Your tutors and hosts
Sarah Hazell and Lindsay Roberts
Sarah Hazell and Lindsay Roberts
Sarah I have a passion for handmade textiles that until recently has focused on knitting and crochet design. I have led workshops in the UK, France, Italy and India. During the 1970s I made lots of patchwork and loved the idea of being able to preserve my favourite pieces of fabric. As we become more concerned with sustainability, I find myself wanting to preserve precious materials all over again. I love the way that simple stitches can bring about new purpose as well as creating a sense of well being. |
Lindsay I started out as a handloom weaver, then learned to spin and got hooked on mixing colours and textures in my own yarns. I used them in my weaving and knitting and stitched with them too. Now I’m known as The Border Tart, dyer of indigo yarns, fibres and threads. The need to stitch has never waned, though, and I like nothing better than stitching into time-worn fabrics, creating new patterns on old, and sharing the making processes with others through workshops. |
The accommodation
- A stone built farm house with generously proportioned rooms throughout.
- On the ground level there is a welcoming sitting room (with an open fire if we choose), and a bay window looking out across the fields.
- Across the hallway there is a light and airy dining room which we use as a communal workroom so we can all sit together during workshops.
- The kitchen boasts a proper big, wooden table, ideal for shared meals (and no doubt the odd quiet cuppa).
- There are five spacious bedrooms on the first floor, individually designed and furnished with antiques (as well as towels and bathrobes).
- There are four twin rooms and two doubles (or singles), allowing you the opportunity to share with a friend or opt for single occupancy.
- There are no en-suite bathrooms, but there are four smart bathrooms ensuring that sharing is reduced to a minimum.
- Wi-fi is available throughout the house, though it is slow.
Contemporary Boro style stitching and patching
Following on from the success of our previous Boro retreat last year we decided to offer it again , but with a modern twist.
Like so many textile traditions, boro was born out of the necessity to repair worn out clothes and bedding. It is also imbued with the sense of ‘mottainai’ – the Japanese version of ‘make do and mend’. Women would make their repairs using patches of fabric and sashiko stitches for reinforcement. After the Second World War boro textiles were regarded as an unpleasant reminder of difficult economic times. In the 21st century they are revered and respected not only for the tremendous skills that they embody but also as a visual metaphor for the need to repurpose and recycle.
Life today is very different to that of the Japanese agricultural worker in the 1800s, but the need to preserve and recycle has never been more relevant. So this time we thought we would focus on using modern, often hand printed fabrics from textile artists like Colette Moscrop, Karen Lewis and Jenni Douglas. During the workshop sessions you will be able to work on a project that involves piecing and stitching fabric patches together.
Traditional boro tends to be dominated by shades of blue because historically cloth was dyed with indigo. We will be offering different colour options as part of the contemporary feel to this workshop. One thing that stitchers noticed on the last workshop was the impact that different threads had on their projects. You will be encouraged to experiment with different types of thread and may be surprised how they soften and pull a palette together.
The Japanese art of Kintsugi (‘connecting with gold’) dates back to the 15th century practice of repairing broken pottery with golden lacquer. Rather than reject or throw an item away, it was considered that the act of repairing added greater value and beauty. We hope you find a sense of value and beauty in stitching your patches together.
Following on from the success of our previous Boro retreat last year we decided to offer it again , but with a modern twist.
Like so many textile traditions, boro was born out of the necessity to repair worn out clothes and bedding. It is also imbued with the sense of ‘mottainai’ – the Japanese version of ‘make do and mend’. Women would make their repairs using patches of fabric and sashiko stitches for reinforcement. After the Second World War boro textiles were regarded as an unpleasant reminder of difficult economic times. In the 21st century they are revered and respected not only for the tremendous skills that they embody but also as a visual metaphor for the need to repurpose and recycle.
Life today is very different to that of the Japanese agricultural worker in the 1800s, but the need to preserve and recycle has never been more relevant. So this time we thought we would focus on using modern, often hand printed fabrics from textile artists like Colette Moscrop, Karen Lewis and Jenni Douglas. During the workshop sessions you will be able to work on a project that involves piecing and stitching fabric patches together.
Traditional boro tends to be dominated by shades of blue because historically cloth was dyed with indigo. We will be offering different colour options as part of the contemporary feel to this workshop. One thing that stitchers noticed on the last workshop was the impact that different threads had on their projects. You will be encouraged to experiment with different types of thread and may be surprised how they soften and pull a palette together.
The Japanese art of Kintsugi (‘connecting with gold’) dates back to the 15th century practice of repairing broken pottery with golden lacquer. Rather than reject or throw an item away, it was considered that the act of repairing added greater value and beauty. We hope you find a sense of value and beauty in stitching your patches together.
The nourishment
From dinner on Monday evening to Thursday’s breakfast, be assured of ample good fresh food that you can enjoy without concern (we’ll seek your dietary requirements and preferences well in advance). Breakfasts will be on a ‘help yourself’ basis, lunches simple but substantial, and dinners can take as long as you like. And there will be hot drinks with home baking at frequent intervals, of course.
From dinner on Monday evening to Thursday’s breakfast, be assured of ample good fresh food that you can enjoy without concern (we’ll seek your dietary requirements and preferences well in advance). Breakfasts will be on a ‘help yourself’ basis, lunches simple but substantial, and dinners can take as long as you like. And there will be hot drinks with home baking at frequent intervals, of course.
The cost
Three nights’ accommodation, including all catering, plus workshop and associated materials -
Three nights’ accommodation, including all catering, plus workshop and associated materials -
- In a single occupancy room - £480 two rooms available
- In a twin room - £380 four rooms available
Terms and Conditions
By booking a place on the retreat, you accept the following conditions;
We appreciate that you may need to cancel due to some unforeseen event. After the balance is paid we can only refund that sum if we successfully offer the place to another participant. The deposit will not be refunded.
If you have booked for two people to share a room and one of you cannot attend, then we will treat this as a single booking (no shared room discount).
By booking a place on the retreat, you accept the following conditions;
- You agree to pay a non-refundable deposit of £100.
- You agree to pay the balance by the date requested.
We appreciate that you may need to cancel due to some unforeseen event. After the balance is paid we can only refund that sum if we successfully offer the place to another participant. The deposit will not be refunded.
If you have booked for two people to share a room and one of you cannot attend, then we will treat this as a single booking (no shared room discount).
- We (Sarah Hazell, Lindsay Roberts) cannot be held liable for situations beyond our control including (but not limited to) acts of war, acts of God, threats or acts of terrorism, civil unrest or unforeseen personal circumstances.
- We cannot offer refunds for illness, flight delays or any other circumstances. Please consider travel insurance!
- If we need to cancel the retreat, we will refund the money you have paid so far. In such circumstances we cannot be held responsible for costs you may have incurred such as flights or train tickets. Again, think about travel insurance.
- The retreat includes all meals and refreshments throughout each day. It does not include alcohol. All bed linen, towels and bathrobes are provided.
- The retreat includes all materials associated with the workshop. Extra materials will be available for purchase.
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