this photo so many times from the back of the many, exhaustively researched books she wrote. She looks a bit stern doesn't she? Like she'd rap your knuckles and tell you that your stitches were all wrong it was time to just start all over again or not bother. Right? 

Get ready for a few surprises.

 

The Balcony - Constance Howard, 1946

First of all, her work looked like this. If you told me this piece was from the groovy 70's, I'd believe you. For 1946, this seems unusually loose, illustrative and lovely. Icy wind carrying leaves across a balcony letting a winsome girl know winter is coming. The wrought-iron balcony alternates from black and white for contrast against the ground fabric. Lovely. Not what I'd expect from the lady in the photo.

But get this: Constance Howard always wore her hair (no, not in a bun)...dyed green. G R E E N. With lithographer's ink. Because it was the 1930's and there was no Manic Panic back then. Still think she looks like some uptight, stern needleworker? Perhaps not. Think we're all renegade and outrageous? Perhaps not.

When I got back to the car, I started flipping through each book to see what I'd just picked up. I saw some inscriptions...and then I looked closer:

Every copy was signed by Constance Howard. Gasp! I wiped my eyes as if seeing a mirage and looked again. These are signatures! "To Elsa". Elsa who? Do I really have signed copies of Constance Howard's books? My heart was pounding. Who's "Elsa"? Was she some uber fan? Are they going to knock on the window of the car and tell me they just realized these books aren't for sale? (Luckily not.)

Once home, I started looking at the cover page to every book I had just bought to see if there were any hints...

 

Aha! THAT Elsa Williams. Wait, who's Elsa Williams? Oh great and wise google...please just tell me...

An author and designer! Elsa S. Williams of the Elsa Williams School of Needlearts! Her books and kits are all over the internets. Has she recently passed away? Was this her estate sale? Did she retire to California? Was this a relative? Or, did someone purchase these books from her school years ago? Alas -those answers are not known. 

 


Elsa Williams School of Needlearts - image via cardcow.com

What I do know is, that I feel like I own something really, really special, that is of great significance to me: a stack of books previously owned by Elsa Williams, signed to her by Constance Howard.


How cool is that?

To see a real photo of her green hair, and learn more about Constance Howard, click here.

Any information about Elsa Williams and her School of Needlearts would be greatly appreciated.
Comment here (top of the page), or email me.

Update 3/12/12: More information has come in about Elsa Williams and her School of Needlearts!

Rebekah Blades' curiosity sent her on a researching mission that turned up several links. Here's a photo of Elsa Williams with some information about the establishment of her live-in needlearts school (no, you all can not move into my house -sorry). Elsa also began writing a nationally syndicated column called "Joy of Stitching" in 1975. The last big needlework revival. T'was ever thus.

Dawn Rogal (who was the winner of the Mod Contest from last year) was once a student at Elsa's school. I hope she doesn't mind me sharing her recollections with you:

"It was 1981. I had worked all year at my part-time job, and most of the summer to save up to spend a week at the Elsa Williams School of Needlework. While other kids were spending the summer doing who knows what, I was in Boston learning about Jacobean crewel embroidery and needlepoint. We spent all day stitching, then got into our jammies and stitched some more. I can’t remember how many of us were in the class, I do know I was the youngest. The food was amazing and we stayed right in the house. It was such an amazing week for me and I’ll never forget it. I learned serious stitching technique that I have always valued. I received a small silver thimble for “graduating”. With each class you got another thimble with an increasingly valuable stone set in it.

We didn’t meet Elsa Williams, but I remember her needlepoint wool yarns and canvases being gorgeous. We used six-strand cotton for the Jacobean work. The instructor taught us to pull out no more than an arm’s length of thread. Then to take each strand out separately and put them back together (however many you needed), holding one end in one hand and pulling down on the threads several times. This gave the cotton a silky look to it along while making the threads tangle less. It pains me to see people work with their thread in any other way. This is also where I learned to use no larger a hoop than you can almost reach across with the hand holding it, so really no larger than 4” to 5” wide. Good tips that I’ve (obviously) never forgotten."
 
You can see one of these Lord-of-the-Rings-like thimbles here. I've asked Dawn if she still has hers.

Do YOU hold a thimble from Elsa's school?

Back to blog

4 comments

I have several of Elsa’s books and tons of her yarn. What I need now is a conversion chart from white label numbers to the more modern numbers, then I will be fulfilled, lol.

CandyJune 3, 2019

I was at the Elsa Williams School of Needlewart twice. Such a wonderful experience! Staying in that beautiful home and enjoying the fabulous food was an experience I’ll never forget. Learned to perfect my stitching in both needlepoint and crewel embroidery. I’m from Canada and I came back home and taught classes of my own for a few years. I have two thimbles. The second one I have has emerald chips at the top. Different stones were added to the thimbles to represent how many times you had attended. The teachers were well known and accomplished teachers from various places on the United States. Great memories.

Norma CLoryAugust 28, 2018

Yes, I have two silver thimbles – Elsa taught all our classes – our fist thimble had rubies, second, emeralds and the diamond would have been next… alas the school closed and Elsa moved back to California.
Sad but what wonderful stitching we learned.. Fabulous and unforgettable time there.

