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Workshops

We offer a wide range of workshops designed to enable you to develop your skills and go forward on your journey of discovery.

 

Workshops are run on a regular basis at the Malvern Hills Campus of Evesham and Malvern Hills College and the Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds. In addition we are able run workshops at any suitable venue from the extensive list.

 

Malvern Hills College

Saturday Workshops

A range of Saturday workshops runs throughout the year at the college. All those listed below have now been run but more will be added shortly. You can click on someimages for a report of the workshop.

 

Date

Title

Information

Sat 20th June 2009

10:00 - 16:00

 

Ref : MARN353

 

Cost : £38

Silken Strands

 

A day exploring the delights of making silk papers from silk fibres.

 

A variety of techniques will be introduced to make sumptuous surfaces with many uses.

Sat 13th June 2009

10:00 - 16:00

 

Ref : MARN329

 

Cost : £38

Jewels From Junk

Discover techniques to transform throwaway packaging materials into gems.


You will investigate ways of making them into backgrounds and incorporating them into textile structures.


Plastic bags, foam packaging,and Christmas decorations are examples of materials that can be developed into beautiful and unusual surfaces, or decorative elements to enhance textile work with minimal cost involved.


'Junk' materials for this workshop are included in the course fee.

Sat 16th May 2009

10:00 - 16:00

 

Ref : MARN315

 

Cost : £39

Feltmaking

Introduces students to wet feltmaking and the potentials for creating textural and decorative surfaces using attractive additives such as silk fibres.

 

At the end of the day students will have the skills to produce a small individually designed vessel or bag.

Sat 21st March 2009

 

 

Stitched Bowls

 

Create an amazing variety of functional and decorative bowls using a range of deceptively simple textile techniques.

Sat 14th March 2009

 

Shibori Workshop

Discover a range of techniques to fold, gather, tie, mask and dye fabrics creating wonderful visual texture and pattern.

 

 

Sat 7th March 2009

 

 

Eco-friendly Bags

Discover how to quilt and patch recycled bags and plastics to create beautiful eco-friendly bags.

Sat 28th February 2009

10.00am - 4.30pm

 

Cost : £32

Take a Square of Fabric ...

 

Take a Square of FAbric

This workshop will guide you through the techniques to manipulate, strengthen and transforn a square of fabric into a multitude of bag and box forms.

 

 

Sat 31st January 2009

10.00am - 4.30pm

 

Cost : Fully Booked

Making your own Journal

 

Make Your Own Journal

Learn a variety of techniques to make an individual journal including ways to distress the pages before attaching them to a decorated spine and cover.

Sat 8th November 2008

 

 

Release the Tension

 

Release teh Tension

A day exploring the effects of altering the tension on the sewing machine to create a multitude of differing surface textures. Discover ways of incorporating moss, feather and cable stitch into your creative embroidery.

Sat 11th October 2008

 

 

Design , Print, Embellish

Discover how to design and make your own stencils and print blocks for use in applying metallic fabric paints, bronzing powders and more onto cloth.

Sat 14th June 2008

 

 

Tempting Textile Techniques

Using a variety of fabrics and threads, create a small panel with layers of texture and sumptuous surfaces. Explore transparency, heat distressing, manipulation, embellishing and much more.

Sat 26th April 2008

 

 

Introduction to Free Machine Embroidery

 

Free Machine Embroidery

A day discovering the delights of using the sewing machine if free motion mode to create line, pattern and texture.

 

Summer School

Each August, Malvern Hills College runs its Summer School of art and craft related workshops. This a very popular event which quickly books up, largely by people who attended the previous year's event. Diana has her following and her workshops detailed below are sure to sell out so please book early to avoid disappointment. To book, please contact the college direct on 01684 565351 or through their website www.evesham.ac.uk.

 

The 2009 summer school runs from August 15th to August 22nd. I will be teaching two textile days and offering the new City and Guilds Level 1 Award in Creative Sketchbooks which will run over 5 days. More details and images will appear here soon.

Date

Title

Information

Saturday 15th August 2009

 

10:00 am to 4:30pm

 

Ref: MSUN320

£43

 

 

Fragile Flora

 

 

Discover the delights of designing with flowers and leaves.

 

You will use a variety of methods to explore transparent layers with paints and resists before interpreting these ideas into fabric. A combination of stitch and fabric distressing techniques will be incorporated to create your own bouquet of fragile flora.


