Student Success Story: Lou Threapleton

Lou Threapleton didn’t set out to become a textile artist. In fact, she didn’t even call herself an artist for most of her life. But from her childhood surrounded by makers to exhibiting her own deeply personal stitched work in a gallery, Lou’s creative journey is one of quiet determination, evolving confidence, and layers of meaning stitched with care.

And it all found new direction when she discovered Collections and Cloth with Anne Kelly through Take Two.

A childhood steeped in making

Growing up in rural Bedfordshire, Lou was surrounded by creativity, though it was never labelled as art. Her mum made clothes out of necessity and her dad built furniture and sketched riverside scenes using handmade quills.

“I just grew up in this really rich atmosphere of creating and making,” she reflects, “but I took it for granted. It was kind of just happening all the time.”

This quiet, ever-present act of making wove its way into Lou’s life, shaping her in ways she wouldn’t fully realise until later.

The long way around

Lou didn't go to art college, but creativity never left her side. She designed her own wedding dress, designed a thriving allotment, and crafted thoughtful handmade gifts – always “on the side of everyday life.”

Eventually, after raising a child and settling in one place, she enrolled in a City and Guilds course in patchwork and quilting. “It was very technique-focused,” she explains, “and I learned so much about art history, the domestic work of women, and it really deepened the breadth of  my skillset - enough so that I was teaching stitch in a local shop. But, after a while, I was starting to get bored. The teaching alone just wasn’t enough.”

Then came the pandemic, and like many artists, Lou’s creativity came to a halt. Instead, she focused on voluntary work and counselling studies – until a post from Take Two caught her eye.

Finding meaning, process, and community

“I took that first Take Two course, and I just haven’t looked back,” Lou says.

Through Collections and Cloth and six other Take Two courses, Lou began to build an art practice grounded in process and meaning. “I now know that I can make work that resonates with me,” she says. “I need a story, and I can embed that in the layers of cloth.”

Her creative rhythm evolved, too. Rather than rushing to make something “perfect,” Lou began to embrace her process-led practice. “The process of thinking and drawing feeds into new ideas,” she explains. “You have to make the bits you don’t like in order to find the good ones. It’s just part of the process.”

From self-doubt to exhibition success

One of the biggest changes Lou experienced? Confidence.

Before the courses, Lou stayed in her comfort zone. “I had a very narrow scope of working,” she says. “But doing things that aren’t to do with stitch has broadened my ability to be creative in different disciplines.”

That boost in confidence led her to open her own studio – aptly named Nurtured Stitch – and run her first ever in-person stitch class. Then came a pivotal moment: exhibiting her work publicly for the first time.

Inspired by the encouragement she found in the Take Two Facebook group, Lou submitted her mixed media suitcase piece to a local gallery. It was filled with stories – about her grandmother’s life and story as a woman, not just as Lou’s grandmother. To Lou’s delight, it was accepted.

“The feedback was so good,” she says. “People were crowding around to look at the story found within the case, and within the book inside. It gave me so much self-belief.”

Stitching stories, supporting others

Now, Lou continues to stitch, teach, and connect with others in her creative community. She hosts gentle, meaningful workshops in her studio and is already preparing for her next exciting steps in her creative path.

“I’ve realised that we’ve only ever really got one moment in life – and that’s now,” she says. “So I really think, just seize the moment and see what can happen. Roll up your sleeves, take a deep breath, and maybe give it a go.”

Inspired by Lou?

If you’re drawn to the idea of stitching stories, working with found objects, and exploring your personal history through fabric, Lou’s story is a beautiful reminder that art is there for all of us who’d like to discover and share their potential and their journey.

Anne Kelly’s Collections and Cloth is a chance to uncover the stories hidden in plain sight and express them in meaningful, layered, and textured ways. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to reignite your spark, you’ll find knowledge, guidance, and encouragement every step of the way.