Our Tutors
We bring 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! So, 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.
Meet some of our tutors below!
Amanda Jane Ogden
Her school and university encouraged her in a different direction, however, and she became a Modern Languages graduate working in educational publishing. It was not until much later, when she was in her thirties, that her own creativity began to emerge. Embroidery classes led on to a BA in Textiles & Surface Pattern, then a Textiles PGCE, followed by an additional qualification in Patchwork & Quilting. For thirteen years, she was a Textiles and Art teacher in a secondary school, in a SEN provision and in FE until 2014, when she set up her small business Amanda Jane Textiles.
Currently, she draws, paints, designs and stitches full-time as a designer-maker (listed in the Crafts Council Directory). Amanda enjoys taking commissions. There are over sixty patterns in her Etsy shop and over one hundred fabric designs in her Spoonflower studio. She teaches a ‘Quilt in a Day’ class to introduce absolute beginners to quilt-making. It is now a pleasure to encourage creative skills in other people.
Angela Pressley
Angela runs The Sewing Club, a sewing school on the Kent coast providing classes and workshops for adults and children with on-going courses throughout the year – and you can make anything you like!
Get to know Angela in this extended interview.
Angela Daymond
Angela loves the simplicity of hand sewing and how relaxing it can be. Angela also loves natural dyeing and often teaches this at shows. At shows if she is not teaching, Angela can be found on her stand demonstrating stitching techniques and chatting to people.
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.”
Cait Lisle
Specialising in fresh designs for modern quilters, Cait loves playing with traditional piecing techniques to give them a new and modern twist and creating patterns that everyone from beginners to lifelong quilters enjoy making.
Cait teaches a wide range of beginner and intermediate sewing skills as one-off and multi-part workshops for local quilt shops and guilds, as well as residential retreats and the Festival of Quilts and Knitting & Stitch Show. She is regularly commissioned to write patterns for leading international magazines, including Love Patchwork & Quilting, Quilt Con Magazine and Make Modern Magazine, and offers bespoke technical editing services and takes commissions for quilts, cushions and wall hangings.
Caroline Zoob
Caroline designs hand-embroidery kits and also publishes The Stitcher’s Journal, a quarterly, print publication about embroidery.
Get to know Caroline in this extended interview.
Cat Trotter
Whether it be through her range of colourful kits, workshops or her online courses, Cat seeks to make your journey into the magical worlds of macramé & cross-stitch fun, hurdle & hassle free, including being more accessible for those with dyslexia & Irlen Syndrome. All her printed material uses British Dyslexia Association approved fonts, increased letter & line spacing as well as being offered on a range of pastel colored paper.
When she’s not writing instructions or creating courses, Cat can be found creating showstopping macramé backdrops for her wedding business, Big Day Macramé.
Details of her DIY kits, patterns, craft accessories, workshops & online courses, plus her FREE Essential Starter Guide to Macramé can be found on her websites www.knotsandxs.com & www.knotsandxs.podia.com
“I call it ‘making my own pieces of happiness’; I am never happier than when making something with my own hands, losing myself in the joy of the process. I love helping others to feel the same way & produce something beautiful.”
Debbie Harris
Debbie now appears regularly on Sewing Street TV, Yarn Lane TV and Hobbymaker TV with her new patterns and kit designs in Sewing, Crochet & Knitting.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.
Eleonora Cugini
She is now a full-time crochet/sewing teacher and crochet pattern designer!
Her business name is Elendipity, which come from Eleonora + Serendipity because “This is a passion that was born by change and it makes me feel so happy”, she said.
She started crocheting when she was 9/10 years old, then she stopped for a while, exploring also other crafts such as embroidery, cross stitch and finding another big passion for hand sewing and sewing machine.
She learned a lot from online videos and tutorials that in 2018 she decided to open a YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/elendipity) to share her knowledge through her own sewing and crochet tutorials to help others learning the same way she did.
She started then to teach in person and online through one-to-one classes to help more people learning and growing their passion for crafts.
You can find more information about her, her journey and her services/products at www.elendipity.com.
Eliza McClelland
Like many actors she started stitching in the wings and theatre dressing rooms – taking inspiration from the lovely places of interest she came across on tour.
