Extraordinary Embroidery: Explore Alternative Organic Materials
A course by Hillary Waters FayleTextile Artist
A course by Hillary Waters Fayle, Textile Artist
Learn a new way to embroider by using unconventional materials to stitch unique and unexpected pieces
The art of embroidery is meant to be unexpected, from new tools like the punch needle or new techniques like 3D stumpwork. Textile Artist Hillary Waters Fayle takes it a step further and creates her embroidery on organic materials like leaves and other plants. Her truly unique work has been featured in a number of publications like The Guardian, The Observer, The Sunday Times South Africa, and many more.
In this online course, you learn the basics of embroidery and how to stitch into non-traditional materials. Explore a new world of needlework techniques to create one-of-a-kind embroidery pieces.
What will you learn in this online course?
12 lessons & 14 downloads
Choosing Materials
7 minutes, 6 seconds
Workspace Preparation
4 minutes, 41 seconds
Inspiration
14 minutes, 1 second
Material Preparation
4 minutes, 2 seconds
Transferring Your Design
8 minutes, 59 seconds
Color and Line
4 minutes, 15 seconds
What's included in this course?
Meet Hillary Waters Fayle, a textile artist from Buffalo, New York, and your teacher for this course. Hear about her creative journey, which led her to the colorful world of textiles, before learning about her influences and sources of inspiration.
Get introduced to the history and styles of embroidery, before choosing a material that is meaningful to you. Hillary then teaches you a few basic stitches to get started, like the running, chain, and back stitch, the French knot, and others.
See how to prepare your workspace, before sketching your ideas and choosing the right material. Next, learn two ways to transfer your design onto your material of choice.
Time to start stitching! Decide which colors you want to use and start your embroidery piece with the techniques learned throughout the course. To wrap up, Hillary shows you add the final touches and finish your piece.
What is this course's project?
Create a design and embroider it onto a non-traditional or unexpected material.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for craft enthusiasts who want to create unique, handmade pieces, or for embroidery fans who want to learn new techniques.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience is necessary.
To take this course, you need the organic material you wish to work with, embroidery thread, a pen, a sketchbook, tracing paper, graph paper, a small awl or cork, PVA or similar glue, small needles, jeweler’s tweezers, scissors, and low adhesive tape.
Reviews
- 4 months ago
Such a great class! It was well paced with excellent demonstrations. In addition, Hillary is a gifted artist and you get a peek into her creativity. Highly recommended.
- 6 months ago
Eine wunderbarer, sehr lehrreicher, informativer Kurs. Angenehm zu verfolgen!
- 6 months ago
Bonjour! Je viens de visionner ce cours. Très bien fait, explications claires et enseignante souriante. Ce cours m'a intéressée pour broder sur des feuilles, ce que je vais faire cet été quand j'aurais quelques belles feuilles vertes et inspirantes. Merci vraiment pour ce cours original.
- 10 months ago
Wonderful course, excellent instruction and inspiring topic, thank you.
- 1 year ago
Desde Uruguay, acá Nancy recomiendo este curso, es fascinante ver lo que se puede bordar en las hojas de las plantas, poder aprender y hacerlo con nuestra propia naturaleza.
Her work has been widely exhibited and is included in the permanent collections of the Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo, NY, the Kalmthout Arboretum & Botanical Gardens in Belgium, the United States Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka and several private collections. She has also taught at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina, the Mediterranean Art & Design Program in Italy, and Yasar University in Turkey.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
History and Techniques
- History of Embroidery and Needlework
- Choosing Materials
- Technique Foundations
- U3
Basic Stitches and Design
- Workspace Preparation
- Inspiration
- Material Preparation
- Transferring Your Design
- U4
Stitching
- Color and Line
- Stitch
- Finishing
- FP
Final project
- Extraordinary Embroidery: Explore Alternative Organic Materials
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and requires no prior experience in embroidery or textile art. All foundational techniques and concepts are clearly explained.
You'll need basic embroidery supplies like needles, threads, scissors, tracing paper, PVA glue, a sketchbook, and natural materials such as leaves or nonwoven fabrics. The course provides detailed lists and sourcing tips.
You'll learn how to create original embroidery designs, stitch on natural and unconventional materials, apply color theory, transfer patterns, preserve organic surfaces, and finish pieces with professional techniques.
Yes, the course specifically teaches how to embroider on leaves and botanical materials, including preparation, reinforcement, and preservation methods.
You'll learn several design transfer methods, including tracing, pricking, and using transfer paper to accurately move your sketches onto various surfaces.
Yes, most materials are easy to find or substitute. The course guides you on adapting to what you have and offers alternatives for specialty items.
You’ll learn foundational stitches like running stitch, back stitch, chain stitch, French knot, couching, and thread splitting, plus counted thread techniques.