Luxury residential craft retreats in rural, fishy Cornwall

2018 Courses in France

 

We have arranged the tutors for 2018 and the course outlines are below. Full course details will not be available for a while yet, but if you know you want to come on a course please contact us via the form at the bottom of the page, stating the name of the tutor, to organise reserving your place. Alternatively you can pay your deposit online here.

Pam Lintott

Tuffet & Matching Quilt

 

May 10th to May 17th 2018

During this course you will make a tuffet and matching throw quilt. The tuffet will have to be stuffed once you get home - unless you bring an empty checked in bag!

 

More details coming tomorrow!

May 24th to May 31st 2018

Celtic patterns seem very complicated, but with a little ‘know –how’ it is really very easy to create fabulous designs even if you have absolutely no artistic
talent whatsoever. Suitable for quilting patterns, blocks and borders, they can be any size, different shapes, completed in all sorts of sewing techniques by hand or machine, and make great stencils, needlepoint or knitting patterns. This course assumes no prior design experience and guarantees you will become a confident and competent designer having had lots of fun along the way.

June 7th to June 14th 2018

Have fun with your photographs!
On this course we will be out and about taking photos using any camera device you have. You can choose to focus your work on any aspect such as people, architecture, birds, flora and fauna. Using the computers, printers and light boxes available in the studio, you will learn how to use your photos to make stitched drawings with the sewing machine. We will be adding printing and appliquéd fabrics into the mix to create finished textile compositions and a wealth of samples.

July 5th to July 12th 2018

"The beauties of nature are charming to me" - isn't that a lovely phrase? Janet found it in a Shaker hymn years ago and it inspired her to create a pieced and stitched nature collection. In our week together, you will design and create little patchwork vignettes to craft a personal "charming to you" nature inspired wall hanging. We will explore using fusible appliqué, sewing machine drawing and embroidery as well as incorporating your favourite fabrics, lace, buttons and other lovely curios into your work. Janet will guide and help you explore ideas, draw templates you need, and encourage you to have fun and experiment with rust, bleach, dyeing and flower printing amongst other things!

Sept 7th to Sept 14th 2018

During this week’s course we are going to learn all about painting fabric for backgrounds through to making art quilts. Deborah will demonstrate and teach lots of different ways to help you become a more confident and creative textile artist. Course details can be found here on the 2017 page.

June 21st to June 28th 2018

A week of hand stitching with a difference creating a beautiful, personal “sampler” from twenty-one “patches” of repurposed wood. Each “patch” is embellished with vintage sewing box treasures or other collectables all hand stitched into place. Your patches are then stitched
together to create your unique and very personal wall hanging.

Before beginning to stitch, tiny holes must be drilled into the wood. You’ll soon feel as at home using the drill as you do your needle and thread!

July 19th to July 26th 2018

Take a another look at the overlooked details of the everyday from patterns and shapes in domestic objects to the features and textures in the buildings and gardens around us. Experiment with different media and techniques, mark-making and paint methods on fabric and paper including sun printing with silk dyes (weather
allowing). We will make use of stitches as ‘lines’ or marks, study textures and look at different approaches to assembling textile collage.

 

 

Sept 20th to Sept 27th 2018

Love printing? If you do then this is the course for you! During the week will develop skills, or improve those you already have, using Gellie plates, thermofax screens, stencils and stamps. The many possibilities of using these techniques, either alone or together, will be explored on fabric which will become wonderful cloths to stitch into and make pinnies, bags, wall hangings or other items for the home. Alison is sporting one of her signature hand printed pinnies in the photo above! Suitable for both beginners and the more experienced. Come and play!

 

October 5th to October 12th 2018

Out and about in the beautiful landscape around Crafty Retreats, capture an encounter with our feathered friends in stitch. It may be troupe of free range chickens out foraging, a garden scene including the local woodpecker, or a flock of wild birds flying overhead that inspires you. Back in the studio we will develop your ideas with particular emphasis on bringing life, movement and colour to your subject. Techniques will include: piecing and collaging fabrics, machine and hand embroidery, incorporating found objects and the use of
dissolvable fabric.

 

October 18th to October 25th 2018

Find inspiration from traditional folk motifs and nature to create a unique and magical mixed media wall piece or hanging. Your creative journey will combine some simple printing and stitching techniques with collage, appliqué and patchwork. Motifs will be referenced from a range of cultures and the natural world. Artist and author Anne Kelly will introduce her books and collections of folk textiles as reference points and inspiration.