Meet Our Tutors
This year we brought together some of the UK’s leading textile specialists to host our workshop programme at The Knitting & Stitching Show. We want you to learn from the best!
Whether you’re looking to further your dressmaking or crochet skills, or you want to take up the art of needle felting or dyeing, we have just the person to help lead you through your creative journey.
Ailish Henderson
Ailish is a fine arts textile practitioner, having had one solo exhibition in London and been a part of a multitude of other events, some as far as Rome, Italy. She currently writes for textile related publications as well as hosting workshops and lectures. Many of her most successful works have been translated to printed textiles. She sells her products online and at selected venues such as The Royal Academy of Arts, London.
Contact Ailish at [email protected]
Visit her website here.
Alison J Reid
On leaving art school, Alison soon returned and taught for 20 years in the same department where she had trained. Alongside this Alison set up her own business making decorative trimmings for fashion and interior houses, including Marc Jacobs, Takashimaya (NYC), Ralph Lauren, VV Rouleaux, Liberty, Etro and Rubelli and also for the actress Nicole Kidman. Alison’s textile pieces have been featured in many magazines and journals, including Elle, Elle Decoration, Country Life, Vogue, Homes & Gardens, Textile View, Selvedge, You and Telegraph Magazine.
Alison is also the author of the stitch 50 series which is published by David & Charles. The series so far includes, Stitch 50 Dogs which has been translated into Taiwanese and Estonian, Stitch 50 Cats and her most recent publication, Stitch 50 Birds. Other previous books include Learn to Sew and Stitch Magic, which has been translated into German and French.
Alongside Alison’s books she makes cute sewing kits which have all of the ingredients to make one off cute felt characters. Alison says, “I love my workspace and having all of my felt fabric and equipment to hand. My little companion Woody the Cavapoo accompanies me by sitting alongside me while I’m sewing.”
To see more of Alison’s creative illustrations and textiles, follow her on Instagram @alisonjsewingreid.
Ami James
After setting up Simplysewingboxes, The quilt academy, she went on to gain 2 City & Guilds and a Diploma in Sewing & Designing and started to teach adults and children to sew.
In 2014 she started teaching for the Knitting & Stitching shows, the International Festival of Quilts and the Sewing Quarter TV Channel. She was delighted when in 2017, the children she taught won 3rd prize for their creation from the Festival of Quilts. Throughout the pandemic, Ami has continued to teach online through Simply Sewing Boxes, Youtube and The Quilt Academy, now brand new Mindful embroidery kits and a range of online classes. She’s determined to show people how to have fun and gain a new hobby and lifestyle. Mindfulness at its best.
Angela Daymond
Angela has a studio in Lincolnshire and often welcomes people in for workshops as well as teaching around the country including shows such as Festival of Quilts and The Knitting and Stitching Shows. You can often see what Angela is up to on her YouTube channel and find her on Facebook as Angela Daymond Textile Artist and Instagram as Angela_Daymond. Angela has appeared in the shopping channels Create & Craft and Hochanda.
“I love teaching and sharing my knowledge with others. Often people have a eureka moment in my workshops when they find that they quickly pick up a new stitch or technique. The best part of teaching is when after the workshop people send you photos of their finished dyeing or stitching.”
Claire Tyler
With her daughter Amy, Claire also runs Sewing Retreats in hotels around the country from Brighton to Carlisle and the very popular West Country Retreat in Totnes, Devon. 2022 saw the first New York Sewing Tour and Cruise – a 4 day tour of New York’s famous Garment District, then returning on the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship where a Sewing Room was set up so you could sew all the way home across the Atlantic.
As well as teaching at the Shows, Claire & Amy have a stand selling haberdashery, patterns & fabrics including the fabulous Linton Tweed – the fabric used by Couture houses like Chanel! Being at the shows is an opportunity to meet lots of new people and tell them about the workshops and retreats, – it’s also lovely to be surrounded by like-minded people and share sewing stories and ideas.
“I am inspired by Couture and love to pass skills on to students.”
You can find out all about Claire’s workshops on her website www.claire-tyler.com.
