While starched white bonnets often come to mind when thinking of Dutch traditional dress, the former island-village of Marken, twelve miles from Amsterdam, holds a lesser-known costume tradition. Vibrant printed fabrics paired with intricate, deeply personal embroidery. The women of Marken worked in cross stitch and surface embroidery on both clothing and home textiles, and different styles of wool and silk waistcoats were made for everyday wear and bridal attire alike. Today, only three women still dress traditionally on a daily basis, though many still wear their “Marker” costume for national holidays and special occasions. In this workshop, we’ll look closely at the history, craft, and culture of this small Dutch village, and stitch a rose modeled after the pattern found on the bridal women’s waistcoats. DateThursday, December 17th, 2026 Time12:00-2:30 pm ET LocationZoom, a link will be sent to participants the day before class Cost$75 Recording All World Embroidery Series sessions will be recorded. A link to each recording will be emailed to all registrants following the live session. Each link is live for three months after the live session. Class Materials: The waistcoats are traditionally stitched with wool thread on wool fabric or silk thread on silk. Bright colors are used on black fabric and more muted tones on silk. You can work in a muted palette (green, off-white, pale yellow, red or burgundy, and light blue) or a bright one (red or fuchsia, yellow, white, blue, and green). Embroidery floss Stranded cotton embroidery floss is recommended for this class, while wool or silk can also be used Fabric Cotton or linen is recommended for this class, but wool or silk can also be used Embroidery needle Embroidery or crewel needle that is easy to thread Transfer tool White chalk pencil for dark fabrics, or Frixion heat-sensitive pen for light-colored fabrics Scissors Optional: Embroidery hoop About the World Embroidery Series TATTER’s World Embroidery Series is a celebration of global embroidery craft. Sewists will encounter an astonishing array of culturally specific techniques, and will have the opportunity to learn from accomplished practicing teachers who are equally purposed in preserving heritage techniques. Bundle Discount When four World Embroidery classes are added to your cart, a 25% off code will be automatically applied. All classes must be in a single order to qualify for the discount. Scholarships We have one scholarship seat available for this workshop. To be considered for a scholarship, please fill out this scholarship application form.
