Hot Textile workshops

We have revised the programme for the two textile workshops in the autumn, these are now open to all skill levels and promise to be really exciting courses.



26th September - 1st October 2012HOT TEXTILES - CREATIVE BONDAWEB (suitable for all skill levels)
AT LA VERDERIE
WITH TUTOR KIM THITTICHAI

The cost of the holiday is £425 per head based on two sharing a twin room or £495 per head for a single room this includes full board and wine with evening meals, all workshops, materials, outings to local towns and transfers from local airports or train stations. 

For further details or to make a booking email sueculligan@gmail.com 

Spend time learning new skills or improving your techniques in textile art in the quiet and relaxed atmosphere of La Verderie. With an intimate group of just 4/5 students this is a great chance of one-to-one tuition and learning new techniques for working in textiles. Learn how to use Bondaweb creatively in a relaxed and comfortable environment. This workshop is designed to cater for all skill levels, novices will be taught all the basic bonding processes including how to paint and foil this wonderful product. We will go on to discover how to build up layers of hand stitch and embellishment and learn about decorating wood, paper and card and about just how versatile Bondaweb is. Participants with more experience will be encouraged to experiment with new techniques and learn how to source inspiration from local surroundings. For further details and a full programme email sueculligan@gmail.com Please note a deposit of £75 is payable at the time of booking and is non-refundable unless we can resell the space. Balance payable by 26th August 2012. (4 spaces available)

DRAFT PROGRAMME 

	morning	afternoon	evening
Wednesday 26th		transfers to La Verderie from your chosen airport or station	Social evening meet your fellow guests and tutor and introduction the course.
Thursday 27th	Painting and preparing products and demonstration.	Local outing tbc	Relaxed evening
Friday 28th	Morning Workshop	Afternoon Workshop	Sit and hand stitch if you wish or just relax.
Saturday 29th	Trip to local market a wonderful source of inspiration.	Afternoon Workshop	Sit and hand stitch if you wish or just relax.
Sunday 30th	Morning Workshop	Complete projects. Show and tell.	Final evening
Monday 1st	return transfers

This is a rough guide as to how the workshops will run and can be changed to suit individual needs. Depending on the experience of the students we may have time to achieve more. The whole point of this workshop is to really understand how to use Bondaweb creatively. With such a small group the tutor will be able to adapt quickly to students needs.

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3rd - 8th October 2012
HOT TEXTILES - LUSCIOUS LAYERS (suitable for all skill levels)

AT LA VERDERIE
TUTOR KIM THITTICHAI

The cost of the holiday is £425 per head based on two sharing a twin room or £495 per head for a single room. This includes full board and wine with evening meals, all workshops, materials, outings to local towns and transfers from local airports or train stations. 

For further details or to make a booking email sueculligan@gmail.com 

Spend time learning new skills or improving your techniques in textile art in the quiet and relaxed atmosphere of La Verderie. With an intimate group of just 4/5 students this is a great chance of one-to-one tuition and learning new techniques for working in textiles. Discover the delights of layering materials to create stunning textile art. This workshop is designed for all skill levels, beginners will be led through the basics and more experienced participants will be encouraged to experiment with new techniques and source their own inspiration. We will be painting, layering and stitching Tyvek, Vilene Spunbond and newspaper to create amazing textured surfaces with heat guns and soldering irons. Learn how to use heat guns safely and confidently. There will be plenty of time to create some beautiful and well considered samples to take home. Please note a deposit of £75 is payable at the time of booking and is non-refundable unless we can resell the space. Balance payable by 3rd September 2012. (3 spaces remaining)

