Meet the Artist
Rita de Maintenon
Rita is a retired educator with over 40 years of classroom experience. Studied & trained all aspects of fiber work.
Growing up in Europe, she studied and trained all aspects of fiber work and has taught Heritage fiber classes and workshops for UNCA, the Center for Creative Retirement, the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in TN, fiber weekend retreats and local classes. Rita is a certified Craft Yarn Council Crochet Instructor and has many video classes featured at Udemy.com. In addition to teaching, Rita loves restoration work on antique pieces and is well known for her designer creations, especially Christening gowns.
She regularly demonstrates at the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with highlight events of Fiber Day and Heritage Weekend. Rita has been the educational demonstrator at the Southern Highland Guild Craft Fairs in the Asheville Cellular Center and has served on the Guild’s Educational Committee.
Her first book, “Heritage Crochet in a new Light” was published in July 2017. Her second book, Crochet for Knitters: The Marriage of Hook and Needles” was published in October 2017. Both are available on Amazon.
Rita is a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and a Blue Ridge National Heritage Artist.
Rita's Story
Featured in Mc Dowell News: Artist of the month
My story is not so different from many artists I have met over the years. I learned my art by default. Being raised in Germany just after WWII required my strict mother and grandmother to keep me busy indoors; the rubble the war left behind was not a safe environment to play in. So, this little girl learned to knit, crochet, embroider and sew at a very early age. Precision and accuracy became my yardstick and I learned more and more interesting details about regional fiber arts while traveling all over Europe with my family.
As a young bride in Texas I rejected any notion of hand-crafted wearables until I realized that there was no guarantee of owning a one of a kind item unless I designed and created it myself. My favorite past time during the early seventies was to design and sew Square and Round Dance dresses and crochet capes to match. Broomstick and Hairpin lace was still seen occasionally, so just to be different, I resorted to combining the two techniques in a singular piece. I also revived my memories of Tunisian lace, often expressed in mod color combinations. Friends and family were gifted with everything from baby sweaters to afghan/quilt combinations with precise mathematical components, such as the number of stitches equaling the number of days a couple was married and the rows of blocks or stripes representing the number of children or grandchildren. Always a labor of love, I remembered some of grandmother’s rules and disregarded many others. I seldom used patterns but watched the rules of basic design and enjoyed the creativity of finishing touches. The seeds for Heirloom Treasures were planted.
My story continues with a move to Florida brought more Special Education work, a friendly divorce and a few years of finding myself, which included more fiber fun. Some years later I met my perfect mate and we worked a business together while he counseled and I taught. We worked hard but played a bit at boating and flying as well. When it came time for him to retire we traveled the world first and then settled down in Western North Carolina. A beautiful log house was built in Franklin and I started back to work at Southwestern Community College in Adult Education and the Business Training Center. GED and Adult High School became my passion and I worked at the Macon Campus for 17 years. My teaching job left enough time to continue with my fiber musings and as retirement came to mind so came the desire to be a full-time working fiber artist and designer. The seeds for Heirloom Treasures were still dormant.
In 2001 my fairy tale life came to an end when my husband died unexpectedly and my talent for precision handiwork became a therapeutic ally that transformed my grief into hope. I had a choice of going into a deep depression or pulling myself up by the bootstraps and find purpose in life and my future. A friend invited me to a small neighborhood arts and crafts show. To my surprise I enjoyed the experience and sold several items. It was a healing experience and I felt renewed energy. I was also inspired by a mysterious package we found in my friend’s attic – it held great treasures, such as an old Irish crochet collar, doilies, bordered and embroidered handkerchiefs and some funny looking tools that turned out to be her grandmother’s hairpin lace tool and a pair of size 50 wooden knitting needles. She gifted me the mystery box and a new inspiration was born – to re-visit the art of hairpin lace and to use the knitting needles as a broomstick tool, which her grandmother had done, as proven by a broomstick wrap in the bottom of the box. This entire kaleidoscope of treasures led me back to some of the old-fashioned techniques I glossed over as a child in favor of easier to do projects. So I went in search of ideas to return to the heritage techniques and ways to use and incorporate them in my more contemporary designs and possibly combine more then one technique in any given designer piece. Fiber is the perfect medium for my creative urges – I work intuitively. The seeds for Heirloom Treasures began to sprout.
See Rita de Maintenon's Workshop Menu!
