All Workshops
Here is a full list of the workshops that are run in the yurt. All materials are provided and sessions are tailored to suit everyone from beginners through to those with more experience.
An opportunity to look at the wonderful embroidery produced by the Banjara who are a nomadic people found throughout India. Banjara designs are all geometric repeats of squares, circles and triangles often with ingenious colour changes and almost always embellished with cowrie shells. Much of their embroidery uses chain stitch and a raised satin stitch as well as counted stitchwork which on fine fabric resembles weaving. You’ll be able to study a wide range of traditional Banjara embroidery and then have a go at recreating some of their lovely work. All materials and notes included.
Discover some of the fabulous embroidery techniques from India. You will have the opportunity to handle a range of beautiful textiles from India and then learn how to do ‘shisha work’ (mirror work) which is traditionally found in Gujurat and Rajastan. You will learn how to attach a mirror and then embellish the fabric with a range of traditional embroidery stitches.
You could develop this piece into a cushion or a small bag, use it in a creative embroidery project or simply mount it up as a piece of textile art. Illustrated notes and materials will be provided. This is suitable for beginners or those who have had a go and would like to develop their skills further.
Traditional kanthas are made up of layers of discarded saris or cotton cloth sewn together with running stitch to create patterns and texture. During this workshop we will look at traditional kanthas from Bangladesh and Kolkata and some silk ‘kantha’ quilts from Rajastan and learn how to use the simple running stitch to enhance and decorate fabric. There will be a range of silk and cotton fabrics for you to experiment with but feel free to bring along your own fabric if you have a project in mind.
Saami Ralli quilts are quite unique and found in the Sind Valley in Pakistan. They are made from recycled cotton fabric, quilted with a running stitch and decorated with a range of stitches. They are used on the bed (charpoy) and by the men when they are out in the Thar desert at night.
You will have the opportunity to quilt some fabric and then work into the running stitch with a range of decorative stitches in the style of the Saami Ralli.
Slow stitch is a branch of the Slow Movement which advocates a return to pre-industrial techniques.
Slow stitch isn’t a specific stitch, it’s simply using hand embroidery, reusing materials, doing things at your own pace not as fast as possible, referencing traditional hand embroidery like Kantha work, finding your rhythm and taking a deep breath! It helps us to be more conscious and mindful of our creative process and the simple pleasure of creating by hand. We should enjoy each stitch, experiment with possibilities and just let it flow!
Enjoy, slow down, relax, be more mindful, more meditative…..
A ‘Buchki’ is a traditional envelope shaped bag made from a square piece of embroidered fabric.
You can make your bag from a piece of embroidery you have already started or decorate some handblock printed fabric with some mirrorwork, kantha work or Banjara embroidery, learn how to line it and make it up into a small folded bag. You can also decorate it with tassles and beads.
If you haven’t tried any Indian embroidery techniques before you will have the opportunity to try some out before making your bag.
Torans are hung over the doorway to welcome guests and can be made using a variety of stitching, mirrors and shaped pieces. This is a two day workshop. You will spend the first day looking at a variety of wonderful torans from India, planning your own and practising the various stitches you’d like to use. You could also include sample pieces that you have previously made. You can work on it at home and then come back for a follow up workshop to piece it together and look at embellishment techniques such as tassles, beads,couching and binding.
This workshop covers the basics of setting up a warp on your frame and learning a range of techniques such as weaving stripes, spots, slopes and circles. For those of you who have already had a go and would like to learn some more advanced techniques there will be the opportunity to mix several colours together (hatching) to create different effects and to learn about sett so that you can work with different wefts from fine silk to rug wools You can also continue with a previous project or develop your own individual designs.
Explore the fabulous and experimental technique developed by Tadek Beutlich using wrapping and weaving. Have a go at creating your own textile sculpture– no equipment needed,just raffia or string and a bagful of colourful yarns! There will be lots of inspiration including examples of Tadek’s original work for you to look at.
Create a range of wonderful coloured and textured yarns to use in weaving or knitting. This workshop covers the preparation of wool fibres using carders and teaches you to spin on both a hand spindle and spinning wheel. Suitable for both beginners and those who have some experience and would like to introduce other fibres and ply yarns together to create some exciting novelty yarns
An introduction to Fairisle knitting. During this workshop you can learn to use fairisle patterns to develop a panel of knitting which could be incorporated into a cushion or cafetiere cosy.
Materials will be supplied but if you do have any particular colours of double knitting wool that you wish to incorporate into your knitting, please bring these along together with a pair of no 8/4mm knitting needles.
Fabulous and intricate designs can be achieved in hooked Rag Rugging.
On the day of the workshop, you will learn the technique and begin to work on your own design, which due to the nature of the materials used, will grow quite quickly. There will be some designs ideas available to inspire you on the day, but you may wish to bring along your own design inspiration such as photos or magazine cuttings.
During the workshop, you will be working on a wooden frame, these will be available to purchase at a cost of £4, if you wish. All other materials will be provided. Rag Rugging is a great way of recycling, if you have any T shirts or stretchy materials on their way to the charity shop, please feel free to bring these along.