She fast realised that beads gave tapestry work that extra pizzazz and glamour and became fascinated with the easy colour work involved. This materialised into her book of beadwork design “Traditional Beadwork”.
Since then she started lecturing and giving day schools and workshops to Embroiderers Guilds (where she is an accredited tutor) and many stitching groups around the country.
This again expanded into general after dinner speaking of many kinds which is always fun and fits into the juggle which is her working life!
Elspeth Jackson
Elspeth has taught thousands of people how to rag rug in her classes, which are run all across the UK. She is the author of two books, “Rag Rugs, Pillows & More” and “Rag Rug Techniques for Beginners” and can regularly be found in craft magazines. As well as the day to day, Elspeth often appears on Create and Craft TV and her brand Ragged Life was the winner of Mollie Makes Best Established Business Award 2019. If you’d like to find out more about Elspeth and rag rug making, you can find out more on the Ragged Life website.
Hilary Jane
She runs physical classes and live Zoom sessions – these are held in her purpose built workroom in Leigh-on-Sea and venues in Essex, London or elsewhere by arrangement. All Hilary’s teaching is based around her own designs for quilting and embroidery. Hilary believes that whilst there are many computerised sewing machines available, it is important to maintain the traditional hand sewing techniques handed down through the generations.
Hilary has a number of City and Guilds Patchwork and Quilting, and City and Guilds Creative Studies qualifications. She is also a member of The Quilters Guild and The Embroiders Guild.
When not teaching, Hilary likes to spend her time designing and making beautiful quilts for commissions or for her own pleasure.
Details of all classes and workshops are provided on her website.
Get to know Hilary in this extended interview.
Ilke Cochrane
In 2011 she set up Mabel Figworthy’s Fancies to showcase her work; a dozen or so of her designs have also appeared in Stitch Magazine. She teaches classes, workshops and private lessons, gives talks about embroidery and has been a guest on several needlework podcasts. Mostly self-taught, she is currently giving herself a more formal grounding in various techniques through the Royal School of Needlework’s Certificate in Technical Hand Embroidery.
“Embroidery comes in so many guises that there is something for everyone. And everyone can do it! I am a great believer in Having A Go – pick up a needle and thread, have a stab at it (pun very much intended) and be amazed by what you can create.”
Isabella Strambio
Isabella turned her passion into a business after the success of her blog, TwoMe, following her journey to learn 12 crafts in 12 months and falling in love with the ancient art of knotting. She is a big advocate of using natural and recycled materials for her work as well as promoting the art of macrame as therapy having witnessed first-hand the many mental health benefits that this practice has on her students.
Her mission is to see more women flourish and inspire them to recharge their creative wisdom through the art of knotting.
With her strong design sense, thanks to her 10 years of international interior design experience Isabella creates contemporary and unique pieces which connect also to her Japanese and Italian heritage.
Marring her passion for teaching with macrame Isabella has built through the years her reputation as the go-to expert to learn this mindful art. Isabella created a series of successful online group program courses from beginners to more advanced levels and many of her international students are now running their own macrame business.
Isabella regularly runs live workshops for private clients, events and team building in London and all over the UK.
For free macrame resources head over to her website www.isabellastrambio.com
Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn
Their aim is to give students the confidence to design and create their own unique work.
Their work is exhibited in the UK and overseas and they are members of the 62Group of Textile Artists and the Society of Designer Craftsmen.
Janet Goddard
Patchwork and quilting is her first love and not a day goes by when she isn’t stitching, talking about stitching or thinking about stitching!
Janet is the author of several books featuring patchwork, quilting, bag making, applique and English paper piecing. She is a regular contributor and pattern writer for sewing and patchwork magazines and has written over two hundred patterns for a variety of publications. Janet also designs projects for fabric companies.
Jen Hogg
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.
Jill Kipnis
Jill runs lessons from her North London studio and loves running workshops for the K&S shows and the Stitch Festival. She draws on her years of training from The Royal School of Needlework and her textiles degree to get people stitching, whether hand or machine embroidery.
She has written articles for magazines and delivered online talks to national textile groups, including the Embroiderer’s Guild and BBC London Radio, and created and delivered in-person bespoke workshops. Jill’s two books are The Heroes Quilt and Stumpwork both self-published.
Get to know Jill in this extended interview.
