Paula Rae Schmidt is a renowned national needlepoint instructor from St. Paul, Minnesota. From a beginning needlepoint class in a department store her passion to enhance a canvas was born and has developed over the decades.  With more than 50 years of stitching experience and more than 25 years of teaching others she is a sought-after needlepoint teacher.  Paula’s passion for the art and her unselfish approach have made her a favorite of many stitchers as she inspires confidence and skill in the art of needlepoint. When she is not teaching for others, you can find her at 3 Kittens Needle Arts in Mendota Heights, Minnesota.  She continues her development as a teacher by also taking classes from others and develops her growing knowledge of all thing’s needlework through her diligent research. 


Class styles
Paula Rae Schmidt teaches needlepoint to stitchers from beginners to experts while bolstering confidence in choices of materials and stitches to create their individual stitching plan for a canvas.  For shops she teaches in two formats.Canvas Embellishment explores the student’s vision for an individual canvas and recommends stitches and techniques for that unique development.  Approximately three weeks prior to the class a full color photocopy is submit to Paula.  From that copy Paula develops a series of stitches and thread recommendations so that every participant can start stitching immediately.  Over the three-day class, which is the most common length, Schmidt will work with each class participant in the development of stitches to bring the piece to life in the vision that has been described.  Techniques are demonstrated so that stitchers can develop new skills that may be transferable to other projects. 
‍
Fusion is the unique blend of canvas embellishment for a series of canvases that contain common elements.  A collection of designs is curated in combination with the contracting shop, a unique workbook is developed for use during the class to facilitate the selection of threads and stitches as they relate to the canvas collection.   Some of the collections include the Elegant Ladies by Colors of Praise, the barns by Chip DuPont from Purple Palm as well as several of the artists distributed by Maggie Co Designs.