Debbie Harris
Having had a successful career as a Secondary School Teacher for more than twenty years, Debbie now enjoys teaching a variety of craft workshops across the UK, including London, Birmingham and Belfast.
Debbie has a significant presence on Social Media, presenting live demonstrations weekly. All of her patterns, kits and haberdashery essentials are available on Debbie’s website.
“When a lovely customer buys one of my patterns or kits, there is nothing better than seeing their creation. It’s an absolute pleasure passing on my love of sewing, crochet & knitting”.
Get to know Debbie in this extended interview.
Emma Jones
This grew into a small business selling her original sewing patterns, all of which have a focus on hand sewing. She has been featured in various magazines and podcasts and has created her own website which contains lots of resources for others. A lover of patchwork and tiny details, Emma’s designs are whimsical and fun to make. Emma now combines her joy of sewing with her love of teaching through in person workshops and also her popular Youtube channel.
Website: www.vintagesewingbox.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/vintagesewingbox
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@emmajonesvintagesewingbox
Emma Wood
Emma Wood is a designer, workshop tutor and founder of Verde – sustainable vegan yarns. She is an experienced knitter and crocheter who is passionate about supporting others in gaining new skills and confidence, and the benefits this can have to our everyday wellbeing.
website: www.verde.uk
instagram: verde.uk
facebook: verde.uk
twitter: verdeyarn
Gillian Cooper
Gillian teaches City & Guilds courses in Patchwork and Quilting and Creative Sketchbooks both online and in person in her lovely home studio in Balfron, Stirlingshire. She loves teaching, helping her students develop their own style and create things they never imagined possible. Her students have won both the C&G Bursary Award at the Festival of Quilts and the Worshipful Company of Broderers Livery Award.
She also runs short courses online, a residential Spring School for her students and delivers talks and workshops to groups across the country.
Gillian has written extensively for the textile press, including projects, interviews, reviews and a regular column about her quilting life.
You can find out more about Gillian’s courses and her work at http://www.gilliancooperstudio.co.uk
Gillian is also on instagram as @gilliantextiles and Facebook as www.facebook.com/gilliancooperartist.
Helen Moyes
She also runs regular Creative Textile Workshops both at her own studio and for groups and events.
Helen gives inspirational talks, produces on-demand digital guidance, and blogs, and creates kits for us to get creative at home.
www.helenmoyesdesigns.com
Helen aims to bring some peace and play to our everyday! Whether that is by bringing you a crafted gift or a kit/workshop or even her Workbench Wednesday Facebook & Insta posts @HelenMoyesDesigns.
You can also find her on Pinterest and YouTube.
“I love to pass on mixed media and creative stitch skills to others, encouraging play and experimentation for all ages. The process of trying new ideas and creativity truly enhances our well-being.”
Jen Hogg
Jen has been sewing and knitting for longer than she can remember. She took part in The Great British Sewing Bee in 2019, reaching the semi-final. More recently Jen launched her own range of unique tools and notions for sewing, knitting and crochet, including the Jenerates Seam Circles: made in Scotland and sent all over the world. Jen writes for various sewing magazines, blogs for independent pattern brands and regularly runs residential sewing courses in Scotland. You can see more about Jen’s work on her website www.jenhogg.co.uk and on social media @jenerates.
Jessica Grady
Her work is a colourful and creative exploration of hand stitch and mixed media, and she utilises waste and recycled materials, which are transformed into exciting embellishments. Jessica’s work has been exhibited in the UK, Europe and Asia, and she shares her skills across the UK and beyond through workshops and lectures.
She teaches in schools, universities, for charities, festivals and private groups, as well as online classes. She is a big believer that textiles and hand stitch is an accessible medium that all ages and abilities can enjoy, and there is no wrong way to begin and get creative!
Get to know Jessica in this extended interview.
