Based on her own free-style approach to hand embroidery, Kathleen Murphy will guide you through the pleasures of ‘doodling’ with needle and thread.

By encouraging a more experimental approach, this short course aims to dispel the stuffiness sometimes associated with hand embroidery. Each week will concentrate on a different group of stitches through a series of practice and themed samplers. Along the way there will be the opportunity to consider both the current and historic context of British embroidery.

By the end of five weeks, Kathleen will have introduced you to concepts such as Stitch Families, Embroidery Sums and Seasoning stitches, to equip you with a good grounding on which to continue your hand stitched doodling beyond the course.

meet your tutor

Ross-on-Wye based maker, Kathleen Murphy specialises in constructing with needle and thread. Working predominantly with a single needle as her tool, Kathleen uses it to draw, embellish and construct with. By combining hand stitch with found objects and repurposed materials, she creates detailed 3D pieces which can be identified by a strong sense of narrative and her use of colourful embroidery. These pieces are inspired by folk culture and a fascination with the wooded landscape.

In addition to Kathleen's making practice, she also teaches and regularly contributes to the creative programme at New Brewery Arts, Cirencester. Kathleen is the curator of an artist challenge project called A Group Gathering and can often be found working collaboratively with other makers and theatre companies. MA in Contemporary Craft, Hereford College of Art 2018 City & Guilds Design Craft: Stitched Textiles, Malvern College of Art 2010