More about about our embroidery tutor, Katherine Keatley

The 'KILLER RABBIT' workshop with Katherine will be Saturday 7th June

Tickets

"I have been stitching since I was about eight and most of it was self taught. To me, using needle and thread to create an image is second nature. I taught myself some elements of Crewelwork simply because I love the flow of the designs and the stitches. Then I studied it at the Royal School of Needlework. It is still my favourite technique and I use lots of elements of it in my work.

"I am inspired by nature, dragons, colour and texture. I’m also inspired by the landscapes around where I live in Dinas Mawddwy: Camlan, Arthur's stone. I pass Cader Idris at least once a week. I never get tired of seeing it. As a child I loved the Rhinog mountains, seeing the marks left by glaciers on the rocks, knowing they have been untouched since the last Ice Age. This has a powerful effect on me and all of that goes into my work.

"One of my favourite creations was a Tawny Owl. It had six needles going at the same time, each with a single strand of thread. I worked it over three days while I was alone at a cottage with just the dogs for company. 

"Embroidery is a 'slow' pastime in today's world that gives people the chance to catch their breath and take time out. It can be decorative, simply enjoyable. It is creative, it can be used in lots of ways for people to express themselves and their viewpoint. 

"Culturally, many countries have amazing histories that are expressed and kept alive by embroidery and textiles, passing on stories and meanings. Visible mending, extending the life of clothes and other textiles, helps us be more sustainable and throw less things away."

The KILLER RABBIT workshop is for anyone who enjoys surface embroidery, or who wants to add to their stitch library, or would like to develop their Crewelwork skills.