Join textile artist Lora Avedian in South West France for a week of playful experimentation with textiles and hand embroidery, learning how to draw with stitch.
About this course:
On this exploratory Maker’s Retreat you will begin by creating experimental hand embroidery samples with the aim of developing nature-inspired hand embroidery techniques to make a textile artwork or embellish a pre-made item of our own (such as a cushion cover or clothing).
To start the week there will be simple drawing exercises and Lora will guide you in how to best translate your drawings into stitch. Looking at a variety of classic hand embroidery and embellishment techniques, you will learn how to play with scale and materials to create different qualities of line, 3D relief and texture. You will learn how to combine this with three dimensional fabric flowers using Lora’s fabric pleater. This will be an intensive and experimental week where you can learn Lora’s trade tips and tricks to create an original and dynamic mixed-media textile design of your own.
This will be an opportunity for anyone who wants to push their hand embroidery skills in different directions, and explore what can be done with this very traditional craft. It will be a playful week where you can develop ideas, go away with samples to reference for future projects and a finished piece of work.
This week is suitable for all skill levels and designed to be flexible to enable participants to go in the direction they please with what they have learnt. Note that this is a hand embroidery workshop, there will not be any machine embroidery taught.
Botanical Hand Embroidery Workshop – Programme Outline
Saturday
4.00 – Check-in time from 4pm onwards. Guests arrive, settle in and explore Clos Mirabel
6.30 – Welcome drinks and dinner
Sunday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 An introduction to the course by the tutor and talk about Lora’s practice.
Look at samples, talk about techniques, materials and inspirational textiles/history. Start with introduction to hand embroidery techniques and creating a sampler with many different techniques including couching, appliqué, french knots, and variations on chain stitch.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Continuing with sampling different materials, working in the studio with individual tuition throughout the day.
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Monday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Working with different types of materials to play with scale, we will look at different fabric manipulation techniques, to make more three-dimensional flowers, including traditional ribbon work techniques as well as pleated flowers.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Afternoon – continuing on with sampling and experimenting with techniques learnt in the morning.
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Tuesday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Developing our own compositions – thinking about form, shape and scale. Drawing from the garden using single line drawings, mark making, and collage.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Developing our drawings into to-scale templates and transferring onto our materials.
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Wednesday – day off (Lunch is not provided)
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
Free time to explore Pau or beyond. The Clos Mirabel Team will be on hand to provide suggestions and organise transfers
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Thursday
10.00 – 1.00 Starting to create our larger scale ‘final’ pieces, using the techniques that have been learnt, with individual tuition throughout.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Continuing on with our work with individual tuition and guidance
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Friday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Continuing on with our work with individual tuition and guidance
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Finishing up our work and a ‘show and tell’ to talk through what we have each created
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Saturday – Buffet Breakfast and departure (Check-out 11am)
The Art Studio, offers a spacious open plan layout of 75 m2. It is available at all times during your stay. Click here for more information.
Non-participating guests: we are more than happy to welcome non-workshop guests, accompanying partners, family or friends. There are plenty of activities to experience around Clos Mirabel, that will make your holiday unforgettable Click here for more information.
