The waitlist is open · The next challenge starts this winter
Thirty techniques in one month, with a regular needle. Decorative threads, beads, sequins and three-dimensional work, the same methods used inside couture fashion houses, taught slowly enough for someone who has never held a needle.
Waitlist price 39 € or 45 $, the best price there will be. The full price will be 59 € or 69 $.
The waitlist is open
A new stitching challenge built on Haute Couture embroidery techniques, worked with one ordinary needle, and the people on the waitlist hear about it before anyone else.
The waitlist price is 39 € or 45 $, the best price there will be. The full price will be 59 € or 69 $.
Leave your email below. Nothing to pay today, and you can leave the list whenever you like.
Before you decide
These are the seven sentences I hear most often from people who want to embroider and have not started yet. Here is what happens to each one inside the challenge.
01
Every technique in this challenge is worked with a regular needle. No hook, no atelier, no talent required. Day one starts at absolute zero and moves at the speed of a first-time hand.
02
Every lesson is filmed in HD close-up. You see the angle of the needle, the tension of the thread and the finish of the knot, slowly enough to copy it while you watch.
03
Twenty-two lesson days, one technique a day, in a deliberate order, Monday to Friday. The weekends stay free so you can finish anything you did not get to. Nothing to search for, nothing to choose. You open today and stitch today.
04
One month, one piece, and a room full of people stitching beside you. And if life happens, everything stays open for six months afterwards. Falling behind is allowed here.
05
A full materials list segmented by region, so you buy from a supplier near you and receive everything in time. Plus a 28-page sourcing guide with 32 suppliers worldwide.
06
Thirteen years of couture practice, 3,000 students in 57 countries, a five-star rating, and a real school behind it. Every lesson is filmed close enough to see the twist of the thread.
07
Thirty techniques is not a sampler. It is a working vocabulary: the same one used to embellish couture garments, and the foundation everything else is built on.
What one month gives you
This is the first stitching challenge built entirely on Haute Couture embroidery techniques: decorative threads, beads, sequins and three-dimensional work, the same methods used inside couture fashion houses, taught for someone who has never held a needle.
22
Techniques in the challenge
One technique a day, Monday to Friday, through the whole challenge. Each one is a complete lesson you can finish in an evening, and the weekends are yours to catch up on anything unfinished.
+8
Techniques with lifetime access
Eight more techniques that never expire. They stay in your library for as long as you want them.
30
Techniques in total
A real working vocabulary of couture embroidery, built one calm evening at a time.
Every challenge lesson stays open for six months after the challenge ends. If you fall behind during the challenge, nothing is lost, because you can finish weeks later or months later, whenever your evenings allow it. The stitching is meant to be the calm part of your week, not another deadline.
The twenty two lesson days
A new lesson opens every working day of the challenge, from the first to the twenty second, and the weekends stay free so you can finish anything you did not get to. The exact days go to the waitlist first.
Day 01
Stretching the Organza and Transferring the Pattern
Two ways to stretch silk organza in a hoop, one wooden and one plastic, then the design onto the base.
Day 02
Split Back Stitch
The stitch that goes down before any surface is raised.
Day 03
Raising a Branch with Thread
One method of padding, worked so the branch reads as three dimensional.
Day 04
Covering the Raised Branch
Thread over the padding, and spreading the angle as the branch turns.
Day 05
Leaf in Satin Stitch
Satin stitch worked in thread across a leaf shape.
Day 06
Leaf in Doubled Sequins
Sequins attached in doubled combinations so the leaf reads as textured.
Day 07
Branch and Leaves in Beads
The stitch and couch method, worked in beads over the branch and the leaves.
Day 08
Raised Flower Bud
The bud raised and covered in thread, then finished with lazy daisy stitches and a bead in the loop.
Day 09
Three Dimensional Flower
Building a flower upright from beads and sequins, in several combinations.
Day 10
Sequins in a Row
Attaching sequins in a continuous, even row.
Day 11
The Sugar Technique
Beads layered in three dimensions to build a granular surface.
Day 12
French Knots
Filling a surface with thread so it reads as texture.
