Karina Thompson - free-motion for the terrified

Do you look at other peoples free-motion work and wonder how they have done it when your work looks like a pile of tangled spaghetti?

If you have, then this two day workshop is aimed at building your confidence, knowledge and expertise so you can get great results from free-motion machine stitch. Through simple, targeted activities you will learn skills that will enable you to develop your ideas into free-motion outcomes.

The first day will be all about the basics and Karina will be sharing her top tips to enable you to achieve the results you want, then on the second day you will really have the chance to push your work in the direction you wish, all the while being guided by Karina's 40 years of expertise in this field.

Ideally you will bring your own drawings, collages and photographs to work with to enable you to make free-motion samples that fit in with the themes that you love exploring.

To a certain extent you as the student will influence the nature of the work you are doing in the workshop. For example if you want to concentrate on using free-motion as a drawing tool or to create surfaces then this is what you will be working towards.

Karina won't make you do free-motion quilting if that's not what you are interested in!

This is a workshop that is about teaching you the skills so you are able to use free-motion in the way you want; to do the things you want.

This two day workshop with Karina is ideal for someone with little or no experience or who needs a confidence boost in using free motion. Alternatively you may be someone looking to turbo charge your skills so you can be very precise and get the stitch quality in your work.

Karina Thompson is an embroiderer, art quilter, educator and academic. Her work has been selected for Quilt National, Fine Art Textile Award and Collect as well as several major museum collections and regularly exhibits both nationally and internationally. She has over 20 years’ experience in art schools and universities' where she has taught textile design, fibre art, craft processes and illustration.

As a stitch specialist, Karina provided technical support and beta testing for Pfaff and Husqvarna Viking sewing and embroidery machine brands for nearly 10 years and is very familiar with all major brands of sewing and embroidery machines and software.

Date: Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th November 2025

Time: 9.30am until 4.30pm (ish) each day.

Cost: £ 230
Deposit: A £115 deposit will secure your place

There will also be home-made biscuits with morning coffee, a light seasonal vegetarian lunch and an enticing cake with a pot of afternoon tea.

Please note: Places are limited and are available on a first come, first served basis

Booking implies that you agree with our terms and conditions for in real life workshops.
You can read them here: The Small Print

To see more of Karina's work visit her website

Did you know InStitches has a student bursary? Click here to read all about it and apply!