They worked at a long table in what was originally called the “servants hall” off the large old kitchen in Ballyalla. The sewing was supervised by Mina Keppie and the designs were all drawn by Florence herself, based on her sketches of Clare flowers.

The small industry flourished and by 1910 the number of girls in the class had increased from 12 to 27. They made embroidered children’s frocks, pinafores, aprons, patchwork bedspreads, cushions and panels for firescreens. Christopher Hodges, a disabled carpenter from Ennis, made the framework for the embroidered firescreens.

Classes were social occasions for the girls with tea provided and, often, a story read by Florence to them as they worked. At Christmas there was a party for the girls and their families in the coach-house, with presents for everyone. During the summer months an outing was often arranged, which sometimes took them by train to the Limerick Lace School which Florence had also set up.

Mrs. Tottenham at Mount Callan set up a Clare Embroidery class for a few years in 1889, and Father Halpin in Scarriff ran a class in 1907 for a short time, at the home of Mrs Hibbert. Another colony of the Ballyalla class was established at Akyab in Burma (now Myanmar) by Mrs. H.S. Hartnoll.

The Ballyalla Clare Embroidery class survived the war years (1914 – 1918) and the troubles (1919 – 1923), and by 1923 two of Florence’s children, Jane and Flora, were helping with the drawing and designing. Mina Keppie continued to run the class and deal with all correspondence.

Ten or twelve girls still came regularly during the 1920s and Frances Malone from the Causeway in Ennis taught smocking. Florence oversaw other forms of embroidery. Some Clare Embroidery was still being produced up until Florence’s death in 1936. One of the last orders received was from Canada in 1938, from a former customer, now ordering smocked dresses for her grandchildren.