Workshops 2016...so far!

 Hard to believe it's been just over two years since the whole of HH HQ was moved over to the Dovecote at Alder Carr Farm! The building is the only one in the country being a repurposed windmill and it even has it's own wikipedia entry!

It was looking very blue around that time as a lot of the dyeing for Indigo was being done at the time and I still love the patterns on these fabrics, looking forward to the warmer weather so we can do some more! Look out for the dyeing workshops, I can also do private sessions if needed.

 Something I thought I would never get the hang of was spinning and although I'm not very good I am enjoying it and find it really is relaxing which I never really believed in the beginning - Jenny is teaching some fleece preparation and spinning in the summer when it will be a lot nicer to be handling wet fleece, places go quickly so if you are interested don't leave it till the last minute...

 We're coming up to the last weekend of sock knitting and with the heels behind us all we have to finish a pair of socks is to shape and graft the toes, there will be another course later in the year! In the meantime there is a day of knitting in the round techniques coming up, see list below!

 Sunny days on the farm make everyone smile and I'm taking advantage of any sunny spells to get the sty ready for our new pigs arriving tomorrow - three girls this time and they are stunners! Friendly and liking a scratch, it's always good to chat to a pig in the morning...

 The brilliant thing about running the shop and workshops is that I get to know people like Jenny and Jackie Daly, Jenny taught Jackie how to felt bowls and Jackie taught Jenny and I how to make jewellery like the pieces in the picture below!

 We are trying to collect together all our workshop examples in the gorgeous cabinet which now sits at the front of the shop, we're getting there slowly and it does make an eye-catching display!

 I did enjoy the short break over Christmas and New Year but it's also nice to have the bustle of workshops again. We've had a few brilliant ones already and this Friday is the first of the dressmaking ones for this year with the focus on zips we'll be making skirts. Next Friday is Scarlett Valentine's Silk Flowers workshop, using heated tools to shape the silk - love it!

 Whenever I get a chance I like a bit of knitting especially when it's as nice as this handspun - I'm making this for a dear friend who helped me move the shop around over the Christmas break. What was upstairs is now downstairs and what was downstairs is now upstairs and if there is one thing an ex-windmill has plenty of it's stairs!

 With a lot of compliments about the new layout it was definitely worth it and being downstairs to run workshops has been really nice although we do have screens for when we are making corsets!

Workshops 2016...so far!

March

Friday 4th - skirt making £50 including pattern but you do need to get fabric 

Saturday 5th - Socks £70

Friday 11th - Silk Flowers £40

Sunday 13th - Easter Needle Felting £40 FULL

Saturday 19th - Make a child's popover dress £50*

Sunday 20th - Stuffed Toys £40 3 spaces

April

Saturday 2nd - Scandi Handicrafts £40 3 spaces

Friday 8th and Friday 15th - Corset Making £75 3 spaces*

Sunday 10th - Broomstick Crochet £40 2 spaces

Saturday 16th - Saori Weaving £55 3 spaces*

Sunday 17th - Polymer Clay and Resin Jewellery £40 2 spaces

Saturday 23rd - Needle Felting a Bunny £40

Sunday 24th - Quilted Cool Bag £40 3 spaces

Saturday 30th - Tunisian Crochet £40 3 spaces

May

Sunday 8th - Print fabric and make a lampshade! £40

Saturday 14th - Wild Headpieces £40 3 spaces

Saturday 21st - Saori Weaving £55*

Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th - Indigo £40 per day or £70 for both, they will be different!

June

Saturday 4th - Natural Dyeing with plants and mordants £40 3 spaces

Sunday 19th - Fleece preparation, carding and spinning £40

Wednesday 22nd, Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th - A millinery masterclass! £150 includes all materials*

Saturday 25th - Polymer Clay and Resin Jewellery £40

Sunday 26th - Green Walnut Winemaking £40 2 spaces

July

Saturday 2nd - Free Motion Machine Embroidery £40
Saturday 2nd Learn to spin 10-1 £40 Social spinning 2-5 £10 but free if you're booked on the morning course! Drum Carders and advice available while you spin in company! *

Saturday 9th - Wet Felting Day £50*

Sunday 10th - Advanced knitting techniques, tips and tricks for neater knitting! £40

Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th - Raku Weekend £45 per session*

Saturday 16th - Polymer Clay and Resin Jewellery £40 2 spaces

Sunday 24th - Saori Weaving £55*
Sunday 31st - Crochet £40

August
Saturday 6th - Scandi Handicrafts with Scarlett Valentine £40

Sunday 14th - Saori Weaving £55*

Saturday 20th - Polymer Clay and Resin £40

Sunday 21st - Raspberry Winemaking £40

Sunday 28th - Natural Dyeing with Purple Reed Heads and mordants £40
October
Sunday 9th - Autumnal Needle Felting with Jenny Tidman £40
November
Sunday 13th - Soap making £40
Sunday 20th - Festive stitching, make a decorative garland! £40
Saturday 26th - Nuno Felted Angel with Jenny Tidman £40
Sunday 27th - Rag Wreath £40
December
Sunday 11th - Festive Needle Felting £40

Most of our workshops run 11-3 (except for those marked with a * which are slightly different) and we stop for lunch at 1 but only for a short while as we are also fuelled with cake, tea and coffee - our cakes can be wheat free, gluten free, vegan etc. just let us know when booking as it would be a shame for you to miss out!

A place can be reserved with a £20 deposit and can be booked via email or in person at the shop, it's always nice to see you!