Jules Mayouf
Jules is a freelance tutor, designer, and demonstrator, being best known for her regular Guest Designer spots on Sewing Street TV. Jules is a popular workshop tutor, being an avid supporter of passing on her knowledge, hints, and tips. Jules can be found at many of the larger craft shows (e.g., Knitting and Stitching Shows, Belfast Quilt Fayre) enthusiastically tutoring in the workshop studios. Jules offers individual and small group tuition on a diverse range of skills. She is a level 6 diploma Assessor.
Jules is always open to crafting ideas and likes to take inspiration from her family and the natural world around her. She is currently designing a fabric portfolio.
“Crafting is a powerful entity bringing likeminded people together spreading positivity and wellbeing”
Follow her on Instagram @byJulesMayouf
Karen Crookes
Karen moved to Hampshire 7 years where she set up her business, Sunflowerstitches. She has a passion for teaching complete beginners and loves setting them on their journey of enjoyment in patchwork and quilting. Karen loves face to face teaching but is equally very at home teaching over Zoom, which is how she continued all of her classes during the pandemic, ensuring that her community were all kept in touch with each other. Karen also designs her own quilts, including the very popular Sugar & Spice.
As well as regular classes, Karen also organises and runs quilting retreats throughout the year and is often found teaching different techniques to many WI and quilting groups and, more recently, teaching at Festival of Quilts, and The Knitting and Stitching Shows and Stitch.
Karen Gibson-Brown
“I love to pass on the skills that I have learnt to new people. It’s a great way to meet people and to share happy moments together whilst sharing a common interest. As long as I have a needle in my hand, whether it be beading or sewing I’m happy and I particularly love to design projects from upcycled items to give them a new lease of life and to prevent them being sent to landfill.”
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
www: www.internationalbeadingweek.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/beadworkersguild/ and www.facebook.com/groups/internationalbeadingweek/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/beadworkers
Karen Holland
Karen started crafting as a young child and continued throughout her career in banking, raising a family and with her husband running their own chain of toy and nursery stores. At a significant age Karen decided she’d like to do something different and decided to set up craft workshops to share her knowledge.
In addition to running workshop at the K&S Show, Karen has previously run workshops for the Create Craft Show and aboard cruises. In her spare time Karen enjoys volunteering with friends at music festivals which this year included running some craft workshops.
‘I believe there is a craft out there somewhere for everyone. I enjoy meeting new people, passing on skills and knowledge hoping they have found their new ‘thing’. Crafting definitely keeps you young and is a great way to share knowledge with other likeminded people.’
Kathy Hammond
She is a keen textile and art practitioner having exhibited in many solo and group exhibitions for some years, and is also a member of the Solar Gallery Ilkley and the Small Group.
She runs workshops and has been teaching at the Knitting and Stitching show in the Learning Curve for several years.
‘I’m passionate about Textiles and the Arts and teaching these to share knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject and to support and encourage all leaners in their creative journey.’
Kim Searle
Kim loves seeing different individuals approach art and craft techniques. She covers a wide variety of techniques including upcycling, Jesmonite, printing, candle making, macrame and more. Throughout all these she focuses on wellbeing, creativity and sustainability. Kim graduated from the University of Huddersfield BA Textile Crafts course in 2012 after specialising in Printmaking with an emphasis on creative work within communities. As part of her degree she studied abroad in both France and Finland, learning new skills in these places gave her an eclectic skillset that she loves to share with others. Kim also co-runs Thread Republic, a Kirklees based sustainable textile practice that works with other similar models across the country.
Kim Suleman
As a popular and regular presenter on the Create & Craft shopping channel she is household name and firm favorite with crafters.
Kim shares her own sewing projects in both workshops and as patterns and books. all designed to inspire, educate and encourage creativity.
Alongside her professional stitching career Kim is a prominent figure in the WI and works to support creativity in the local community.
Kim enjoys riding her bike and regular takes part in charity events.
“Let’s get everyone sewing and having fun!”
Lorna Knight
As a registered dealer for Brother and Baby Lock she also repairs, services and sells sewing/embroidery machines and overlockers. But it’s not just through workshops that Lorna spreads her love of sewing; she filmed a Craftsy class (‘The Iconic Tweed Jacket’); taught at the V&A and has written a number of sewing reference books including ‘Dressmaking Technique Bible’ and, her latest title, ‘Overlockers and Overlocking – a practical guide’.
