home NEWS place an order embroideries stitch prints books DVD cards courses requirements courses on offer students work booking terms course FAQ commissions blog exhibitions resume ThreadLink links contact me early career

FREEHAND MACHINE EMBROIDERY COURSES WITH ALISON The classroom at Highfield Oswestry Current course diary Over 30 years ago I discovered a way of mixing and blending thread colours in my embroideries and a way of using stitches like brushstrokes. I pass on this on to my students to give them the opportunity to work in the way I do and achieve the same unique effects I teach all the courses listed below in different locations around the UK and abroad (suitcase permanently packed and ready to go!). Each course is structured around silk painting and freehand machine stitching demonstrations, followed by individual tuition. Please contact the organiser for more information and to enrol If a course in my Garden Studio, Highfield, Oswestry is full there is the option of putting your name on a waiting list. Spaces do become available. If you would like to do that contact me by email. alison@alisonholt.com For students unsure if their sewing machine is suitable for freehand machine embroidery I have a Bernina available to hire. This is a great way to ensure you have a machine that is up to the task I teach textile groups in the UK and abroad. If you would like me to teach a workshop for your group please click on the 'courses on offer' button for more information and email me for more details If you live in AUSTRALIA or NEW ZEALAND - please click here   Flowers, Pots and Patios   Colourful patio pots and hanging baskets in a courtyard garden setting will inspire the content of this course. We will explore silk painting and stitch techniques for paving stones, brick walls and ceramic pots as well as all the flowers and foliage. We will create balanced compositions that include textured details of garden plants that provide contrast to the hard landscaping. suitable for: Beginners and improvers date 01 Jul 2019 duration 3 days total places 9 places avail no per place £ 275 book via Alison Holt tutor Alison Holt Location: The Garden Studio, Highfield, 85 Oakhurst Road, OSWESTRY SY11 1BL 10am to 4pm each day, please arrive 9.30 first day. Plenty of parking space Organised by Alison Holt alison@alisonholt.com 01691 653118 www.alisonholt.com   Crashing Waves and Sea Spray   Inspired by dramatic coastlines with the splash and spray of waves crashing against the rocks. Using paint and stitch we will create the effects of smooth, craggy or glistening wet rocks and the movement and texture of sea spray. We will outline a design on silk with resist; paint a background with silk paints and apply a range of embroidery techniques. Students will work from photographs of their choice or from a selection provided by the tutor. We will be covering aspects of art theory such as designing balanced compositions, aerial perspective and linear perspective, colour mixing in paint and in thread. Investigate the way texture and colour creates depth and perspective and how to draw with stitches. suitable for: Beginners and improvers date 19 Jul 2019 duration 3 days total places 16 places avail no per place £ Enquire at venue book via Sandie Foster tutor Alison Holt Location: Brighton Organised by Sandie Foster sandiefoster7@ntlworld.com 07909 521615   Forests and Ferns   Inspired by lush forests, textured tree trunks, dense leaf canopies and ferns uncurling in the undergrowth. This subject matter will give you the opportunity to learn a wide range of stitch techniques to create the detail and mood of these atmospheric scenes. suitable for: Beginners and improvers date 05 Aug 2019 duration 3 days total places 9 places avail no per place £ 275 book via Alison Holt tutor Alison Holt Location: The Garden Studio, Highfield, 85 Oakhurst Road, OSWESTRY SY11 1BL 10am to 4pm each day, please arrive 9.30 first day. Plenty of parking space Organised by Alison Holt alison@alisonholt.com 01691 653118 www.alisonholt.com   Up Hill Down Dale   A course that encompasses all the best imagery from rambling in the countryside. Meandering rutted tracks, old wooden gates, stiles and mossy dry stone walls. We will outline a design on silk with gutta and paint a background with silk dyes and explore stitch techniques for the textured elements of the composition. suitable for: Beginners and improvers date 28 Aug 2019 duration 3 days total places 15 places avail waiting list per place £ enquire at venue book via Pat Screaton tutor Alison Holt Location: Frolesworth Village Hall, NR COSBY, Leicestershire LE17 Organised by Pat Screaton patscreaton@dsl.pipex.com 01162 867581 07860 106999   Etched in Frost: A Winter Scene   A landscape transformed by frost and ice is the inspiration for this course. Students will work from photographs and we will explore paint and embroidery techniques discovering ways to create the effects of frost and winter mist on landscapes, woodlands and foliage. With a limited palette and the elements etched in frost the imagery is dramatic. Working on white silk, you will outline a design with resist or gutta, paint a background with silk paints and then apply a range of embroidery techniques to add textures and detail to complete the picture. suitable for: Students with some experience date 31 Aug 2019 duration 2 days total places 15 places avail waiting list per place £ enquire at venue book via Pat Screaton tutor Alison Holt Location: Frolesworth Village Hall, NR COSBY, Leicestershire LE17 Organised by Pat Screaton patscreaton@dsl.pipex.com 01162 867581 07860 106999   Crashing Waves and Sea Spray   Inspired by dramatic coastlines with the splash and spray of waves crashing against the rocks. Using paint and stitch we will create the effects of smooth, craggy or glistening wet rocks and the movement and texture of sea spray. We will outline a design on silk with resist; paint a background with silk paints and apply a range of embroidery techniques. Students will work from photographs of their choice or from a selection provided by the tutor. We will be covering aspects of art theory such as