Textile Courses and Workshops 2024
Silk Painting for Beginners BOOK NOW
Thursday 2nd May OR
Friday 3rd May 10 - 3pm
Garden Studio, Storrington
£75 including materials
Learn the basics of simple silk painting techniques to create beautiful painted silk fabric. We will look at a range of techniques, such as painting into wet and dry fabric, using salt to create texture and using gutta to create lines and patterns. The colours achieved are stunning and the paints I use are easily set using an iron (no need to steam!). Spend the day playing with colour and create some gorgeous samples to take away and add to your stash to be stitched or made into something beautiful. This really is a very fun, easy and satisfying skill to learn and you will be thrilled with the results!
Gelli Printing Patterns and Textures BOOK NOW
Thursday 9th May 10 - 1pm
Garden Studio, Storrington
£50 including materials
Join me for a "stash busting" morning of printing, making interesting patterns using found textures, flowers and leaves, plus simple house hold items and upcycled materials, to create some beautiful and unique backgrounds onto both fabric and paper. We'll be using a gelli plate to try out all sorts of different printing techniques, and you'll be able to experiment with some unusual and gorgeous effects. You'll come away with a whole selection of different samples for use as materials for future projects in embroidery, or card making. Why not also come along to my "Collaged fabric landscape" workshop on Thursday 16th May and transform your printed stash into a beautiful new art work?
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Note: Most materials will be supplied, but you will need to bring some additional small pieces of plain fabric to print on.
Machine embroidery workshops
Machine Embroidered Collaged Landscape BOOK NOW
Thursday 16th May 10 - 1 pm
Garden Studio, Storrington
£50 including all materials
Suitable for those with basic experience of machine embroidery, tear, cut and collage scraps of fabric to make a background collage. Then use some simple machine stitching to add in details and complete. You will need to bring along your own sewing machine with embroidery foot and a selection of threads. Why not also come along to my Gelli Printing workshop on Thursday 9th May to create your very own stash of interesting background fabrics to use?
Machine Embroidered Moths and Butterflies BOOK NOW
Friday 10th May 10 - 3 pm
Garden Studio, Storrington
£65 including all materials
Suitable for those with some experience of machine embroidery, learn how to make these beautiful butterfly and moth motifs using dissolvable fabric. Use as an embellishment, as a window hanging or as the basis for a whole new artwork. You will need to bring along your own sewing machine with embroidery foot and a selection of threads, but all fabric is included.
Machine Embroidered Flowers BOOK NOW
New Date: Friday 14th June 10 - 3 pm
Garden Studio, Storrington
£65 including all materials
Suitable for those with some experience of machine embroidery, learn how to make a variety of beautiful machine embroidered fabric flowers and leaves, suitable for all sorts of embellishments and accessories. Then enjoy adding beads, buttons or sequins to complete your pieces. We will be using organza and net along with dissolvable fabric to create some stunning effects. You will need to bring along your own sewing machine with embroidery foot and a selection of threads, but all fabric is included.
Machine Embroidery: Dissolvable fabric landscape BOOK NOW
Thursday 2oth June 10 - 1.30 pm
Garden Studio, Storrington
£55 including all materials
Join me for a unique workshop and learn how to make a beautiful, landscape inspired embroidery using dissolvable fabric! We will use trapped fabrics and consider different patterns of stitching to create an unusual and very effective small landscape picture. Suitable for those with some experience of machine embroidery, who would like to try out some different techniques in a small, friendly workshop. You will need to bring along your own sewing machine with embroidery foot and a selection of threads, but all other materials are included.
Hand stitching and mixed media workshops
Creative Textiles Monthly Group BOOK NOW
Monthly Friday mornings 10 - 3 pm starting 24th May 2 PLACES AVAILABLBE
Garden Studio, Storrington
Would you like the creative stimulation of a regular workshop and one to one guided help, to give you support and encouragement for your projects, but with out the commitment of having to attend every week? Would you like the support and friendship of a small group and my ongoing tuition to help you stay motivated? Find out more..
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Hand Stitched flowers BOOK NOW
Wednesday 3rd July 10 - 3 pm
Garden Studio, Storrington
£60 including all materials
Be inspired by beautiful flowers, seeds and leaves! Join me for a relaxing day of hand stitching to explore and analyse the colours and shapes of garden flowers and then experiment to recreate them in felt or fabric. Make one, or several creations, which could be used as a brooch, embellishment for a bag or hair band, or simply a decorative object. We will learn different methods of fabric manipulation to recreate the petals and centre of the flower and then decorate with simple embroidery stitches and embellishments. This is a fun and relaxing day suitable for either beginners or those with more experience.
Confident colour for textiles - hand stitching BOOK NOW
Friday 5th July 9.30 - 1.30
Sussex Prairie Gardens, near Henfield
£70 including all materials, plus refreshments and all day entry to the gardens
Join me in this master class to learn how a colour wheel works and the principles of design, to help choose an effective colour scheme for your embroideries, quilts or other textile art projects. Gain confidence in understanding how different colours work together to create lively contrasts or pleasing harmonies and how adding dark or light can alter how colours appear. Using the gardens as inspiration, we will then experiment with building up colour palettes and play with hand stitch to make some beautiful small samples. You will leave with new ideas, a greater understanding of how to interpret colour in your work and a series of inspiring colour swatches for use in your future projects.