Louisa Goult
Louisa started her business Sewmotion back in 2014 where she designs and produces quilt, cushion and EPP kits and patterns aimed at the beginner as well as the more advanced quilter. Like many, Louisa has dabbled in many different crafts over the years, but has found her true passion in patchwork & quilting, recently specialising in her favourite technique, curved English paper-piecing.
Louisa has developed a series of tutorials on her website, sewmotion.com, from the Beginner’s Quilt, taking a new quilter through the whole process of making their first quilt, to a four-part video series on curved EPP. She has also appeared on Sewing Quarter and Sewing Street demoing a variety of projects while enjoying a giggle with the hosts.
“If you are new to this wonderful craft, I suggest starting with a kit, all the fabrics are chosen for you so you don’t have to worry about what goes with what, and the instructions will take you through step-by-step to learn each technique as you develop your skills.”
Mark Francis
Mark Francis started his company after taking part in the sixth series of the Great British Sewing Bee. He realised he wanted to work in the sewing industry and set about making that happen. He now have his own range of sewing patterns, designed with men in mind whist being great on the ladies too. He also teaches, and hosts workshops, lectures, talks and TV demos and appearances.
Get to know Mark in this extended interview.
Molly Brown
After a 35 year career as an Occupational Therapist in the NHS, Molly changed direction in 2016. She focused more on teaching skills to others and working on her own projects.
Over her lifetime Molly has mastered a wide repertoire of skills in both Knitting and Sewing. She teaches a wide range of knitting techniques, from Entrelac to Magic Loop. She has written a book about Entrelac, published by Crowood Press in Feb 2022.
However sewing is where her strongest passion lies. The back bone of this is in making clothes. She has a keen interest in exploring the variety of ways to embellish fabrics, especially using Shisha embroidery, natural dyes and shibori, free motion embroidery and quilting. It might look like these are all just different tangled threads, but Molly aims to bring it all together into a beautiful fabric of coherent and unique wearable art.
Get to know Molly in this extended interview.
Monica Russel
Monica is an author of knitting pattern books with ten books published to date and is currently working on a new one. Monica teaches for a community learning partnership and also runs workshops for knitting shows and various organisations and shops in the UK. As a designer she works for yarn companies and magazines including Simply Knitting, Molly Makes and The People’s friend. Monica designs her own knitting kits and knitting patterns which she sells online, at shows and farmers markets.
” I love teaching and helping people to learn new skills and develop skills they already have. I am always willing to take on new design challenges and love working with natural fibres”.
Get to know Monica in this extended interview.
Nerrisa Pratt
Bargello is a type of tapestry with a long history. Initially thought to have been named after a pair of chairs that were found in the ‘Bargello Palace’ in Florence, Italy, the craft is all about layering up straight stitches to create geometric and colourful patterns. A simple and easy craft to master, Bargello is not only methodical and mindful, but once you know the basics, you’ll be creating your own patterns and colour palettes in next to no time.
Fast-forward to now and Nerrisa Pratt AKA The Bargello Edit is bringing this easy to master, colourful craft to a new audience of modern makers through a series of online workshops, supplies and kits. Pick up a copy of her debut book ‘Bargello’ by Nerrisa Pratt or even a starter kit to get you started on your stitching journey.
Rosie McKellar
Rosie is the owner of Fine Needlework. She always loved creating things having been taught by her mum as a young girl in the South of New Zealand to crochet, knit, sew and do basic embroidery stitches. When she moved to the UK she began studying at the Royal School of Needlework. Since graduating with her Diploma in Technical Hand Embroidery in 2018 she has been teaching and designing embroidery. She loves many types of embroidery and passing on her skills to others. You will often see inspiration from historical pieces and her home country in her work.
Instagram: rosie mckellar
Royal School of Needlework
Students can choose to study a variety of courses, including the three year RSN Future Tutors Programme, based at Hampton Court Palace, south west London. The full-time course is specifically designed for those who want a career in teaching hand embroidery to the next generation.
