Get Creative

Do you have an old stool, small dining room/bedroom chair or ottoman that needs some new life breathing into? Here you will learn how to upholster an item of your choice. Lesley will be on hand to help at every stage and will have a full range of upholstery tools for you to use and materials to purchase. All you will need to bring is a piece of furniture and the top fabric.

Please note we advise you have previous upholstery experience as it can be difficult to complete a project in one day.

During the course of the morning, you will learn this useful weaving technique to create a large Garden Obelisk. These add instant height to any garden and are perfect for your climbing tender annuals such as Sweet Peas. This course is suitable for beginners.

Make a coptic bound notebook sketchbook or journal.

Coptic binding is the most ancient of bindings and is characterised by visible stitching forming rows of chain stitch across the spine.

You'll cover boards with your choice of paper. Michaela will have a lovely collection of patterned papers for you to forage through. 

You'll then stitch together your pages made from recycled materials and textile industry waste with traditional linen thread. There will be a rainbow of colours for you to choose from. 

You will go home with a small hardback book made by you that will be ideal to use as a journal sketchbook or photo album. 

Join punch needle artist Katie.R.Veall for a day bursting with colour, texture and uplifting creativity, and create your very own Spring Flowers Punch Needle Panel. 

 Katie will guide you through the Oxford technique of rug making to create a panel approx. 20x20cm, using monks cloth and 100% British rug wool, an Oxford punch needle and gripper frame.  This technique creates hard wearing pieces that will stand the test of time, as well as being beautiful! 

 After the workshop, you can turn your versatile panel into a number of different things, depending on your preference.  Examples include, a throw cushion, bag, denim jacket embellishment, trivet or a wall hanging.  Katie will be on hand to give you plenty of inspiration as well as share her knowledge as an Oxford Certified Instructor. 

 This workshop is suitable for those new to punch needle as well as those with more experience.  All materials are provided within the cost of the workshop and a selection of supplies and tools will be available to purchase at the end of the day. 

These willow sheep or pigs are full of character and a great extension to random weaving with willow. Alison will guide you to make a large scale 4-legged animal in willow. Some experience preferred.

Please wear clothes that you are happy getting a bit grubby and full shoes that cover your toes.

Learn to make your own chicken or pheasant to roost at home or in your garden. These characterful random weave sculptures are a good introduction to working with willow. 

Suitable for beginners.

Please wear clothes that you are happy getting a bit grubby and full shoes that cover your toes.

Spend a relaxing day weaving on a table and making your own scarf or snood. Each participant will have their own eight shaft table loom to use for the session. The loom will be threaded up ahead of the workshop, so you can enjoy weaving for a full day. There will be an opportunity to incorporate a range of techniques and weave structures as well as choosing the yarns that you use, from a range of colours, textures and fibres. Participants will learn all the skills needed through group demonstrations as well as one-to-one support throughout the day.

This workshop is suitable for beginners, and all equipment and materials are provided for use during the workshop. Participants are welcome to bring along additional yarn to use within their project if they wish but this is not essential as plenty of yarn will be available to use.

Expressive Still Life is the perfect workshop for those wanting to explore colour, mark making, form and composition. It is perfect for artists who are complete beginners or those wanting to get back to their art after a break ... and anyone else in between. 

In this workshop Hannah will go through the processes she uses to create her own still life paintings and give you the skills and confidence to explore whilst making art that has meaning to you. 

The morning session will be spent looking at the objects you bring and exploring form from, composition, mark making, colour mixing and experimental mini pieces. 

The afternoon will be for using and applying all the skills from the morning to create your still life painting. 

You will be painting onto a 20cm x 20cm wooden box panel with acrylics and mixed media. 

This is a fun and exploratory workshop that aims to give you confidence with your creativity.

Materials Required

For the workshop you will need an apron and up to 3 objects from your home to use in your still life. All other materials will be provided. 

This half day course, led by Ropewalk based photographer Nigel Walker, is an encouragement to think more about the pictures you are taking. 

