There She Lay

Nocturne Cushion Workshop is a three-week hand embroidery course focused on slow, tactile making, fabric layering, and developing confidence with needle and thread. Participants create an embroidered fan motif using vintage silk ties and decorative hand stitching, which will later be assembled by the artist into a finished 50 × 50 cm cushion.

This workshop is designed for beginners and experienced makers alike. No prior embroidery experience is necessary — all techniques are taught step by step, with time for guided practice and individual support. The emphasis is on learning through making, developing personal rhythm and confidence, and enjoying the sensory and material qualities of textiles.

The workshop balances structure with creative freedom, allowing each participant to develop their own colour palette, stitch combinations, and compositional approach while working within a shared framework.

Participants will all create the same fan-shaped motif, working at a shared size and format while developing their own individual colour palettes and stitch combinations. This common structure supports learning and confidence, while still allowing for personal expression through fabric choice, composition, and embroidery.

You will learn a paper piecing method for building the fan shape, using pre-cut paper pieces and rigid cutting templates that can also be taken home and used for future projects. In the workshop, pre-cut fusible interfacing is used as the construction base. This allows fabric to be fused first and then cut to shape, helping to minimise waste and making it easy to move, replace, or reconsider fabric choices without damaging precious materials.

This approach supports both flexibility and respect for the textile archive — participants can experiment, change their minds, and refine their design while working within a system that honours the value of vintage silk.

Embroidery techniques taught in the workshop include running stitch, cross stitch, chain stitch, and decorative linear stitches, along with methods for working through layered fabrics and securing joins between fabric segments. These stitches are introduced gradually and practiced in the custom needlebook before being applied to the fan motif.

Participants will also have the option to add a monogram or decorative emblem using a printed cartouche shape in their needlebook, with pre-marked stitch paths that can be embroidered using newly learned techniques. This draws on traditional embroidered linens and samplers, where stitching lines were printed onto fabric as a guide for learning and embellishment.

All materials are provided for the workshop, including a curated selection of vintage silk ties, pre-prepared calico-lined black dupion silk cushion fronts, matching black dupion silk for the completed cushion, fusible interfacing, paper piecing templates, and a custom needlebook containing stitch guides, practice areas, and tools.

This means participants can arrive and begin working directly on the fan motif without needing to prepare or cut the cushion base in advance.

Participants are very welcome to bring one or more silk ties of their own if they wish, particularly if they hold personal or sentimental meaning. Using personal materials is entirely optional, and participants may also choose to work solely from the supplied textile archive.

If personal ties are to be used, they must be prepared in advance using the method demonstrated in the process support video provided before the workshop:

This preparation step ensures the ties are ready for cutting and construction during class time.

Some participants may also choose to leave a small portion of their material to contribute to a growing archive of shared textiles, reflecting long traditions of community making and the collective histories carried through cloth. This is always optional and offered in the spirit of generosity and connection.

This workshop is held over three weekly sessions, with each session running for approximately three hours.

Classes are held at the Windsor studio, or can be hosted at your location by arrangement.

The workshop is limited to 8 participants to ensure individual guidance and a relaxed, supportive learning environment.

No prior embroidery experience is required.

After the final session, embroidered cushion fronts will be finished and assembled by the artist. Participants do not need to complete any sewing at home.

Once cushions are complete, participants will be notified when their finished piece is ready for collection.

Participants will also retain their needlebook, templates, and stitch references, so techniques learned in the workshop can be used for future personal projects.