2-Day Thread Drawing Masterclass
- with Ciara O'Connor

This two-day workshop introduces participants to the fundamentals of Ciara’s ‘Thread Drawing’ techniques, which combine free motion embroidery, hand stitch, and raw-edged appliqué. Through practical demonstrations and individual tutoring, she will guide you through her process and give you the knowledge to start your own stitchery journey.

The workshop will cover:
- Free drawing on fabric using your sewing machine.
- Transferring images from paper to fabric.
- Suitable fabric selection.
- Mark-making with a sewing machine.
- Raw-edged applique techniques.
- Hand-stitching over applique.
- Creating ‘floating’ drawings.
 

Please read before booking: 

This course is aimed at those who wish to explore new ways of working. It is not a sewing workshop. 

Basic sewing machine skills are essential, and you must bring your own/borrowed sewing machine. Any type of machine can be used, but if you are using one without an option to drop the feed dogs, you must purchase an Embroidery/Darning Feed Dog Cover prior to your workshop.

Drawing skills are not essential. Materials will be supplied.

Refunds are offered up to 72 hours in advance of the event. Please email [email protected] to cancel. A full refund will be issued if the workshop is cancelled by Butler Gallery.

About the Artist
Ciara O’Connor is a Kerry-based visual artist whose practice centres on free-motion embroidery as a medium for investigating identity, feminism, and the psychological architecture of recovery. By utilizing the rhythmic, repetitive nature of stitch, she recontextualizes domestic craft as a vehicle for processing trauma and navigating memory. Originally trained in painting and printmaking, O’Connor transitioned to a thread-based practice in 2019. Her current work integrates sculpture, installation, and video, fusing traditional textile heritage with narrative-led conceptualism. O’Connor’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Crawford Art Gallery, the Royal Ulster Academy, and the Royal Scottish Academy. In 2025, she presented her landmark solo exhibition, Grief’s Current Shape, and was invited by the National Gallery of Ireland as one of three featured artists for National Drawing Day. Her practice has been profiled in FAIRE, Image Magazine, and the Irish Examiner, and was the subject of an extensive critical essay by Cristín Leach. Beyond her studio, O’Connor facilitates nationwide workshops at institutions including IMMA, Flux Studios and Artform School of Art. Her next solo show will take place at GOMA Gallery of Modern Art in 2027.