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How it all began..........

As background we must back up to the first Needlework Show held in October of 1971 for the benefit of the Minnetonka Center of Education and Arts (now the Arts Center of Minnesota).  Several Art Center members decided that a Needlework Show would be a great way to raise money.   Co-chairpersons gathered a group of interested women to promote the show under the auspices of the Needlework Association of Minnesota - an association in name only.   The show was held at the Art Center and was a tremendous success.

One of the show viewers inquired how she might join the Association.  On discovering there wasn't one, she suggested that show visitors sign their names so they could be a nucleus for forming a Guild.  A mailing list was compiled and over 2000 letters were sent, inviting interested needleworkers to the first meeting of the Needlework Association on May 18, 1972.  Held at the Art Center, an organization meeting was followed by a luncheon which was included in the $10.00 membership dues.  At this meeting needlework shops showed their wares and our first speaker was a courageous woman confined to her iron lung who demonstrated her unique method of painting needlepoint canvases with a brush held in her mouth.  Our name was changed to Needlework Guild of Minnesota and we were off to a flying start to stimulate enthusiasm in all forms of needlework.  Our 1972-73 roster listed 226 members which included 197 who joined at our first meeting.

That first year we had three newsletters and classes were offered at the Art Center and St. Anthony Park Branch Library in Needlepoint Designing, Creative Stitchery and Canvas Stitchery.

The second Needlework Show was held at the Art Center in October of 1972.  The first two shows had non-judged categories for professionals (those accepting remuneration for designs, instructions or finishing.)  This idea was abandoned in later shows as it seemed unfair to the professionals.

Three new classes were added to our former ones:  Advanced Creative Stitchery, Design and Color and Frame Loom Weaving.

May 17, 1973 marked our first annual meeting when we passed our first by-laws patterned after the successful guild in St. Louis.  A President, Vice President and Newsletter Editor were elected and we adjourned from the Art Center to lunch at the Lafayette Club with a wonderful Author and Needlepoint Designer as our guest speaker.

And so ends our first year!  Setting a firm foundation for the years ahead.

Click here to find out where we stand in 2007!