Workshops with Yvonne Brown

I am a textile artist with a special interest in quilted wall-hangings and contemporary embroidery usually embellished with free-machine work. I offer talks and workshops to textile, quilting and embroidery groups throughout the UK, and Europe and beyond!

I am a fully qualified teacher, having gained my Postgraduate Certificate of Education from Homerton College, Cambridge. I have also achieved City and Guilds Part II in Creative Embroidery, and have a wide experience teaching at all levels. I promise you a well structured and informative - but fun filled day.

Although all the workshops listed here are for one day only, they can all be extended to allow for a more in-depth coverage of the techniques involved. Tailor made workshops can be arranged with groups showing an interest in particular topics. Please feel free to contact me to discuss a day, or days, to suit you or your group.

A workshop day for beginners and the more experienced. Get to grips with machine quilting and build up your own quilt vocabulary by working through a series of stitched exercises to create, movement, pattern and texture - not just the dreaded vermicelli ! Students should have a sewing machine that can be used for free-machining and a darning foot and walking foot. Full instructions will be given to beginners and the more advanced can quickly move on to more intricate work.

A workshop day for those who have already tried free-machining. Students should have their own sewing machine that can be used for free-machine work with a darning foot. Add a new dimension to your quilted projects with this intriguing technique that introduces you to amazing sculptural effects.

Learn this amazing technique that will enable you to produce appliqué images with very fine detail. You will need a machine that can be set up for free machining and zig-zag (satin stitch). You will also need a darning foot for your machine.

Create your own unique medieval wall- hanging using brass rubbings as your design source. This is a machine technique which requires some knowledge of free-machine work. Students will use Reverse and Cut-back appliqué to 'dress' and embellish your chosen figure. There will also be an option to print and paint the background before quilting. Full instruction will be given and designs will be supplied.

Taking Celtic designs as a starting point and working with synthetic fabrics, create unique pieces to include in your textile work. Based on traditional cut-work principles, this technique requires an ability to do free-machine embroidery and introduces the student to working with a soldering iron to cut and distress the textile surface. Some handwork involved for finishing techniques.

Free-machine embroidery, synthetic materials, a soldering iron and a heat-gun adds up to a fun filled creative day. This is really a follow-on day to Celtic Cut-work where students can further explore this exciting technique with the added interest of a variety of art materials to enhance and embellish your textured surfaces.

Using designs taken from medieval floor tiles and metalwork, and working with fabric, paper and synthetic felt, learn how to create your own unique pieces or wall hangings using intriguing and unusual techniques which include adding colour and 'burning and melting' - as well as stitch of course! You will need your own sewing machine with the facility to do free-machine work and a darning foot for this workshop. Some hand work involved for finishing techniques.

If you find fabric dyes a frightening prospect, why not try this workshop to get get colour and texture on to your fabrics? A day to experiment with transfer paints and crayons to see just how versatile and and sophisticated this sadly under-rated medium actually is. A lot of fun and stunning results! A small charge will be made on the day for use of paints and crayons.

Have fun producing your own unique hand-dyed fabrics. During the day you will produce a range of hand-dyed fabrics that will work together in your patchwork projects. Students will learn how to do 'graded dye runs' quickly and stress free! And there will be an opportunity to play with some interesting techniques to create unusual 'textured' finishes. A small charge will be made on the day for the use of dyes.

Roll up your sleeves and prepare for a fun day! During this workshop you will experiment with a number of techniques which will give you "textiles" you can use for backgrounds or for appliqué. Suitable for embroiderers and quilters who want to add a new dimension to their work using their own unique creations. (The techniques shown are only suitable for wall hangings and framed pieces that will not be washed). There will be a small charge on the day towards the cost of paints/dyes and adhesives used during the workshop.

During the day you will make a removable book cover for a sketchbook/notebook or a book of your own choice. We will be working on hand-made papers, using unusual embellishing materials and stitching with the machine and by hand. Several creative techniques will be covered including free-machine work (you will require a machine where you can drop the feed dogs and use a darning foot). There will be a small charge on the day for sketchbooks and papers which will be provided for your use.