Creative Experiences

23/06/2026

We’re so excited to be heading back to Paris in April 2027 with Rebecca Devaney Rebecca Devaney 🇫🇷✨
If you’ve ever wanted to explore Paris through the eyes of a textile lover and expert, this is the tour for you. Rebecca will be leading us through some of her favourite textile spots, inspiring flea market finds, and the rich fashion history that makes Paris such a special city for makers and creatives.

Expect beautiful fabrics, plenty of inspiration, good food, and great company along the way.

📅 7th to 11th of April 2027
👥 Limited to just 12 guests
We can’t wait to share this experience with you!

22/06/2026

Congratulations Taetia for having your delightful designs in the Inspiration Magazine.. get a copy girls!

22/06/2026

Congratulations 🥳 to Alison and Steve for the wedding anniversary.. 35 years, is fantastic.

Happy 35th wedding anniversary to my wonderful hubby! Thank you for putting up with all my shenanigans! (And joining me in them!)❤️ 💙❤️💙❤️

20/06/2026

We have 10 more retreats to add to our 2027 calendar.
We are starting the year with an embroidery class inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, followed by Japanese embroidery and a very special textile tour of Paris in spring 2027.
We will return to stunning Tuscany for Rosaline Perlé lacemaking in June, and we are delighted to be heading back to Hurds Hill in the Somerset countryside after such a wonderful experience at our new venue this year.

In Somerset, we will host two embroidery classes: one with Taetia McEwen from Australia, where we will stitch little dragons and gardens, and another with Hanny Newton from Wales, who will teach goldwork and metal thread techniques.

Our new destination for next year is the medieval city of York. We will be welcoming Nicola Jarvis and her dog, Quince, to teach her stunning embroidery designs, while our new beading designer, Kinga Bledsoe from the USA, will share her beautiful necklace-making techniques.

As many of you know, we love Christmas stitching! We also listened to your requests for another “Bring Your Own Project” retreat in November 2027, giving you the perfect opportunity to finish all your festive stitching. We are thrilled to welcome Deborah Wilding back in 2027 to teach more of her beautiful Christmas-inspired embroidery designs, which we absolutely adore.
You will find our new retreats listed below, and bookings will open on 27 June at 2:00 pm (UK time).

19/06/2026

This week is all about taking time for yourself and focusing on your creative projects.

From finishing embroidery pieces to delicate lacemaking and mindful needlework, every stitch is a reminder to slow down, create, and enjoy the process.

18/06/2026

We were talking together about our projects recently and realised something: we often share the finished pieces, the successes, the beautiful outcomes… but rarely the mistakes, the setbacks, or the moments of panic that happen along the way.

Yet failure is such an important part of the creative process.

Here are a few recent moments from our team:

• Morane was just about to finish a lace piece when she pulled a little too hard on a thread and it broke right next to the existing lace. Panic? Absolutely. Thankfully, with the help and expertise of Carole Smith, the piece was saved.

• Jenn experimented with a new textile art technique combining layering and embroidery, only to realise that the fabric’s colour and texture didn’t align with her original creative vision. Back to the drawing board.

• Nadine, early in her embroidery journey, mounted silk fabric onto embroidery hoops without using bias tape. Only after completing the embroidery did she discover that the wood had stained the silk.

These moments can be frustrating, discouraging, and sometimes heartbreaking. But they are also where we learn, adapt, problem-solve, and grow.

10/06/2026

Bring Your Own retreat in Worcester is back for 2027.

It’s taking a time to focus on your creativity. Finish a project, start a new one, or simply get crafty alongside like-minded people in a relaxed and inspiring space.
Lace making, cross stitch, embroidery or even knitting.

A little “you” time and we take care of the rest.

02/06/2026

When we think about Lorna Bateman, we think about English country gardens, silk ribbon and creative embroidery. We are celebrating 10 years with Lorna this year. We remember when we ask her to come and teach for us in the French Alps in 2016. Her calm and caring teaching style made us feel warm and safe. Over the years, we have had many glasses of wine together, ate plenty of ice creams, had delicious dinners with our guests all over Europe and most importantly, we created beautiful embroidery projects together. We would like to say a big thank you. We are excited for working this year in Somerset and Berlin and next year, we will take Lorna to Canada in May.

26/05/2026

We are so happy to welcoming in Madeira from the 8th to the 15th of February 2027.

Claire has been designing and making lace for over 30 years, training with Pat Read MBE and later Jacquie Tinch. She teaches a wide range of lace techniques, specialising in Milanese lace, and is particularly known for her contemporary Milanese and Withof designs. A highly respected lacemaker, designer and teacher, Claire teaches across the UK and regularly tutors online for The Lace Museum in California’s Virtual Education Programme.
Students value Claire’s friendly, approachable manner and her ability to adapt her teaching to individual learning styles. Her classes are popular with both beginners and experienced lacemakers.
Claire has won both the Individual’s and Visitor’s Choice awards in the Lace Guild’s Contrasts exhibition, and previously received a Medal for Excellence for her Waterlily Mat in the Movement exhibition. She is also the author of Modern Milanese Lace: Techniques and Projects.

25/05/2026

We’re so excited to finally release our first 5 retreats for the 2027 calendar.
From lacemaking and medieval embroidery and goldwork, each retreat has been thoughtfully designed for creatives, makers, and craft lovers looking to learn, connect, and be inspired.
Join us in beautiful destinations including Worcester, Madeira and Marrakech , where we’ll combine expert-led workshops, cultural discovery, beautiful accommodations, local experiences, and unforgettable moments shared with like-minded people.
Each retreat has its own unique atmosphere and artistic focus, creating experiences that are as enriching as they are inspiring.
Bookings open on the 30th of May.