A collage of images showing children's embroidery in progress, some finished outputs and an image of Ellie Cullen in her art studio.

Image 1: A collage of imagery from Ellie’s workshops showing works in progress and finished outputs, along with a photograph of Ellie in her own art studio.

Ellie also facilitates children’s art workshops, primarily in school settings. Her workshops focus on textile art, and children learn new skills and techniques such as transferring designs onto fabric, embroidery and beading. Ellie encourages children to experiment with scrap fabrics to highlight how we can upcycle and transform everyday materials into meaningful artwork. This upcycling process teaches the importance of sustainability and helps children recognise the value of reusing materials, particularly in relation to fast fashion.

Image 2: Final outputs from 5th class students. They learned to master a variety of embroidery stitches, including the satin, stem and chain stitch. The pupils’ excitement extended beyond the classroom, as many expressed interest in embroidering at home.

Image 3 (left): Snowflake design on canvas, on an embroidery hoop. This work was created by a 2nd class student.

Image 4 (right): Embroidered space-inspired work by a 1st class student, using black linen and ‘mermaid’ organza. Wool was used to depict the sun.

Ellie emphasises the process rather than the final output and the aesthetic quality of the work produced. With that being said, by the end of her workshops, she aims for her students to have completed a textile work, which they can bring home and hang on their wall. Embroidery hoops serve as frames for the finished pieces. The intricacy of the works varies per age and ability.

Her workshops help develop children's skills, including technical sewing skills, fine motor skills, confidence, patience, self-assurance and self-discovery.

To get a sense of Ellie’s workshops, view the videos below of previous school projects.

View Ellie’s CV

Get in touch!

For workshop queries and pricing, email info@elliecullen.com.

This seven-week embroidery project was funded by Tipperary County Council under the Artist in Primary School Scheme 2025. It involved five primary school classes: two First Classes, one Second Class, one Third Class, and one Fourth Class, including several students from the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) class supported by Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). The goal was to introduce children to textile art through the process of designing and completing an embroidered artwork, using the embroidery hoop as a frame. Students made all creative decisions themselves, from initial design to choice of fabric, hoop size, and thread colours.

By the end of the seven weeks, each student had not only completed one (or more!) unique embroidered artwork but had also gained valuable new skills and a strong sense of personal achievement, something they can carry with them well beyond the classroom.

Finished outputs of 'Stitching Some of Our Favourite Things’ hoop artwork project with first and second-class students. The 6–8-year-old pupils, some of whom were neurodivergent, created mixed-media artworks. The majority of them focused on their favourite animal, their farm, and space, and one student stitched an intricate scene of Croke Park as he hopes to play for his county hurling team someday. This work was carried out under the Teacher Artist Partnership Plus (TAP+) 2024 residency programme.

A progress video of a project managed by artist Ellie Cullen under the Teacher Artist Partnership Plus (TAP+) 2024 residency programme with Rang a hAon (1st class). The pupils were 6-7 years old and created amazing work. They led the project from start to finish, from brainstorming their ideas to the end result of 24 hand stitched hoop artworks. They were fearless in their art making.