As we move towards spring, my teaching is starting to pick up. My Heydays felt landscapes course is well underway and my hand sewing classes at Workshop are selling out fast. A few years ago, I was asked how I became a tutor and the answer is; purely by accident!

In 2009, I set up a WI called Buns & Roses with a couple of friends. As we started to fill the programme with inspiring events, I was asked to pass on my skills in patchwork and fascinator making. It was great to share my textile knowledge with people and see what they created using a few basic materials.

I’ve been teaching on the Heydays programme at Leeds Playhouse since 2013, every Wednesday I work alongside other creative practitioners to deliver courses for over 55s. The classes run over a term which means that I get to spend time with my students developing their ideas in to finished pieces of work. My favourite classes have been Stitchscapes, using fabric collage to create a unique fabric view.

I started teaching workshops and short courses in the wonderful Drawing Room at Leeds Central Library a couple of years ago. This inspiring space has helped me to reach new audiences and pass on my creative skills.

As my practice has grown so has my teaching and I’ve been lucky enough to deliver workshops and talks across the North. Some of my recent highlights include working with the Arts Council Collection at Longside Gallery, meeting inspiring like-minded artists at Art Through Textiles and speaking at a event for International Day of Disabled Persons.

If you are interested in a workshop or talk for your WI or Embroiderers Guild, you can contact me here. Details of my classes at Workshop in Leeds can be found on their website.