About Ieva and our handwork approach in Alpharetta & Milton
Everthread comes from a Latvian phrase, Mūžīgais pavediens, the everlasting thread.
Ieva is a Latvian fiber artist, handwork teacher and educator based in Georgia. She has more than eight years of experience teaching handwork in small independent schools and homeschool groups, and has taught both children and adults. She has also created and taught small fiber-art camps and craft programs from her home.
Her skills include sewing, hand sewing, sewing-machine work, embroidery, white embroidery, knitting, crochet, weaving, felting, spinning, wool preparation, natural dyeing and traditional Latvian handwork.
Latvian handwork and continuing study
Traditional Latvian craft is a growing part of her work. She has studied with Latvian mentors living in Canada, and her current focus is Latvian white embroidery (baltie darbi). She considers herself an apprentice who keeps learning from experienced mentors, and being both a teacher and a lifelong student is an important part of how she teaches.
How Ieva teaches
Gently, practically and hands-on. Children learn handwork by doing it themselves, not by watching an adult make the project for them. Her role is to:
- demonstrate techniques
- help when a child gets stuck
- make tools and materials easy to reach
- adjust projects to each child's skill level
- encourage persistence
- offer more challenge when a child is ready
- leave room for children's own creative choices
Our philosophy
Handwork takes time
Projects are not mainly about a perfect finished object. Children get time to explore an idea, learn a skill, make mistakes, solve problems, change their minds and build patience. Dropped stitches and holes in knitting are part of learning, not failures.
Traditional skills
Hand sewing, embroidery, Latvian white embroidery (baltie darbi), knitting, crochet, weaving, spinning, wet felting, fiber preparation, natural dyeing and sewing-machine work, carried forward and made meaningful for children today.
Natural and reused materials
Raw sheep fleece, wool, felted wool, silk, natural fabrics, embroidery thread, yarn, cotton, plant dyes and flowers, recycled wool sweaters, fabric remnants and scraps from earlier projects.
Creativity before perfection
Work does not have to look identical. Children get technique, materials, examples and support, and the creative choices stay theirs. Perfectly imperfect.
“It can actually be difficult to be imperfect when we are accustomed to trying to make everything perfect.”
Mixed ages, one table
Beginners work alongside experienced children. Everyone moves at their own pace with individual support, and children often learn from one another, much as people of different ages once worked side by side in traditional handwork.
The atmosphere is a comfortable home rhythm: making, snack, lunch, stories, games, outdoor time, and back to projects. It is intentionally smaller and more personal than a large institutional camp.
Safety and environment
- Safety is talked through with the children before tools are used.
- Age and maturity decide whether a child is ready for certain tools.
- Hand sewing is available alongside machine work, so projects can fit the child.
- Age guidelines: general handwork about 6+ or 7+, sewing machine about 9+.
- Adults supervise and guide work with needles, scissors, pins, sewing machines and other tools.
A formal written safety policy is still being prepared.