Anne Kelly
Anne is a textile artist, author and tutor based in Kent. She is the author of three books for Batsford Press and exhibits and tutors throughout the UK and internationally.
Folk Art Tree of Life: Appliqué, Printing and Embroidery with Anne Kelly
Ref: SWE41960
About this course
You will explore folk art techniques to create a personalised Tree of Life using appliqué, printing and embroidery, building practical skills in fabric composition and decorative stitching suitable for beginners and improvers.
Course Description
You will create a folk art inspired Tree of Life that you can personalise, developing practical skills in fabric manipulation and decorative stitch. This workshop focuses on combining simple textile techniques to build a rich, layered surface.
Your tutor will guide you step-by-step through key processes, showing you how hand and machine methods can be used together or independently to achieve different effects.
You will explore:
- Basic printing techniques using plain fabric scraps
- Appliqué for creating trunk and branch structures
- Hand embroidery stitches for texture and detail
- Optional machine embroidery for quicker line and pattern work
- Layering fabrics, vintage doilies and found embroidery
- Adding embellishment with ribbon and buttons
- You will begin by selecting a colour scheme and composing your Tree of Life design. Through guided demonstrations, you will build your piece in stages—starting with background preparation, then constructing your tree form, and finally adding surface detail and embellishment
- As the course progresses, you will gain confidence in combining techniques, making creative decisions about colour, texture and composition. You will be encouraged to experiment and adapt processes to suit your own style
This course is suitable for beginners and improvers. You can work entirely by hand or incorporate a sewing machine if you prefer.
By the end, you will have developed a toolkit of textile techniques that you can apply to future projects, as well as a finished or nearly finished decorative piece.
Course Materials
Included
Sewing machines will be available.
What students need to bring
- Strong background fabric (max A3)
- Fabric pieces for trunk/branches
- Plain scraps for printing
- Optional: vintage doilies, embroidery scraps, ribbon, buttons
- Threads (hand and/or machine)
- Sewing machine (optional)
- Glue stick
- Paper and fabric scissors
Timetable
Arrival day - first date of course
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm for registration
Student welcome, followed by dinner: 6.45pm (dinner included)
Teaching session: 8pm-9pm (attendance is essential)
Daily timetable
Course teaching: 9.15am-5pm
Morning session: 9.15am-12.45pm including coffee/tea break
Lunch break: 12.45pm-2pm (lunch included)
Afternoon session: 2pm-5pm including coffee/tea break
Teaching finishes: 5pm
Evening working: students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with permission from the tutor and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.
Departure day - last date of course
Course teaching: 9.15am-3pm (lunch included)
Teaching finishes: 3pm
Residential students will need to check out of rooms by 10am.
Please note, the tutor may make slight variations to the daily timetable as required.
General Information
Tutors
Accommodation
Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.
Further study options
Take the next step in your creative practice, with foundation level to Masters in Fine Art study.
Depending on your experience, start with an Online Foundation Certificate in Art and Design (one year, part-time), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design made up of 10 short courses taken over two years (part-time) or advance your learning with our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place (six years part-time). All will help you develop core skills, find direction in your practice and build an impressive portfolio in preparation for artist opportunities or higher-level study. See all degree and diploma courses.