CauleenJuly 29, 2017

so excited to find this site! Yea. I’ve been ‘winging’ it since my astonishingly amazing mother-in-law died. (she knew how to use a needle…really well. So… you’ll be my new mo’in’law….

Ellen JohnsonMay 5, 2015

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

Invalid password
Enter

Let customers speak for us

from 376 reviews
PORTRAIT - Sublime Embroidery Floss Palette
Gasp!

You won't find these colors anywhere else. They are captivating! You can only appreciate "Eyeliner" when you have it in your hand. Send PORTRAIT to anyone who loves embroidery floss and they will be floating for days. Is this the 8th review I've written? Lol.

Emily VanDerhule
PORTRAIT - Sublime Embroidery Floss Palette
09/23/2023
RYAN BERKLEY for Sublime Stitching - PUNK CAT Embroidery Tool Case
Love the Punk Cat!!

I had been eyeing this tool case for a while and finally ordered it. I love the cat and the case and all the goodies that came inside. Thank yoU!

Julie Kubal
RYAN BERKLEY for Sublime Stitching - PUNK CAT Embroidery Tool Case
08/29/2023
Fine Tip Iron-On Transfer Pens

It’s perfect!! Worked great!!!

Karen Cedillo
Fine Tip Iron-On Transfer Pens
08/29/2023
The Ultimate Embroidery Kit

The Ultimate Embroidery Kit

Lauren Manning
The Ultimate Embroidery Kit
08/13/2023
Hand Embroidery Needles Pack & Magnet
Perfection

These needles are so fantastic. Highly recommend. And I adore my tiger magnet.

Renee Smith
Hand Embroidery Needles Pack & Magnet
08/12/2023
T-Shirt Stabilizer
Game Changer

This product makes hand embroidery on knit fabric so much easier! I’m still getting the hang of the tear away once I’m finished, so I’m taking away one star. Otherwise, great!

Danielle Cruz
T-Shirt Stabilizer
07/19/2023
LILLIPUT Mini Embroidery Scissors
Adorable!

I brought these adorable little scissors as a hostess gift for a stitching friend. The size is so handy and they work well. Could they be any cuter?! She loved them.

Kathleen Brooks
LILLIPUT Mini Embroidery Scissors
07/04/2023
"From Here to Where" Embroidery Kit by Jenny Hart
From here to where? Pattern shopping!

The saying has really resonated with me at this stage in life. I don’t know where to go from here, but wherever I go, I will be OK. Thanks Jenny, it’s perfect.

Michelle Campbell
"From Here to Where" Embroidery Kit by Jenny Hart
06/27/2023
T-Shirt Stabilizer
LOOOOOOOOVE!

as all products i purchase from here--this product is great.

MARTINA MARTINEZ
T-Shirt Stabilizer
06/26/2023
Fine Tip Iron-On Transfer Pens
Transfer Pens

I couldn't live without these pens! No blotches or smearing, and nice thin lines. Easily covered with stitching. So much faster. I can make a lot of copies before I run out of ink. Love them!

CHERYL ROMAKER
Fine Tip Iron-On Transfer Pens
06/25/2023
GEMMA CORRELL Embroidery Pattern Portfolio #2
Such cute patterns!

I love all of the cute dogs and cats in this one… Can’t wait to start!

Robin Carter
GEMMA CORRELL Embroidery Pattern Portfolio #2
06/20/2023
CORALINE Handkerchiefs Embroidery Kit
This is my favorite website!

Sublime Stitching is exactly as advertised - Sublime! The site has a happy atmosphere combined with an intuitive ordering platform. Easy peasy to get exactly what you want. And fast. When you want to embroider something, you don’t want to wait around for ages for the transfers to arrive. So, I love the instant PDFs that are emailed to me. But when I want an actual transfer, it arrives quickly in the mail. No compromises here. Can’t go wrong with Sublime Stitching!

Ann Vitti
CORALINE Handkerchiefs Embroidery Kit
06/19/2023
CORALINE Handkerchiefs Embroidery Kit
Coraline embroidery kit

Absolutely adorable! So happy to stitch this. My daughter loves coraline and had been looking for patterns to stitch for her. This gives so many good patterns from the movie. 💕💕

Rose Hunter
CORALINE Handkerchiefs Embroidery Kit
05/16/2023
  • As seen in

LEARN MORE

  • ABOUT
  • FAQ
  • STORES
  • PRESS
  • CONTACT
  • WHOLESALE
  • LICENSING
  • WHAT PEOPLE SAY

EXPLORE

  • THE BLOG
  • THE NEWSLETTER
  • SUBLIME IN TOKYO
  • SUBLIME IN PARIS
  • SUBLIME FOR CITIZENS OF HUMANITY
  • MORE COLLABORATIONS
  • GIFT CARDS
  • Terms of Service
  • Refund policy

Sublime Stitching ® LLC.

Contemporary embroidery design, education, and supply since 2001. Sublime Stitching is independently owned and operated by Jenny Hart. Learn more

Join My Free Newsletter! (I'll send you free patterns...)


  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X (Twitter)
  • Pinterest
  • Terms of Service / Refunds
  • Privacy
  • Don't Sell My Personal Info
Site and contents © 2001 - 2025, Sublime Stitching. All Right Reserved.
  • Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
  • Opens in a new window.