Stitch a Garden’s Worth of Flowers in a Hands-On Embroidery Workshop

There is something fitting about learning to embroider flowers while surrounded by them. On Thursday, July 9, Nova Community Arts brings a hand embroidery workshop to Descanso Gardens, where participants will stitch a custom floral design onto a cotton handkerchief.

The two-hour session is built for beginners. Instructors will walk participants through several versatile embroidery stitches, along with the basics of drafting a pattern, setting up thread and preparing an embroidery hoop — foundational skills that carry over to future projects. A cotton bandana is provided, though anyone who prefers may bring a plain, lightweight item of their own, such as a T-shirt or tote bag, to embellish instead. All supplies are included.

Nova Community Arts is a Los Angeles-based, community-focused studio dedicated to arts education in a welcoming, inclusive setting, offering classes in printmaking, letterpress, embroidery and more for adults and teens. At Descanso, the group’s floral workshops tie the craft directly to the gardens that inspire the designs.

The workshop meets in Gathering Room A and begins at 11 a.m. Because these hands-on sessions tend to fill, interested crafters should check availability in advance. For a slow, satisfying morning — needle, thread and a garden setting — the class offers both a new skill and a keepsake to carry home.

Nova Community Arts’ hand embroidery workshop will take place on Thursday, July 9 at 11 a.m. at Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. Meets in Gathering Room A. For more information, call (818) 949-4200 or visit descansogardens.org.