The course will start with a discussion about what Slow Photography might mean as well as the characteristics a slow photographer might have. Perhaps a recognition that some photography is a well-crafted sentence rather than the whole book….

The workshop will then move outdoors with a short walk around a defined route during which people will be asked to take a small number of photographs within the principles of slow photography. Nigel will offer to spend some time with each person individually during this outing. Arriving back at the venue we will share some of our photographs and discuss any issues which arose and as well as any benefits. Each person will be able to contribute a photograph from the day on a dedicated Facebook page. 

Suitable for all levels of experience.

You will need to bring a camera to use which could be a phone camera.

“I’ve always been interested in photography, but I think I fell in love with it when I realised there could be more to it than beauty – its ability to make people think, connect, empathise, care.” Hannah Reyes Morales

Select from treasured vintage china to create your own unique mosaic in a variety of shapes including hares, birds, butterflies, bees and hearts. Glass and porcelain are also provided along with inspirational examples.

If you’d like to include your own special piece of ceramic or glass, bring it along!

Full instruction and guidance provided including colour combination, tile cutting, tile layout and grouting. 

Friendly, fun and informal.

A wonderful free-motion machine embroidery workshop with textile artist Holly Capstick. Learn how to use a combination of paint and stitch to create mini artworks of places. Add a simple paint layer to fabric (no painting experience required) and add layers of free-motion machine embroidery.

You will be guided through the entire process, from choosing an image, preparing the image, transferring to fabric, painting, setting up and using a machine and stitching. Beginners welcome! 

Template options will be provided or you can bring your own images of a place (7 x 7-inch max). 

All materials and equipment are provided, including sewing machines. 

Learn to make this very useful round basket with a handle, perfect for eggs or fruit. Using traditional techniques and a variety of willows this little basket is a great introduction to further willow work.

Please remember to wear full closed toe shoes.

Learn the traditional bookbinding techniques of folding, sewing, pasting, creating a case and finally casing in to create your own bespoke hardback A5 notebook.  

You will choose from a range of beautiful endpapers and book coverings. 

There is no prior experience needed. 

All materials and tools will be provided.  

Create a striking, full size stag’s head in animal-friendly willow for your wall.  These also look great with lights.  

This course is suitable for beginners.

Please remember to wear full closed toe shoes. 

Explore the mindful practice of slow stitch, allowing the textures of the fabrics and rhythm of stitching to guide you to express your creativity.  Using Joelle’s collection of reclaimed fabrics which are dyed and eco printed using plants from her garden and kitchen waste. 

Learn to sew a log cabin patchwork and embellish it with simple stitches to create textual effects.  You will first practice the techniques on a sample coaster, before choosing materials and threads to make a textile wall hanging or mat measuring 15cm x 20cm wide.

All materials are included.

Learn various wire forming techniques and create a wonderful Christmas wreath designed to be treasured and brought out every year.

In the morning you will make the wreath structure decorated with pine, holly and mistletoe sprigs and berries. Time is tight, so you’ll be given your own pack of wires, so if needs be you can add to your wreath at leisure at home. 

In the afternoon you will make the wire robin and do any last-minute finishing to the wreath.

The workshop is a good way to learn basic wirework skills and Anna will guide you step by step through the making process. You’ll get a handout to remind you of how to do the basics as well as suggestions for suppliers so you can make more at home; you could make a wreath or a simplified version.

Please note, this is an intensive workshop and wire work can be repetitive and a strain on the hands if you’re not used to it, so please bare this in mind if you have any issues with hand strength. (We do not recommend this workshop if you have arthritis in your hands/wrists, carpal tunnel or similar).

The workshop is delivered by Anna Roebuck from The Making House in Burton on Trent; Anna has been delivering specialist workshops for over 20 years and will support you in creating your own amazing piece of artwork in a relaxed setting.

All materials are included.

Experiment with the shapes and colours of the festive season to create your own unique glass artworks using a variety of coloured glasses, wire and solder. This workshop teaches all the basic techniques needed to achieve beautiful and original finished works, including copper foiling, soldering and finishing.