designing balanced compositions, aerial perspective and linear perspective, colour mixing in paint and in thread. Investigate the way texture and colour creates depth and perspective and how to draw with stitches. suitable for: Beginners and improvers date 02 Oct 2019 duration 3 days total places 20 places avail enquire at venue per place £ enquire at venue book via info@quiltsymposium2019.nz tutor Alison Holt St Cuthberts College Market Road Auckland NZ info@quiltsymposium2019.nz www.quiltsymposium2019.nz   Colourful Landscapes: Flowering Fields   Inspired by the countryside at its most vibrant, students will use a combination of silk painting and freehand machine stitching to create a colourful landscape picture. Basing the design on photographs of scenes such as wild flower meadows, fields of poppies, blue linseed or yellow oilseed rape students will learn silk painting techniques to form a base for the stitching. Through tutor demonstrations and one to one tuition you will learn a range of textures and marks made with just straight stitch and zigzag to creates texture and definition to your picture. We explore how to create a balanced composition, achieve depth and perspective, colour mix in paint and thread and the use of light and shade. suitable for: Beginners and Improvers date 05 Oct 2019 duration 2 days total places 20 places avail yes per place £ enquire at venue book via info@quiltsymposium2019.nz tutor Alison Holt St Cuthberts College Market Road Auckland NZ info@quiltsymposium2019.nz www.quiltsymposium2019.nz   Up Close and Personal   Inspired by the detail and complexity of flowers, leaves and vegetables students will explore how to create these in paint and stitch. They will learn how to blend using freehand machine stitching, creating a smooth transition through colour and tonal ranges. We will explore interesting stitch techniques for petals, stamens, anther etc. creating depth and definition to each composition. We will create a silk painted background to set off this dramatic study. suitable for: Beginners and improvers date 12 Oct 2019 duration 2 days total places 14 places avail yes per place £ enquire at venue book via Georgina Campbell tutor Alison Holt Hastings, New Zealand Georgina Campbell georgec@nowmail.co.nz 06 8709905 0211222580   Colourful Landscapes: Flowering Fields   Inspired by the countryside at its most vibrant, students will use a combination of silk painting and freehand machine stitching to create a colourful landscape picture. Basing the design on photographs of scenes such as wild flower meadows, fields of poppies, blue linseed or yellow oilseed rape students will learn silk painting techniques to form a base for the stitching. Through tutor demonstrations and one to one tuition you will learn a range of textures and marks made with just straight stitch and zigzag to creates texture and definition to your picture. We explore how to create a balanced composition, achieve depth and perspective, colour mix in paint and thread and the use of light and shade. suitable for: Beginners and Improvers date 26 Oct 2019 duration 2 days total places 14 places avail yes per place £ enquire at venue book via email or phone tutor Alison Holt NSW Embroiderers Guild Headquarters, 76 Queen Street, Concord West Sydney NSW 2138 Australia email or phone info@embroiderersguildnsw.org.au 02 9743 2501 http://embroiderersguildnsw.org.au/   Masterclass: Drawing with thread and paint, an insight to the process   An opportunity to take a Masterclass with a practicing textile artist who has over 35 years of experience, teaching, exhibiting and producing her own unique style of machine embroidery. Spend a day with Alison as she shares her inspiration and process and get the chance to examine some of her current work at various stages of completion. She will demonstrate her style of silk painting and machine embroidery and students will have the opportunity to try out these techniques for themselves. Students can bring examples of their own textile work in progress for discussion with the group and advice from Alison. Watch demonstrations of a range of techniques and fully immerse yourself into Alison’s world of textiles. suitable for: All date 29 Oct 2019 duration 1 total places 14 places avail yes per place £ Enquire at venue book via Email or phone tutor Alison Holt NSW Embroiderers Guild Headquarters, 76 Queen Street, Concord West Sydney NSW 2138 Australia email or phone info@embroiderersguildnsw.org.au 02 9743 2501 http://embroiderersguildnsw.org.au/   Dramatic Skies   An embroidered picture with painted and stitched detail incorporating colourful sunsets and stormy clouds. Working on silk, using photographs as a starting point you will create a design. You will paint a background and then apply a range of embroidery stitches to represent clouds in all their wonderful shapes and colours to complete the picture. We will be covering aspects of art theory such as designing balanced compositions, creating depth and perspective, colour mixing in paint and thread, creating texture and the use of light and shade suitable for: Beginners and improvers date 02 Nov 2019 duration 2 days total places 15 places avail yes per place £ Enquire at venue book via Jenny tutor Alison Holt Kraft Daze Sewing World, 7/80 Attfield St, Maddington WA Australia Jenny kraftdaze@gmail.com 08 9459 7843 www.kraftdaze.com.au   Winter Trees   A course that combines two elements, a silk painting and machine embroidered lace trees. We start the course by painting a winter sky, a colourful sunset or a landscape on silk, with tutor demonstrations of colour mixing and painting techniques. Then we will learn how to make the machine embroidered 'lace' skeletal trees to overlay the painting. This is a technique of stitching across a hole cut into fabric to create a lacework structure. Freehand embroidery details can be added to the painted background. suitable for: Beginners and improvers date 05 Nov 2019 duration 3 days total places 15 places avail yes per place £ Enquire at venue book via Maureen Munro tutor Alison Holt Margaret River WA, Australia Maureen Munro margaretriverquilting@gmail.com