Day 13
Attaching Tubes
Beaded backstitch, worked with bugle beads.
Day 14
Folded Sequins
How to fold a sequin, and how to attach it once it is folded.
Day 15
Peony Petals in Satin Stitch
Satin stitch across a petal, with the angle spreading as the shape widens.
Day 16
Shading with Long French Knots
Attaching a sequin with a long French knot, used as decorative shading.
Day 17
Chaotic Bead Filling
Filling a petal with beads in a deliberately irregular pattern.
Day 18
Flower Pistil with Tubes
Long bugle beads layered upright using the column technique.
Day 19
Framing with Tubes and Beads
Beaded backstitch combining two different types and sizes of bead.
Day 20
Flower Composition
Lazy daisy stitch shaped into a flower, with cup sequins attached in back stitch.
Day 21
Beaded Grid
A small grid worked in beads on the framing, with folded sequins attached behind it.
Day 22
Sequins with Beaded Arches
Holding sequins onto the base with arches of beads instead of thread alone.
A new technique opens every weekday of the challenge, in order, from the first lesson to the twenty second.
Tap or click any day in the calendar below to read what that lesson covers.
Weekends stay free. No new lesson opens on a Saturday or a Sunday, so you can use them to finish Friday’s technique. The social media task of the day still arrives every day, weekends included.
22 techniques, Monday to Friday, plus 8 bonus lessons after the challenge. No new lesson at the weekend, so you can catch up on Friday’s technique or leave the needle alone.
Join the waitlistWhat you will actually learn
From the challenge piece
This embroidery challenge focuses on three-dimensional embroidery techniques that are rich in texture and volume. You will learn different ways to create raised surfaces using threads, beads, and sequins, as well as how to create three-dimensional effects by combining shiny, matte, and textured surfaces.
The contrast between different surfaces and the way light interacts with them gives the embroidery greater depth and dimension.
I also place great emphasis on creating variety with a minimal amount of materials, so you can learn how to embroider an impressive piece even without having a large selection of supplies.
All techniques are adapted for beginners.
Included for every participant
Everyone who takes part receives the full tote bag: two complete courses, the sourcing guides, and five e-books from my own library. It arrives digitally, and it is yours whether or not you finish a single day.
Gift 01 · Full course
A full course on building dimensional embroidered flowers: petals with body, layered texture, and the finishing that makes them look couture rather than craft. Yours to keep.
Gift 02 · Masterclass
Three HD close-up lessons turning ordinary socks into wearable couture with beads, sequins and crystals. Lifetime access.
Gift 03 · 28-page guide
32 trusted suppliers around the world, segmented by region, so you can order from a shop close to home instead of guessing.
Gift 04 · The right names
The correct English names for every material, the terms suppliers use worldwide. Most beginners cannot find what they need because they are searching for the wrong word.
Gift 05 · From my library
The Golden Thread: A Free Guide to Goldwork Embroidery
Gardens: The Art of Silk Flowers in Haute Couture
Sculpting With Leather
Plumasserie: The Living Craft of Featherwork
7 Mistakes That Make Tambour Feel Impossible
The two courses on their own
78 € / $89
Both are included for every challenge participant, along with everything else here.
The price, and what it covers
Nothing hidden and nothing to work out. One payment covers the whole challenge, and everyone who is on the waitlist when the doors open pays the lower of the two prices.
Included in the price
Your waitlist price
39 € / $45
This is the waitlist price, and the full price will be 59 € or 69 $. Being on the list before the doors open is the whole difference.
Starts this winter1,30 € / $1.50 a day
Across the thirty days of the challenge, one Haute Couture technique a day.
0,18 € / $0.21 a day
Across the whole time you keep the lessons: the challenge itself, plus six more months of rewatching.
Prices are shown without VAT. Customers in the European Union outside Lithuania will see their own country’s VAT added at checkout. Lithuania, the United Kingdom, the United States and the rest of the world pay exactly the price shown.
Once only
This is the waitlist price, and it belongs to the people who asked to be told first. It will not come back. Once the doors open the price goes to 59 € or 69 $, and everyone who joined from the list will have paid the least it will ever cost.
