Lily Yeats

Who was Lily Yeats?

Susan Mary "Lily" Yeats was an embroiderer associated with the Celtic Revival. Born in County Sligo, Ireland, she was the daughter of John Butler Yeats and the sister of William Butler, Jack and Elizabeth Yeats. She became involved in the Arts and Crafts movement in London, working as assistant to May Morris. Returning to Dublin in 1900, she and her sister Elizabeth joined Evelyn Gleeson in the Dun Emer crafts studio, where she ran the needlework section. In 1908 she founded the embroidery department of Cuala Industries, with which she was involved until its dissolution in 1931. She is known for her embroidered pictures.