Knitting and crochet workshop in France - full day workshop

a rainy day in the studio

Thursday morning it was pouring with rain, luckily we had already decided to spend the whole day working on our projects. Sue and I went for a very short and wet walk with BeBop, listening to the rumble of thunder in the distance. After breakfast we all settled in the studio. Jane showed us how to make Dorset buttons and a variety of crochet flowers to use as embellishment.

Christine's dorset buttons

Christine's cushion

Hannah's crochet holder

Sue's dorset button

Hannah's flower embellishments

my birds of life cushion

My flower embellishment to go on a fabric cushion

Sue's cushion cover

Jane's new project

Christine and Sue are making cushions, inspired by Jane and Debbie's book Kaleidoscope, I am making the 'Birds of Life' cushion from Jane's book Homespun Vintage and Hannah is making a roll to store her crochet hooks using some of the techniques from Kaleidoscope and has also started on a pillow cover based on Gabrielle in Homespun Vintage that she is going to embellish with multi-coloured flowers.

Cognac tasting at Egreteau

The rain stopped in the evening so we went on an outing to Egreteau, our local Cognac producer for a tour of the distillery and a little tasting session of Cognac and Pineau, everyone bought some Pineau and Jane and Hannah bought some Cognac for Father's day pressies.

Knitting holiday in France with Rowan tutors Carol Meldrum and Nicole Wilson

Spaces still available for the Knitting workshop in France (12th-18th June). I have just two spaces left in single rooms and one space in a shared room, for more details email sue@kangaroo.uk.com or visit Workshops at Kangaroo.

The knitting week at Chateau St Julien l'Ars is approaching fast. Tutors Carol Meldrum and Nicole Wilson are working on the programme (see here). It is going to be design based with lots of useful hints and tips to include embellishments, beading, fairisle, intarsia and a bit of crochet. 

We are so lucky to have the run of this beautiful Chateau, it is the most gorgeous place for a knitting holiday. The first floor sitting room is perfect for working in, with natural light from the huge windows. Guests can retreat to their comfortable bedrooms for a bit of peace and quiet, relax on the sunny terraces or explore the acres of parkland attached to the Chateau. I am looking forward to starting to plan the menus, having got back into cake baking for our weekly dog walk here, feeling thin at the end of the week will definitely not be an option!

Thursday at the Chateau

Sadly Caroline has to leave early to go back to work today, so we have the group photo then all wave her off as Culli drives her to the airport. Just a morning workshop today with a free afternoon. Everyone is engrossed in their projects, a few cushion covers and lots of knitted bags. Supper is meant to be early to allow time for an evening workshop, but in a mad moment I had decided to do roast pork with dauphinois potatoes, normally not a problem but forgot about the temperamental cooker! Finally served up the roast and pasta with roasted veg about half an hour late. The thunderstorm is brewing, the evening workshop on embellishments is going well, Sarah has given me a lovely corsage made with Kidsilk Haze and fabric. The first few crashes of thunder echo around the chateau, Yolie has a ringside view in the library sitting in a comfy chair with her feet on the windowsill watching the lightning, the rain is short and sharp and clears the air, leaving a gorgeous fresh smell of wet grass and bruised roses.