Stitches covered include: detached buttonhole stitch (worked attached, detached, and curved), Ceylon stitch, long and short stitch, satin stitch, couching, and overtwist.

The Damascene Rose was specifically designed to focus on the foundational needlelace stitch, detached buttonhole, and its different applications, setting you up for further adventures in stumpwork if you wish to go on to other needlelace stitches or more advanced applications.

It is also an exploration of color and design: only two shades each of green and pink (highlighted by gold threads and crystals) are used across the entire project, but in several different threads: Gobelins, Paris, Gilt Sylke Twist, satine gimp, and Ovale. How the color and effect subtly shifts with the varying uses and combinations of threads is one of the design focuses of the rose.

Although limited in palette, the Damascene Rose is spectacular in effect: a glittering, sparkling, yet subtle rose, beautiful in texture and dimensionality.

The damask rose, rosa damascena, takes its Anglicized name from its believed place of origin, Damascus, where a crusader brought it back to Europe. The rose has been cultivated ever since, including in my mother’s garden.

Rose oil is traditionally made from damask roses, and for centuries was a precious, incredibly expensive imported fragrance. In addition to fragrance, the damask rose symbolizes beauty and love, and has also been believed to have healing powers.

Although a highly stylized interpretation of the damask rose, the Damascene Rose is both beautiful and lovely, worthy of its namesake.

The Damascene Rose is an exploration of the subtleties of color, texture, and needlelace. Working within a limited palette, this class looks at how small changes in stitches and colors can produce subtly varied effects for a dazzling, glittering dimensional stumpwork rose.

Appropriate for a beginner looking to explore stumpwork, or an advanced embroiderer who wants to examine subtleties of technique and color, the Damascene Rose class covers every detail of the making of this piece, from choosing and setting up your frame, to starting and stopping threads, handling of different threads, and in depth instruction on the techniques.

Although the class piece produces a small panel finish, as seen below, an alternate design is included to extend the piece into a full size casket panel (extra threads and linen not included).

The Damascene Rose class begins February 1, 2026, and runs for five months, with one new lesson posted every month. Lessons are in PDF download format, with video supplements on technique as necessary. The class is entirely stitch at your own pace.

The class kit includes the ground linen, full spools of all silk threads used, and a number of specialty materials: an exclusive color of Gilt Sylke Twist, gilt scallop trim, special gilt check thread, and silk satine gimp.

Price: $375