GROVE CITY — The stitches learned at Dorothy McMillen's silk ribbon embroidery class can be used to decorate anything from blouses and blankets to pillows and pin cushions.

McMillen will teach silk ribbon embroidery next month to students taking her class through the Institute for Learning in Retirement at Slippery Rock University.

"They don't need to have any background at all," she said of potential students. "They just have to be willing to learn."

She learned how to do silk embroidery at a workshop more than five years ago and has taught the class several times.

"I just took it up and enjoyed it so much that now I have all this," she said, gesturing toward the projects spread out on her dining room table at the Snow Goose Inn, which she has owned and operated for more than 20 years.

During the first class, each student will receive a kit with a square of silk fabric, a tapestry needle, several colors of silk ribbon and a diagram.

After tracing the diagram onto the silk with a marking pen, students will learn the four basic stitches and follow along with McMillen to complete a heart-shaped sachet.

The project utilizes four basic stitches, which include the Spider Web Rose. The stitch first requires white thread to create what resembles the spokes of a wagon wheel, McMillen said. Colored ribbon is then woven over and under the spokes to create a rosette.

The Lazy Daisy stitch creates a detached loop often arranged as leaves in a floral pattern.

The Japanese Ribbon Stitch is made by bringing the needle up through the backing fabric and then reentering the fabric through a flat part in the center of the ribbon.

The French Knot is used to make a small knot on the surface of the fabric.

There is no limit to what students can create once they master the four basic stitches, McMillen said.

For the second class, students will choose another project from one of McMillen's numerous craft books and magazines and complete it under her guidance.

"You could adapt it to anything," said McMillen, who prefers to create her own designs and patterns.

To celebrate a wedding, a former student embroidered a ring bearer's pillow and an intricate white-on-white purse for the bride, McMillen recalled.

"It was absolutely gorgeous and highly prized by the bride," she said.

Among other projects, McMillen has seen an embroidered teddy bear, Christmas tree ornaments and decorated clothing.

Finding supplies is sometimes difficult, so McMillen orders items from a company called Threat Art.

"It fades in and out of interest," she said of the craft. "Sometimes you can find the supplies and sometimes you can't."

Silk embroidery thread comes in various diameters, but she recommends beginners start with a somewhat thicker ribbon so they can see their stitches more easily.

Students use a tapestry needle, which has a blunt tip and large oval-shaped eye. The blunt tip pushes aside threads when stitching instead of piercing them, which helps keep stitches more uniform.

Arts and craft classes tend to be popular, said Ruth Hoffman, executive director of the ILR.

"People are very interested in that kind of thing," she said. "They do participate every term."

No matter where peoples' interests lie, the ILR likely has a class they'll enjoy, McMillen said.

"If they want to learn a new skill, it's such a worthwhile program," said McMillen.

<B>WHAT: </B>Silk ribbon embroidery<B>WHEN: </B>12:30 to 2 p.m. Oct. 19 and 26<B>WHERE: </B>Institute for Learning in Retirement, Center for Lifelong and Community Learning, 165 Elm St., Slippery Rock<B>COST:</B> Free for ILR members and $15 for nonmembers<B>INFO:</B> Kits be will furnished to class members for $6; take scissors.