The part nobody solves
Most people who want to embroider stop at this exact step. Not because the stitching is hard, but because they cannot work out what to buy or where. That is solved before the challenge begins.
How the lessons are made
Everything is pre-recorded, so nothing depends on your timezone. Open the day, watch, pause, stitch, repeat.
Every stitch filmed from above, at the distance your own eyes would be. Full explanation of each step as it is made, not narrated afterwards.
Every video carries captions, and every spoken word is transcribed as text underneath. Rewatch as many times as you like, and translate the text into your own language in a second.
Patterns and reference sheets you can print at home, so you are not stitching from a screen.
Challenge lessons stay open for six months after the challenge ends. The eight bonus techniques stay with you for life.
Weekdays only, Monday to Friday. Weekends are yours to catch up, or to rest.
Ask under any lesson or in the community. I read and answer every message myself.
The Challengers community
A private community for challenge participants only. Post what you made today, and find people in a dozen timezones doing exactly the same thing at exactly the same time.
Prizes
A gift from KLARA Couture Shop, our official partner and supplier. When the challenge ends, the three participants with the most points each receive a box by post. It does not matter where you live: they ship anywhere in the world.
First place270 €
approx. $315 USD in value
The book
Fabric and tools
Threads
Beads, sequins and crystals
Second place170 €
approx. $198 USD in value
Fabric and tools
Threads
Beads, sequins and crystals
Third place90 €
approx. $105 USD in value
Fabric and tools
Threads
Beads, sequins and crystals
Swipe to see all three
Official partner and supplier
The Mystery Boxes are a gift from KLARA Couture Shop. They stock the professional embroidery supplies I teach with, Preciosa crystals, Bohin needles, Sajou threads, Miyuki beads, and they ship worldwide.
Visit KLARA Couture ShopTotal value across the three boxes is 530 €, approximately $618 USD. Dollar figures are approximate and depend on the exchange rate on the day. The winners are announced a few days after the last lesson, once every point has been counted and checked, and the boxes are sent by KLARA Couture Shop after that.
The last challenge · XX century archives
In the previous challenge, each student chose a historical twentieth-century piece from the Haute Couture archives and recreated its embroidery by hand: Marlene Dietrich 1936, Balenciaga 1955, Louis Feraud, Jean-Louis Scherrer, Schiaparelli, House of Worth, Valentino, Dior, Lanvin, Balmain, Chanel. Their work on the left, the original garment on the right. Almost all of them were beginners.
In their own words
These are students of School of Couture, writing about the courses this challenge is built on.
★★★★★
“I was amazed that starting from absolute zero, you can actually learn in just a few days. I got exactly what I hoped for, and more. A wonderful community throughout the course, a friendly and warm atmosphere.”
EvelineLithuania · Beginners · Level II
★★★★★
“It is truly an honor to be a student of such a qualified teacher. Valerija is so patient and thorough that she will teach even the most inexperienced person, and she will enjoy doing it.”
DaliaLithuania · Beginners · Goldwork
★★★★★
“I found the course very comprehensive, and knowing I could watch the video multiple times was very helpful. The links for buying materials around the world were also very helpful.”
FedericaItaly · Advanced Level II
★★★★★
“I got even more than I came for, not just a wonderful teacher, but a genuinely warm person. There is no stress, no pressure. She could explain things to someone who has never held a needle in their life.”
GretaLithuania · Beginners · Goldwork
★★★★★
“Love it. This course is well explained and easy to follow. Also super creative and inspiring. I am learning so much from Valerija, such a creative designer.”
TaniaCanada · Beginners · Level II
★★★★★
“I was 100% surprised by how easily and clearly completely new, never-before-heard information is delivered. Every little piece comes together into one clear, coherent picture.”
LinaLithuania · Beginners
★★★★★
“So many positive emotions, such a wonderful atmosphere, real professionalism, clarity, and attention to the smallest details. Even the quality of the materials made me feel like I truly mattered.”
ViolettBeginners
★★★★★
“Wonderful course, I am still enjoying it. Valerie answered my questions instantly. Highly recommended.”
