SOLD OUT Making Autumn Leaves in Silk with Anne Tomlin

Location: Hand & Lock School for Embroidery & Creative Arts, 86 Margaret Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1W 8TE
Duration: 2 Day Workshop (10am - 4:30pm each day) 

Over the two days, Anne will guide you through creating the colours of Autumn to make beautiful leaves. You will explore ways to create the stunning colours and textures of this time of year, using silk and dyes. You’ll learn how to stiffen fabric, mix dyes and metallic pigments, hide wires between layers for structure, and attach a brooch if you would like.  

You’ll use heated French and Japanese flower tools to help shape the leaves 

Anne will demonstrate a variety of techniques for painting and constructing leaves, enabling you to create realistic ones, giving you confidence to mix and paint with dyes to create a multitude of effects.

Throughout the workshop, Anne will share tips and guidance to help you develop your skills, with step-by-step demonstrations and individual support as you work. By the end of the course, you will leave with two or three finished leaves, a thorough understanding of the techniques involved, and the confidence to create your own leaves and flowers at home. You will also gain an appreciation for the fine details often overlooked in the natural world around us.

- Please check your email address is correct before ordering.

- Read all of the course description information above and the “How the Course Works” information below before booking.

- All courses are non-refundable. If you cannot attend, please let us know as soon as possible and we will try to move you to another course.

If you have any questions, please check our FAQs page here.

-  How to stiffen fabric 

- How to mix dyes and metallic pigments

- Attach to a brooch

- How to use French and Japanese tools to sculpt some gorgeous autumn leaves

- All materials and tools will be provided. You will be able to choose your own colours for the design and work with whichever materials you prefer during the course. 

- Feel free to bring your own small sharp scissors for accurate precision. We will provide embroidery scissors if you do not have any.

- If you wish you are welcome to bring your own mug for refreshments and your own embroidery kit, though this is completely optional and not required.

Anne Tomlin is an artisan specialising in bespoke, handmade silk flowers. Her work is inspired by her lifelong passion for nature, which began with childhood walks in the countryside. She has a degree in Textiles from West Surrey College of Arts (now UCA, Farnham) and studied millinery at The London College of Fashion. For over two decades, she was one half of the renowned hat label Bailey Tomlin, co-founded with Bridget Bailey. They designed and sold hats to prestigious stores worldwide, including Harrods, Liberty, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Her love for nature and conservation drove Tomlin's transition from millinery to silk flowermaking. She approaches each flower with a detailed, almost "forensic" examination, dissecting it to understand its structure and essence. She then recreates these flowers using a variety of silks, velvets, and other millinery fabrics, using techniques she has developed over the years. These include painting with dyes to achieve a naturalistic, translucent effect, and sculpting parts of the flowers with air-dried clay. She also makes bespoke pieces for brides, works with artist Yinka Shonibare on the floral elements of his sculptures, and has also recently collaborated with milliners Rachel Skinner and Jane Taylor. Anne is also an author and teacher. In 2023, she published the book Making Silk Flowers, which shares her techniques and ideas. She teaches workshops at places like West Dean College, and Hand & Lock, sharing her expertise and encouraging others to observe the natural world more closely. Her work aims to raise awareness about the importance of nature and the conservation of wild meadows. Anne is currently working on a new body of work for an exhibition in 2027.