Embroidery is Easy
Dates : n/a
Location: Elphin near Ullapool
Course Places : n/a
Price : n/a
Embroidery is undergoing a renaissance, thanks to the current popular interest in all things crafted by hand. And, at long last, in the art world, textile artists are starting to be considered as worthy as those working in other mediums, such as paint and sculpture. Embroidery can be a highly-expressive medium which, once you leave behind the strictures of traditional stitch-making, is positively full of techniques for exploring a wide range of subject matter. But, you ask, where do I start?
These two days of stitching are for those who are complete beginners in embroidery, especially those still haunted by an early encounter with an overly-strict sewing teacher who, without meaning to, managed to sap all the joy out of the art and the act of sewing! The emphasis is on fun and exploring both hand and machine embroidery. Along the way, you will play with colour combinations, as you make a set of four unique little sampler panels suitable for being framed and displayed when you get home.
This is also a chance to get to know your sewing machine a bit better, learning to see it as a tool for creativity rather than just a machine for taking up curtains. If you don’t have a sewing machine and have always steered clear of them, then this is your chance to try one of mine and to lose the fear!
All in all, this is a weekend that will remind you how the simple act of making a stitch is beautiful, absorbing and satisfying, and it will send you on your way into the world of textile art with confidence in your own abilities.
The price of the course includes all materials, refreshments and a cooked vegetarian lunch. It is a good idea to bring your own sewing machine but if, for any reason, you cannot do that, you can borrow one of mine.
Maps & directions to Jan's Studio : Open Studio Page
Please click on an image to see the full picture.
Jan's studio is in Elphin, overlooking the magnificent mountains of Suilven, Canisp, Cul Mor and Cul Beag. This remote location means that accommodation is a little more difficult to find, but the experience of visiting this area makes the search well worthwhile. Many course participants opt to stay in Ullapool, which is 20 minutes drive away. It is a most picturesque fishing village, with a good range of accommodation to suit all budgets. There are many restaurants and takeaways and shops, as well as some evening entertainment, should you have any energy left at the end of that day's workshop. And students often group together and car share for their daily trip up the road, past Stac Pollaidh, to the studio. Please look at the Accommodation links page to find out more.
To read about an innovative community partnership approach to preserving and improving this landscape for the benefit of all, have a look at Coigach and Assynt Living Landscapes. To find out about the fascinating geology of this area go to North West Highland Geopark.