DRAFT PROGRAMME

	morning	afternoon	evening
Wednesday 3rd		transfers to La Verderie from your chosen airport or station	Social evening meet your fellow guests and tutor and introduction the course.
Thursday 4th	Painting and preparing products and demonstration.	Local outing tbc	Relaxed evening
Friday 5th	Discover the benefits of layering products. Think about making book covers or vessels. Start to build up layers with newspaper, Vilene Spunbond, Tyvek and Bondaweb.	An afternoon to experiment with all the products and get to know them.	Sit and hand stitch if you wish or just relax.
Saturday 6th	Trip to local market a wonderful source of inspiration.	Students start to develop their own ideas and paint up more products for the final day.	Sit and hand stitch if you wish or just relax.
Sunday 7th	Work on layered surfaces and experiment with making 3d samples if you wish.	Stitch into samples or carry on with experiments. Final round up and show and tell.	Final evening
Monday 8th	return transfers

This is a rough guide to how the workshops will run and can be changed to suit individual needs. Depending on the experience of the students we may have time to achieve more. The whole point of this workshop is to really understand how to use layers in your work creatively. With such a small group the tutor will be able to adapt quickly to students needs.

More frosty images

Another frosty walk this morning. Having just watched a preview of the David Hockney exhibition I am feeling inspired to pick up my pastels again. I am planning another Open House at La Verderie over Easter, hopefully in the barn if we have it cleared by then........!

Be Bop at full pelt

Winter is here at last

We have had the first real frosts of the winter the last few nights, with some great results for images. I want to make a series of cushion covers using textures from the surrounding countryside. I should be working on the book, but there always seems to be something better to do!

Crochet Design workshop with tutor Jane Crowfoot May 2012

We have a new crochet workshop in May 2012

Crochet Design with tutor Jane Crowfoot

Sturday 5th - Saturday 12th May 2012

La Verderie, Brizambourg, France

Following the success of the October workshop Jane (see more of her wonderful work here) is coming back to La Verderie in May to tutor another glorious week of crochet. We already have one booking so there are just 3/4 spaces available in either one single and one twin room or two twin rooms.
The workshop will cover all aspects of crochet and caters for different skill levels, the small group ensures that each guest receives dedicated tuition.
For further details visit www.knittingholidaysinfrance.com or email sueculligan@gmail.com

The Christmas holidays are over

Time to get back to work, detox and diet!
We have had two weeks of vegging out in front of the new telly (Christmas gift from Amy and James) and dog walking our enthusiastic four-legged guests Ollie, Jack and Joe along with our two. Five dogs around the house has been a bit mad and very messy but they have all had a great time.

Culli with Bix and BeBop, visitors Jack, Joe and Ollie and neighbours Pickles and Bartie

Neighbours Gill and Merv go back to the UK today until Easter so La Verderie will return to peace and quiet.
I have a new book project with a deadline of early March, so two months of frantic knitting coming up.

The new gates and sign at La Verderie

There is masses of maintenance to do on the house before the Spring, we have just finished building the new gates and put up the new Chambres d'hotes sign, now I need to re-decorate the hall and a couple of bedrooms before the knitting design workshop in March and the garden still needs some serious pruning and pollarding.....................

Knitting, crochet and textile holidays in France

Happy New Year!
Back to blogging at last with a revised list of dates for workshops and retreats in 2012

For full details visit www.knittingholidaysinfrance.com

If you live in France and would like to attend on a daily basis without the full board please contact sueculligan@gmail.com for prices.

The venue

Courtyard at La Verderie

La Verderie is the home of knitting designer Sue Culligan and is situated in South West France, close to the towns of Cognac and Saintes. Sue runs regular residential workshops for 4/5 guests and knitting retreats for up to 5/6 guests in the comfortable old farmhouse in the heart of rural France. The workshops are led by expert tutors and cater for all skill levels, with small groups allowing for one to one tuition. For a more relaxing holiday the knitting retreats are designed for single travellers or small groups where like-minded people can enjoy each others company and swop knitting tips and patterns. There is no scheduled tuition on the retreats, but Sue is on hand to offer help and advice with any knitting problems. The full board at La Verderie includes delicious meals cooked with local produce and plenty of wine. Outings to colourful markets, elegant chateaux and French yarn shops are included in the holiday.