Jo Checkley
She started her journalism career after graduating from Warwick university with a BA Hons history degree. Her first job was in newspapers at the Surrey Advertiser in Guildford. From there she went on to work at numerous press agencies, writing for the national newspapers, before making the leap into magazines when she joined Take a Break.
‘I feel very privileged to have worked so long as an editor and on such great publications! Journalism is a fantastic career for being able to communicate with so many people in so many different ways. My career has also been a lot of fun and now, working on Prima, I am delighted to be embracing the world of craft too. I love the way craft is not just about being creative but it’s so good for the mind and soul too. It’s power for doing good is unquestionable.’
Jules Mayouf
So she ‘apprenticed’ herself to her dressmaker grandma and her love of all things craft was born. Her skills quickly encompassed knitting and crochet followed by studies in a wide range of crafts from pottery to parchment; before concentrating on the soft crafts and jewellery making she is best known for today. Jules is a freelance tutor, designer, and demonstrator, being best known for her regular Guest Designer spots on Sewing Street TV. Jules is also a popular workshop tutor being an avid supporter of passing on her knowledge, hints, and tips. Jules enjoys teaching as well as learning and 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. She is also a level 6 diploma Assessor.
Jules is always open to crafting ideas and likes to inspiration from her family and the natural world around her.
“Crafting is a powerful entity bringing likeminded people together, spreading positivity and wellbeing”
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.
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.
Nadia Rein
Nadia is a teacher with a degree and years of working at schools and further education settlements in Kazakhstan and running international education programmes in different European countries. She is passionate about felting, saying the process helps to calm the mind, as it makes people live in the moment.
Nadia believes in the therapeutic qualities of wool, and runs face-to face workshops and step-by-step online courses for people of different fitness and abilities; encouraging them literally to touch the magic of wool, to feel it on the tips of their fingers whilst turning the fluffy fibres and their friends into pieces of art and imagination.
Nadia is one of the volunteer tutors for the International Felting Association and is also on the editorial committee of the members’ journal – Felt Matters.
Get to know Nadia in this extended interview.
Nerrisa Pratt
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.
Paula Clark
Cocoon&me is a small family run business and was established in January 2017.
Paula, the founder & creative force behind Cocoon&me, decided to follow her long held dream of running her own creative business, after spending many years as a Knitwear designer in the fashion industry.
Get to know Paula in this extended interview.
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 Richards
This experience renewed Sarah’s passion for vintage prints and she set up her own vintage fabric shop, Olive Road London. She has given sewing demonstrations on Create and Craft TV. Sarah teaches people to mend their clothes with her friend Eleanor at Fast Fashion Therapy.
‘I am passionate about preventing textile waste and I’ve created a range of patterns to help use up small pieces of fabric so that nothing goes to waste.’
@oliveroadlondon
Get to know Sarah in this extended interview.
Susan Burns
It was then she started to design and knit her own jewellery using wire. From this she has run workshops and given talks to many different groups as she loves to share her knowledge and the benefits of knitting. 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.
Wendy Dolan
Wendy is the author of ‘Layer, Paint and Stitch – create textile art using freehand machine embroidery and hand stitching’ a Search Press Bestseller. This book can be used as a journey of discovery, the aim of which is to encourage experimenting with techniques and enjoy exploring their potential.
She is a Fellow of the Society of Designer Craftsmen and a member of The Sussex Guild and Embroiderers’ Guild. with a BEd Hons degree in Art and Textiles and a Diploma in Creative Stitched Textiles.
“There is nothing more satisfying than something you have created yourself and I hope that my artwork and teaching will encourage others to share my passion for textiles.”
Wendy Gardiner
She also runs regular residential Creative Sewing Weekends and writes projects and technique articles for various magazines and her own resource website www.wendygardiner.co.uk which is packed with tips, techniques and projects. Wendy has also been a presenter on shopping channels Ideal World, Create & Craft TV and Sewing Street TV. Plus she organises the extensive workshop programmes for Knitting and Stitching and Festival of Quilts.
“I passionately believe in passing on sewing skills and knowledge so that more people can make their own fashion and furnishings and realise it’s a pastime that can be fast, fun, fashionable and affordable. With today’s modern equipment and sewing machines it really can be easy to sew.”