The Knitting and Stitching Learning Curve classes will be taught by RSN Future Tutor students who have a high technical knowledge of embroidery. They will demonstrate and teach the special black and gold design created for the RSN’s 150th Anniversary, which has been inspired by a Selwyn Image illustration from the RSN Archive.
Sarah Brangwyn
You can find out more about her face to face and online classes at www.madeandmaking.co.uk . If 2 days away indulging in your passion sounds fun then check out www.sarahbrangwynretreats.co.uk. Find us on social media @madeandmaking and @sarahbrangwynretreats.
“I have always wanted to create a relaxed, friendly space where people can come and learn something new without any pressure but with lots of fun along the way. Made and Making is just that and it has created so many lovely new friendships. There is no greater buzz than helping someone learn something new”.
Get to know Sarah in this extended interview.
Steffi Stern
In 2015 Steffi was approached by Hawthorn Press to write her own book Making Needle Felted Animals, at which point she co-founded The Makerss – a business supplying needle felting and doll making materials and kits. Since then she has written three more books (Making Simple Needle Felts in 2018, Making Soft Dolls in 2020, and Making Fairy Folk in 2022).
In 2022 Steffi bought her then business partner’s share, and continues to needle felt, create, write and run her all female craft business The Makerss Limited.
Steffi sees herself as an ambassador for spreading the needle felting love and has an insatiable enthusiasm to share and teach everything she knows. She features regularly on craft TV (Create and Craft) and streams live every week a Make-Along on The Makerss YouTube channel and Facebook Page. Her hobby is her profession and she designs new kits and makes every day. Her other hobbies are her pets (dogs, cats and chickens). She loves the natural world and gets her inspiration from walking through the forest, fields and meadows as well as spending time by the sea in the UK and Germany.
She lives in The Forest of Dean where nature surrounds her. She also loves to work out, spend time with her children and enjoys picking up knitting needles or a crochet hook in the evenings to create for her own pleasure.
Susan Burns
She works with all kinds of knitters from complete beginners to experienced, including returners who need a bit of confidence before they re-join their knitting journey.
You can see Susan’s work online or out in her local community. Together with her knitting group she knits annually for the Royal British Legion and local charities during the year.
She has learnt many new skills with her knitting not just new techniques, and she is now developing her design skills, which is resulting in new knitting patterns and ideas. She is learning a new skill of editing patterns for other designers who wish to share their ideas in patterns.
Knitting is such a wonderful skill as it can give you so many benefits, including mental health, reading and maths, problem solving, completing a project. Being part of a group, maybe charity knitting [for knitters who want to spend time doing this]. There is much to learn, not just skills and techniques, but history of knitting, the list for this alone is endless.
So come on pick up those needles and join Susan, together we will have a new knitting journey together.
Sylvia Fairhurst
Sylvia’s other passion is The Beadworkers Guild, her main roles, among many, is as event organiser and Zoom host/tutor, she has been a trustee of the charity for over twenty years and loves to encourage others to join their beading family. She regularly designs patterns for the Guild, for the newsletter, Journal magazine and online classes.
“I am passionate about sharing the joy of beading and helping others develop their skills. .Beading is a mindful activity and being creative is sooooo rewarding. It’s also a worth remembering that if you must chop up your work all you’ve lost is a bit of thread and a little time, as you can use the beads again”.
Email: [email protected]
www: www.internationalbeadingweek.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/beadworkersguild/ and www.facebook.com/groups/internationalbeadingweek/
www.facebook.com/sylvia.fairhurst2
Instagram: www.instagram.com/beadworkers
Tracey Spurgin
Tracey is the owner and principal tutor at Craftworx Jewellery Workshops, the only dedicated Metal Clay studio in the north of England. Workshops range from the basic Introduction to Silver Clay through to more intermediate and advanced subjects including the accredited Art Clay World UK (ACWUK) Level 1 and 2 Diploma courses.
“I’m passionate to share my innovations, skills and techniques and to inspire others into creating their own wonderful silver clay jewellery pieces.”