Since I was raised that only the best will do and perfection is the only acceptable work ethic I decided to challenge myself and applied for membership in the Southern Highland Craft Guild. In 2004 my sample work for the jury process was the “Royal Baby Welcome Sampler”, a Moses basket lined with a crochet lace border cloth held my first designer original thread lace Christening gown with matching booties and bonnet, a Victorian layette and some Victorian inspired toys, blocks and balls. To my delight I was welcomed to the Guild and have been active as a demonstrator and participant in Fiber Day and Heritage weekend ever since. I was invited to serve on the Educational Committee this coming year and hope to continue in support of any of our heritage arts and crafts at the Guild and any other possible venue. The teacher in me enjoys teaching classes and workshops at every level but especially in my beloved heritage techniques in contemporary application. I love to light the creative spark in other fiber enthusiasts! The artist in me enjoys the freedom to use those skills in unusual combinations and applications, the “make your own rules and have fun as you go” motto rules in my studio! I often use unexpected materials for an unusual effect, the thread or yarn dictate the design and often the design choses me. I start with an idea and often something different emerges. The reward of following the work’s guidance is the opportunity to create surprising finishing touches and embellishments to complete the vision of the intended project. I love the outdoors and the sights and colors of nature inspire me – I will not live long enough to bring expression to all the ideas floating in my head. Heirloom Treasures is now in full bloom.
After retiring in 2007, I sold my log home and moved to a town house in Fletcher in 2009. It felt right to be close to my beloved Asheville, the Guild activities and teaching commitments. I also connected with a wonderful, artistic spouse and we enjoy our creative retirement together. Creativity brings joy into the lives of all it touches.
~ Rita de Maintenon,
“I do what I love and I love what I do”
Preserving Vintage Patterns for Tomorrow’s Heirloom Treasures
By Marilyn Sprague-Smith, M.Ed.
This article was originally published in the NC Journal for Women, November 2005
Once upon a time, a young girl with an indomitable spirit lived in post-World War II Frankfurt, Germany.
Ravages of war obliterated outdoor play areas, yet idleness was taboo. Fibers and needles, threads and hooks were the resources she was given to stay busy indoors. Precision stitching was demanded by her stern grandmother and perfection-oriented mother as she learned to crochet, knit, quilt, and embroider.
Tedious hours performing precision handiwork under harsh supervision did not create fond childhood memories for Rita de Maintenon, fiber artist and owner of Heirloom Treasures based in Franklin, North Carolina, however, seeds of greatness are springing forth today as Rita uses the skills, she learned years ago in constraining conditions.
Rita describes her artistry as classic European broomstick and hairpin techniques, Irish crochet, and vintage German thread patterns with bullions, combined with her creative approach to preserving vintage patterns for tomorrow’s heirloom treasures. “I’m zzzizzling with zeal and zest,” says an exuberant Rita as she describes the fountain of inspiration belying her one-of-a-kind Victorian layettes, christening ensembles, carriage covers, booties, sweaters, bonnets, soft toys and blocks.
Her designs appeal to those who prefer to dress infants and young children with distinction, similar to individuals in many European cultures who have a tradition of dressing children in finery. She also creates a ladies’ line of fine accessories for individuals who seek one-of-a-kind items, including crocheted, beaded, and silk-lined evening bags; eyelash, boa, and Italian ribbon silk scarves, mohair wraps, ponchos, and hats.
Her ability to recreate vintage patterns with near-extinct techniques has earned her membership in the revered Southern Highland Craft Guild, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the highest standards in craft making. See her unique wearable art that Rita has designed herself - Heritage Treasures Boutique.
Viewing her themed portfolio and seeing her lavish displays of fine apparel at select craft shows and Guild-operated galleries such as Folk Art Center in Asheville and Parkway Center in Blowing Rock, one would find it hard to believe that Rita once declared she would never do precision handiwork again.
The Guild, as it is referred to by members, has a rigorous three-step juried application process. For Rita, having her work scrutinized by her grandmother and mother throughout her youth helped to make The Guild’s membership application process less formidable. Some applicants submit their portfolio three or more times before they are granted membership, and some applicants never achieve membership status. Rita’s “Royal Baby Welcome Sampler” themed portfolio was an immediate judge pleaser.
Heirloom Treasures: A Long Time in Coming
Once upon a time, a rapid-achiever living in Frankfurt, Germany graduated from college at age 18. With a major in special education and minor in physical education, she launched her teaching career at a Montessori school.
Once upon a time, a young woman living in Frankfurt, Germany loved to dance. As an accomplished round dancer, her lithe graceful dance floor presence was noticed by a young officer at Rhein-Main Air Base. Romance and courtship ensued. She came to America as a young Air Force bride.