Fabric Weave the Landscape BOOK NOW
Thursday 8th August 9.30 - 1.30
Sussex Prairie Gardens, near Henfield
£70 including all materials, plus refreshments and all day entry to the gardens
Learn the wonderful art of fabric weaving! Inspired by the colours and landscape of the Sussex Prairies, I will show you how to use scraps of fabric to make a beautiful woven background, also incorporating printed papers as well as textiles. We will then spend time embellishing with some gentle hand stitching; learn how to integrate couched threads and interesting textures with lots of one-to-one help and demonstrations of different stitches. Create a unique piece of work which could be framed, or perhaps used as the cover of a sketchbook, or made into a small purse.
Autumn Leaves: Experimental Appliqué and Hand Embroidery BOOK NOW
Saturday 12th October 9.30 - 1.30
Sussex Prairie Gardens, near Henfield
£70 including all materials, plus refreshments and all day entry to the gardens
Study the shapes, outlines and patterns of leaves and their markings to cut out and create appliquéd shapes, which we will combine to make an unusual hand-embroidered piece on a felt background. Using Esther’s unique stash of hand printed and naturally dyed fabric and papers, we will consider the colours and markings of different leaves. We will look at ways of simplifying shapes and experiment with using negative space and contrasting colours and threads. Observe the structure of leaves and practice and learn some simple hand embroidery stitches to enhance and compliment your appliquéd pieces. You will create a beautiful and unusual piece and come away with lots of ideas for future works.
"Summer School" two day workshops
Making Textile Vessels - mixed media and hand embroidery BOOK NOW
2 day course 9 am - 2 pm Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th July OR
Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th October
Sussex Prairie Gardens, near Henfield
£160 including all materials, plus refreshments and all day entry to the gardens
Come and join me at the inspirational Sussex Prairie Gardens and immerse yourself in two wonderful days of making and stitching! This two day workshop will introduce you to a range of techniques; mixing textiles and hand embroidery with some unusual mixed media, to create a beautiful soft fabric vessel. This could be used as a cover to enhance a flower vase, or as a stand-alone decorative item. You will learn step by step, how to create a gorgeous textured background by using paint on stabilising fabric and adding interesting textures and colours like mulberry bark and silk cocoons or carrier rods, to build up some fascinating surface decoration. I will show you how to add metallic elements using foils and copper shim, plus how to use hand embroidery stitches and other embellishments, to make this a truly three-dimensional work. Learn how to fold and shape your vessel, then add a base and inner lining to complete.
Price includes all materials and embellishments, with lots of interesting fibres and mixed media elements. Come and play and experiment with some unusual materials in this fun and relaxing course, to take your creativity into a whole new dimension!
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Introduction to felting - making beautiful backgrounds BOOK NOW
2 day course 10 am - 1.30 pm
Thursday 11th and Friday 12th July
Garden Studio, Storrington
£120 including all materials
Be introduced to both wet felting and needle felting on this fun and experimental two day workshop. The first morning will be spent building up a background by selecting your colours of beautiful, soft merino wool. We will then use the traditional technique of wetting and rolling our wool to bind the fibres together, creating a thick, dense felt which is perfect to stitch into. Then join me again the following morning to try your hand at needle felting. Using our background from day one, we will add in further elements, this time using a needle to add interesting shapes and patterns to your design. Then add some hand stitching or other embellishments such as beads or buttons, to create a stunning sample piece. It could be an abstract design, or perhaps a garden or landscape scene. Felting is such good fun and the results are always so pleasing! Suitable for complete beginners, or those with some experience, join me for some relaxed and fun creativity.
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Dye, resist and print - an introduction to colouring and marking fabric BOOK NOW
2 day course 10 am - 4 pm
Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th July
Sandham Memorial Hall, Coldwaltham (near Pulborough)
£200 including all materials*
Would you like to know how to dye and print your own fabric? Then join me on this "taster" workshop for two days of fun and experimentation with fabric dyes! Learn how to mordant your fabric, mix dyes and make a colour wheel of samples. I will be covering a range of techniques including mark making using flour paste resist and using thickened dyes for printing and painting directly onto fabric to create your own beautiful patterns. Learn how to use different types of tools to produce some stunning effects and if the sun is out, we may even have time for some sun printing! You will learn a range of techniques and make your own beautiful and unique fabric for use in future projects.
The workshop will be held in the peaceful venue of Sandham Memorial Hall, near Pulborough, with access to a kitchen and plenty of space and parking outside. *A small equipment list will be send to you beforehand, but all dyes and fabric are provided.
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Unless otherwise stated, all workshops and courses take place in small, friendly groups (maximum class size of 5 students) in my bespoke garden studio. Be inspired by my relaxing, working studio with views of the garden and lots of my own work and samples for inspiration and reference. Lots of easy parking directly in front of the house and plenty of tea, coffee and chocolate biscuits!
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​ For further details or any questions, please contact me using the online form, or phone 07884 078172.
Do you have a group of friends who would like to book a private workshop?
I offer a range of discounted textile workshops for small groups, which can booked at a mutually convenient time. Click here for more more details.
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Talks for Groups
I am very happy to give talks and lectures to local embroidery and textile groups. Topics include:
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Inspiration from nature: investigating and developing ideas for textile art
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Using sketchbooks for textile artists
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Understanding colour and how it works
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For further details or any questions, please contact me using the online form, or phone 07884 078172.
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