KarinArgentina · Advanced Level II
★★★★★
“The courses exceeded all my expectations. Valerija is a true professional in her field, and I know that when I recommend her, I will never have to feel embarrassed about it.”
ChristineBeginners · Advanced Level II
Q&A · Straight from Instagram
Swipe to see more →
@valerijaficofficial
I am showing the whole preparation for the challenge in my stories, the samples, the materials, the mistakes and the fixes. Every week I run a Q&A there and answer everything you ask.
The dates and the price go to the waitlist first, with enough notice to order your materials.
Who is teaching
Founder of School of Couture, the first Haute Couture embroidery school in the Baltic States. Thirteen years with a needle in hand: learning from the masters, competing on international stages, and teaching thousands of students.
My dresses have been worn at the Cannes Film Festival. At the Hand & Lock Prize in London I placed second in the Fashion Open category. I am a Paris-certified couture technologist, and somewhere between teaching and competing I wrote a book, The Business of Creative Arts.
What keeps me at the frame every morning is the moment a student says I did not think I could do this, and then does it anyway. That is the entire reason this challenge exists.
Paris
Certified couture technologist
London
Hand & Lock Prize, 2nd place
Cannes
Dresses worn on the red carpet
Baltic States
Founder of the first Haute Couture embroidery school
Published author
The Business of Creative Arts
13+ years
At the frame, 8 of them teaching
Why join now
Everyone on the waitlist joins at 39 € or 45 $, and that is the lowest the challenge will ever be. The full price will be 59 € or 69 $, so the list is worth being on before the doors open.
Your full materials list, segmented by your region, opens the moment you join the challenge, together with the 28-page sourcing guide and its 32 suppliers. The waitlist hears the dates early enough for everything to reach you in time.
Dates announced soon
The best cozy stitching month of the year. Thirty days, one technique at a time, with the evenings drawing in and something beautiful growing in your hands. If you have never stitched before, this is your opening.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, and that is who it was designed for. Everything is worked with a regular needle, every technique is filmed close-up and explained from the first movement, and the materials list deliberately contains nothing difficult. If you have never stitched before, a challenge month is the best possible time to start.
There are no live sessions and no fixed hours. Every lesson is pre-recorded and appears in your account, so you watch whenever it suits you, morning or midnight, in any time zone. A new lesson opens Monday to Friday through the challenge month, and everything stays open for six months after it ends.
Nothing is lost. Lessons open Monday to Friday, so the weekends are already there for catching up. And every challenge lesson stays open for six months after the challenge ends, while the eight bonus techniques stay with you for life. Plenty of people finish in the month afterwards.
Every video has captions, and every spoken word appears as text under the video. You can rewatch as often as you like and translate that text into your own language in a second. Students from 57 countries take these courses.
Two ways. Klaros Shop, our official supplier, is preparing ready made kits for the challenge, with everything you need in one box, shipped worldwide, so you can order once and be done. Or buy on your own: your full materials list, segmented by your region, waits for you inside your course library, together with the 28-page Global Materials Source Guide and its 32 suppliers. Join the waitlist and you will have time to order from a shop close to you before the first lesson. Nothing on the list is rare, and I give you a variation for anything you cannot find.
One technique a day, and each lesson is short enough to finish in an evening. This is meant to be the calm part of your week, not another deadline.
The boxes shown on this page are the ones from the previous challenge, worth 270 €, 170 € and 90 €, photographed so you can see what goes into one. The next challenge will have its own boxes. They go to the three participants with the most points at the end of the challenge. They are a gift from KLARA Couture Shop, our official partner, and they ship anywhere in the world.
You confirm your email once, and after that everything comes to you. The waitlist is told first when the doors open, and everyone on it joins at 39 € or 45 $ instead of the full 59 € or 69 $. Nothing is charged today and you can leave the list from any of those emails.
The next challenge starts this winter
Leave your email and you will hear about it before anyone else, early enough to order your materials and keep a few evenings free. Everyone on the waitlist joins at 39 € or 45 $, while the full price will be 59 € or 69 $.
Nothing to pay today. The waitlist price is 39 € or 45 $, against a full price of 59 € or 69 $.
Get started today before this once in a lifetime opportunity expires.