“Leaving Germany was the end of what I call the first phase of my life,” says Rita. “When I came to this country as a young bride, I said I would never do precision handiwork again. No one was going to force me to do anything. Heirloom Treasures was a long time in coming.” Never Say Never.
As Rita began what she refers to as the second passage of her life, she focused on using her formal education. She helped to create and obtain funding from the Kennedy Foundation for a special education program in Waco, Texas. It was the beginning of what has become Rita’s personal trinity—a balanced approach to applying formal education, expressing artistic talent, and seeking spiritual growth.
Dancing was a major part of her new life in America, too. She and her husband danced at Carousel Level, the highest level in Round Dancing. In Square Dancing, they danced at Experimental and 50 Plus, which is also the highest level.
Dance apparel was expensive, so Rita set aside her vow to never do precision handiwork again. She began expressing her artistic talent by designing dance apparel. Seeds for Heirloom Treasures were unknowingly planted. The seeds lay dormant.
A move to Orlando, Florida, a divorce in 1980, and living on her own for the first time in her life brought closure to a second passage in Rita’s life and expanded possibilities for Rita’s future.
Discovering Unity Church of Orlando, experiencing a spiritual awakening, and meeting and marrying her true love, Tom de Maintenon, spawned a new beginning. With Rita as majority co-owner, Tom and Rita built a highly successful industrial equipment repair business. NASA was among their clients. Seeds for Heirloom Treasures lay dormant.
When Rita and Tom decided to sell their business and retire to the heart of the Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina, they gave themselves a retirement gift. They took several months to travel the world, including a safari in South Africa and a visit to Chateau de Maintenon in France.
Upon their return to Orlando, they sold Tom’s airplane and traded in Rita’s Mercedes for a truck, a fifth wheeler and a backhoe. For two years, they lived in their fifth wheeler, parked on their North Carolina property, as they sculpted the land to showcase their dream retirement home, a custom log home they hand-built together. It was their personal Chateau de Maintenon.
As Rita and Tom settled into their “Chateau,” Rita decided to once again put her formal education to work. She applied for and became the adult GED instructor at Southwestern Community College, a position she holds today. Her hand work was only a hobby. Seeds for Heirloom Treasures continued to lay dormant.
Personal Tragedy, Grief and Hope. Four years ago, Rita’s fairytale life with Tom ceased. A non-acute illness turned to tragedy. Rita became a young widow in her mid-50’s. Rita’s talent for precision handiwork became a therapeutic ally that transformed her grief to hope.
“When Tom passed away, I had a choice of going into deep depression or pulling myself up by my bootstraps. I had the time, the talent and the need to make something creative out of the situation.”
A friend invited her to participate in a small, neighborhood art show. She agreed to participate and sold several items. “It was a real healing to feel that I could turn the situation into something positive.” The seeds for Heirloom Treasures began to sprout.
Heirloom Treasures is sprouting greatness from skills Rita learned long ago in Frankfurt, Germany. As a new member of The Southern Highland Craft Guild, Rita received an invitation this summer to exhibit an item of her choice at the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) located in the heart of Washington, DC.
The Guild participates in an annual exhibit at ARC and extends an invitation to new members to showcase their work as a way to give them grand exposure.
Living a Personal Trinity, Rita submitted a christening ensemble that includes a bonnet, pair of booties, blanket, and christening gown. The ensemble was created using a very, very fine thread and a very, very fine hook. The satin-lined gown is 43 inches in length and features a Victorian Pineapple hemline. “The pineapple is a symbol of hospitality and blessings, often used in Victorian themes and households,” says Rita. “On a christening gown, a pineapple symbolizes blessings and good wishes for the child.”The ensemble is on exhibit at the ARC through August 1, 2006.
Rita’s indomitable spirit has given her the courage to transcend adversity and go on to create a lifestyle guided by her personal trinity. Today, she continues to use her formal education as an adult GED instructor at Southwestern Community College, is a frequent presenter at Spiritual Light Center in Franklin, and expresses her creativity preserving vintage patterns for tomorrow’s heirloom treasures.
Rita, the instructor, says “Let’s give our children wings in everything they do.”
Rita, the fiber artist, says “Allow yourself to be the best you can be.”
Rita, the spiritual seeker, says “It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. Contentment is a goal. I’m content.”
What Clients & Students Have to Say
~Pandora Law
Tablecloth arrived. It is beautiful!!! Thank you!!!
~ Meli Calkins
I finally got my bedspread onto my bed. It is my summer spread you see. Anyway, it looks absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much for all of your hard work.
~ Leslie Belcher
Just delivered. Beautiful work. Blends in perfectly. Thanks so much!!