We are happy to accommodate two or more guests for a Knitting Retreat on alternative dates to the ones suggested below. Please email sueculligan@gmail.com with suggested dates.

2012 workshops and retreats

22^nd-28^th March - Knitting Design Workshop at La Verderie with tutor Debbie Abrahams

£425 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement) (FULLY BOOKED)

11^th-16^th April – Knitting Basics Workshop at La Verderie with tutor Sue Culligan

£295 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(5 spaces available)

25^th – 30^th April – Knitting Retreat at La Verderie

£225 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(3 spaces available)

NEW CROCHET WORKSHOP WITH TUTOR JANE CROWFOOT

Colourwork Crochet

5^th – 12^th May - Crochet Design workshop at La Verderie with tutor Jane Crowfoot

£425 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(4 spaces available)

24^th – 29^th June – Knitting Retreat at La Verderie

£225 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(FULLY BOOKED)

16^th – 22^nd September – Knitting and Crochet design workshop with tutors Jane Crowfoot and Debbie Abrahams at Chateau St Julien l’Ars, Poitiers, France

£725 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£100 single room supplement)

(FULLY BOOKED)

TEXTILE WORKSHOP - BONDAWEB FOR BEGINNERS WITH TUTOR KIM THITTICHAI

Bondaweb for Beginners

26^th September – 1^st October – Hot Textiles workshop – Bondaweb for beginners with tutor Kim Thittichai at La Verderie

£425 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(4 spaces available)

TEXTILE WORKSHOP LUSCIOUS LAYERS WITH TUTOR KIM THITTICHAI

Luscious Layers

3^rd – 8^th October – Hot Textiles workshop – Luscious Layers with tutor Kim Thittichai at La Verderie

£425 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(3 spaces available)

Visit Kim's blog to see more of her amazing work

21^st-26^th October – Knitting Retreat at La Verderie

£225 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(5 spaces available)

The cost of the holidays includes full board with wine, workshops (if applicable), selected materials for the workshops, 10% discount on any purchases made from KnitKits during the holiday, visits to local towns and transfers from *local airports or stations.

*La Verderie – La Rochelle airport or Angouleme station (return transfers from Bordeaux or Poitiers can be arranged for a supplement of £15)

*Chateau St Julien – Poitiers airport or station (return transfers from La Rochelle or Bordeaux can be arranged for a supplement of £20)

NOT INCLUDED: your travel to France, refreshments on outings and entrance fees to museums, exhibitions etc.

Local market stalls

Sample programme for knitting retreat at La Verderie

Day of arrival	Arrive at Angouleme/La Rochelle/Bordeaux/Poitiers Transfer to La Verderie, meet your fellow guests over aperitif’s followed by dinner.
Day 1	A relaxing day at la Verderie with your knitting. Explore the local lanes by foot or bicycle, browse through the library of knitting books and be wined and dined in style.
Day 2	Optional visit to the massive street market at Rouillac (27th of every month). This bustling market is held once a month and takes over the whole town. The stalls include everything ranging from live animals, regional food and drink, clothing, haberdashery, buttons, yarn, homewares, plants and flowers.
Day 3	Relaxing morning with your knitting. Afternoon visit to the Alpaca farm near Ruffec. Meet the gentle herd of Alpaca’s and purchase the luxurious soft yarn, gorgeous woven shawls, duvets and pillows.
Day 4	Optional visit to Chateau Roche Courbon. This beautiful Chateau is known locally as the sleeping beauty’s castle. The ornate interior has painted beams and furniture dating back to the 17th century. The formal French gardens pre-date those at Versailles and feature terraces, geometrical flower gardens and lawns, fountains and a small lake. Return to La Verderie for a late and leisurely Sunday lunch and more knitting.
Day of Departure	Return transfers to your chosen airport or railway station.