An opportunity to look at the wonderful embroidery produced by the Banjara who are a nomadic people found throughout India. Banjara designs are all geometric repeats of squares, circles and triangles often with ingenious colour changes and almost always embellished with cowrie shells. Much of their embroidery uses chain stitch and a raised satin stitch as well as counted stitchwork which on fine fabric resembles weaving. You’ll be able to study a wide range of traditional Banjara embroidery and then have a go at recreating some of their lovely work. All materials and notes included.
Discover some of the fabulous embroidery techniques from India. You will have the opportunity to handle a range of beautiful textiles from India and then learn how to do ‘shisha work’ (mirror work) which is traditionally found in Gujurat and Rajastan. You will learn how to attach a mirror and then embellish the fabric with a range of traditional embroidery stitches.
You could develop this piece into a cushion or a small bag, use it in a creative embroidery project or simply mount it up as a piece of textile art. Illustrated notes and materials will be provided. This is suitable for beginners or those who have had a go and would like to develop their skills further.
Traditional kanthas are made up of layers of discarded saris or cotton cloth sewn together with running stitch to create patterns and texture. During this workshop we will look at traditional kanthas from Bangladesh and Kolkata and some silk ‘kantha’ quilts from Rajastan and learn how to use the simple running stitch to enhance and decorate fabric. There will be a range of silk and cotton fabrics for you to experiment with but feel free to bring along your own fabric if you have a project in mind.
Saami Ralli quilts are quite unique and found in the Sind Valley in Pakistan. They are made from recycled cotton fabric, quilted with a running stitch and decorated with a range of stitches. They are used on the bed (charpoy) and by the men when they are out in the Thar desert at night.
You will have the opportunity to quilt some fabric and then work into the running stitch with a range of decorative stitches in the style of the Saami Ralli.
Slow stitch is a branch of the Slow Movement which advocates a return to pre-industrial techniques.
Slow stitch isn’t a specific stitch, it’s simply using hand embroidery, reusing materials, doing things at your own pace not as fast as possible, referencing traditional hand embroidery like Kantha work, finding your rhythm and taking a deep breath! It helps us to be more conscious and mindful of our creative process and the simple pleasure of creating by hand. We should enjoy each stitch, experiment with possibilities and just let it flow!
Enjoy, slow down, relax, be more mindful, more meditative…..
A ‘Buchki’ is a traditional envelope shaped bag made from a square piece of embroidered fabric.
You can make your bag from a piece of embroidery you have already started or decorate some handblock printed fabric with some mirrorwork, kantha work or Banjara embroidery, learn how to line it and make it up into a small folded bag. You can also decorate it with tassles and beads.
If you haven’t tried any Indian embroidery techniques before you will have the opportunity to try some out before making your bag.
Torans are hung over the doorway to welcome guests and can be made using a variety of stitching, mirrors and shaped pieces. This is a two day workshop. You will spend the first day looking at a variety of wonderful torans from India, planning your own and practising the various stitches you’d like to use. You could also include sample pieces that you have previously made. You can work on it at home and then come back for a follow up workshop to piece it together and look at embellishment techniques such as tassles, beads,couching and binding.
This workshop covers the basics of setting up a warp on your frame and learning a range of techniques such as weaving stripes, spots, slopes and circles. For those of you who have already had a go and would like to learn some more advanced techniques there will be the opportunity to mix several colours together (hatching) to create different effects and to learn about sett so that you can work with different wefts from fine silk to rug wools You can also continue with a previous project or develop your own individual designs.
Explore the fabulous and experimental technique developed by Tadek Beutlich using wrapping and weaving. Have a go at creating your own textile sculpture– no equipment needed,just raffia or string and a bagful of colourful yarns! There will be lots of inspiration including examples of Tadek’s original work for you to look at.
Create a range of wonderful coloured and textured yarns to use in weaving or knitting. This workshop covers the preparation of wool fibres using carders and teaches you to spin on both a hand spindle and spinning wheel. Suitable for both beginners and those who have some experience and would like to introduce other fibres and ply yarns together to create some exciting novelty yarns
An introduction to Fairisle knitting. During this workshop you can learn to use fairisle patterns to develop a panel of knitting which could be incorporated into a cushion or cafetiere cosy.
Materials will be supplied but if you do have any particular colours of double knitting wool that you wish to incorporate into your knitting, please bring these along together with a pair of no 8/4mm knitting needles.
Fabulous and intricate designs can be achieved in hooked Rag Rugging.
On the day of the workshop, you will learn the technique and begin to work on your own design, which due to the nature of the materials used, will grow quite quickly. There will be some designs ideas available to inspire you on the day, but you may wish to bring along your own design inspiration such as photos or magazine cuttings.
During the workshop, you will be working on a wooden frame, these will be available to purchase at a cost of £4, if you wish. All other materials will be provided. Rag Rugging is a great way of recycling, if you have any T shirts or stretchy materials on their way to the charity shop, please feel free to bring these along.