~ Karen Clemmons
The bedspread arrived this afternoon, and I am DELIGHTED with the results! Both my wife and I don’t know how you repaired it so perfectly! That’s skill for you! Again, thanks for spending so much time on it and for doing such a good job.
~ Richard Giesler
The spread and the sham look fantastic! Greatly appreciated!
~ Edie Williams
I have received my bedspread and it looks absolutely beautiful!! You are amazing! Thank you so much, I feel blessed to have found you.
~ Martha Mezurek
The bedspread arrived back Monday safe and much sounder than before. The work you did is exemplary. The spread looks like new for the first time since It has been mine. And I no longer will feel worried when I make up the bed as there will be no great hole to tear further! Great-Aunt Stella would be pleased.
~ Karen Harmon
Just want you to know that we are so pleased with the table piece. It looks beautiful and is just the right size. The coasters are under dishes etc. that we have on our mirror cabinet behind the table. They make the two pieces of furniture blend together. Thank you so much!
~ Barbara Riccardo
I just checked out the work in the Black and White show and I think everyone that sees it will enjoy it. I am so thrilled and proud of your fresh take on ‘heritage’ techniques. Your pieces are my favorites in the show.
~ Janet Wiseman, Director of Education, Southern Highland Craft Guild
This morning I visited the Craft Guild in east Asheville I saw some of your things. I purchased one of them, a sweet little baby sweater for my daughter that I am expecting in November. I love it! Thank you!
~ Julie Dennis
I just wanted to check in and tell you how happy I am with my skirt. You did a great job! Fits exactly as I had hoped. Thank you again. We’ll look for you soon at the Folk Art Center
~ Lauren Wallace
I just wanted to write and thank you for the beautiful Baptism dress. We love it!! We tried it on Claudia and it fits great, there is some room for her to grow a little more. We are so excited for her to wear the dress, she looks so cute in it!! It is absolutely beautiful!
~ Tara Camisa
When I saw this book advertised as a pre-pub, I put in an order. And I am so glad I did. I received it last week and it is simply wonderful. The color illustrations are gorgeous, but even more important to me, the writing is both elegant and easy to understand. I am happy to add it to my crochet library
~ Graybeard's Wife
I took Rita’s Heritage Crochet course at Arrowmont and have been using everything she taught us. The book is a fortification of the course. Her finished products are beautiful and the pictures in the book reflect it. I was glad I could view some of these items in person.
~ Joan Setevens
Thank you so much Rita, I really enjoyed your class and I hope to keep trying the broom stick crochet.. even have a friend interested in it too. with both of us working on it together will make it more fun… thanks for the web sites… see you next year at the fiber fair!
~ Lyn Daulton
I so enjoyed your class on thread crochet and wanted to thank you again. I hope to schedule my next visit to the Folk Art Center when you are demonstrating— best wishes
~ Sheila Leverson
Thank you so much for spending time with me at the FAC last week. The information you shared with me-even tho beginning steps for you- were life saving for me. You are a PRO and I’m so proud of you for all you have done…You are amazing and your creations are spectacular.
~ Janice McDonald
I so enjoyed your class on thread crochet and wanted to thank you again. I hope to schedule my next visit to the Folk Art Center when you are demonstrating— best wishes.
~ Lisa Smith
I had such a fun time with you and the class last Saturday. You are a great teacher – fun, encouraging and easy to follow. Something tells me you have taught one or two classes before! I just want to tell you THANKS! and that I look forward to your emails about future classes.
~ Linda Pierce
Enjoyed your class last night. Would love to learn more. I will be calling to sign up for the Tunisian class. I reviewed your website a little and was so impressed with your work. I didn’t know that crochet could be done at this level. I know I’ve not seen everything but nor have I come across the lovelies like you have constructed. Love it.
~ Brenda Medford
I just wanted to let you know I really enjoyed the workshop on Saturday and learned so much! I look forward to more worshops with you! I already have questions, but will wait until I really need help to ask…thank you again.
~ Lori Jurkovic
I think you’re a great teacher and I’m learning from the best. It’s so nice to learn something new at my age. I took sewing lessons when I was twelve or thirteen. Later on, I was able to teach myself embroidery, needlepoint and crewel by looking at the pictures and following the directions but as I said earlier, there’s no way I could have done that with crochet. So, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou for your wonderful help and patience!
~ Joyce Reykert
I just took a look at the Brugge Lace on your website! Beautiful! your website! Beautiful! It has been a rare pleasure to spend time with you. Thanks to your incredible artistic ability and communications skills, my world has grown larger and more beautiful.
~ Betsy McCormick