Diana is an inspiring and enthusiastic tutor who enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge of contemporary textile techniques and skills. Her Summer School courses at the Malvern Hills Campus are well known for their friendly and informative atmosphere.

Sunday 16th August 2009


10am – 4.30pm


Ref: MSUN306


£42

 

Fun Design into Stitch

 

 

Originally from a science background, Diana sympathises with all those students who are scared of designing.

 

With this in mind, she has developed delightful exercises to give confidence and enable students to produce beautiful pieces of work. Using some fun and simple techniques, paper shapes and a few pen lines, students will be able to create fascinating designs of everyday scenes. These will be extended into fabric and stitch, which could be used to make cards or pictures.

Monday 17th August to Friday 21st August 2009


10am – 4.30pm each day


Ref: MSUN347


£90

City and Guilds

Creative Sketchbooks

 

5 day course

 

 

Discover the delights of interpreting a theme through a variety of design techniques that will culminate in a very personal sketchbook.

 

Using the elements of design, you will explore an idea, creating individual pages, using a range of papers, applying layers of colour and investigating shape and pattern. These pages will be stitched together to create a unique sketchbook. You will gain a City and Guilds Level 1 Award in five days, which will give ideal preparation for a number of college courses.


Diana is an inspiring and enthusiastic tutor who teaches a variety of the colleges City and Guilds Textile courses. She has a particular interest in sketchbook making, winning a Highly Commended Certificate from City and Guilds for her own work in this area.

 

The 2008 Summer School was well attended, including Val all the way from Australia and I have left the details below for interest.

 

Date

Title

Information

Sat 9th and Mon 11th August 2008

 

 

Di's Dyes

 

Di's Dyes

A two day workshop discovering the delights of adding colour and pattern to fabric, through a variety of methods.


This workshop runs on Saturday and Monday to allow time for the dyed fabrics to be rinsed and dried on Sunday and prepared for further colour applications.


Day 1 will explore dyeing techniques including tie-dye and space dyeing to colour the basic fabrics.


Day 2 will further embellish the fabric by using printing, stencilling, discharging and other fun techniques to add surface pattern.


Dyes and fabrics for dyeing will be provided and are included in the course fee.

 

Sun 10th August 2008

 

Transfer Tricks

 

Transfer Tricks

Transfer paints can produce surprisingly exciting backgrounds from which to further develop textile projects.


This workshop looks at the multitude of ways of colouring, painting and printing the transfer papers; and explores the vast range of methods available to then apply the colour to fabrics.


Transfer paints and fabrics will be provided and are included in the course fee.

Wed 13th to Fri 15th August 2008


From Paper Design to Stitch

 

Raised Stitch Christmas Tree

This three day workshop will guide you through the design, sampling, making and completion stages of creating a small textile embroidered panel.


Starting with a landscape photograph of your own choice, you will explore a variety of design methods and will be able to assess their potential for further development.


Ideas for both realistic and abstract interpretation will be given.


You will then experiment with a range of stitch and collage techniques to help you choose the most appropriate materials and techniques to be used to complete a small panel.


Both hand and machine embroidery can be used in the sampling and final pieces.


Some experience of machine embroidery is preferable.


Course fee includes materials.

Sat 16th August 2008

 

Jewels from Junk

 

Jewels From Junk

Discover techniques to transform throwaway packaging materials into gems.


You will investigate ways of making them into backgrounds and incorporating them into textile structures.


Plastic bags, foam packaging,and Christmas decorations are examples of materials that can be developed into beautiful and unusual surfaces, or decorative elements to enhance textile work with minimal cost involved.


'Junk' materials for this workshop are included in the course fee.


Other materials will be available for purchase on the day.

 

 

Farncombe Estate

 

Friday to Sunday, 9th to 11th October 2009

 

The Textured Surface - Creative Hand Stitching

 

You are guided through a variety of techniques to discover a multitude of sumptous textured surfaces that can be created using simple hand stitching. You will be introduced to a variety of stitches and see how to change the working and spacing elements of those stitches to create an endless range of effects. A range of threads will be introduced to compliment the stitching. Having discovered the potential of the stitch. you will have the opportunity to design and create a textured surface panel.

 

Threads will be provided.

 

Cost : Non-residential £163, residential from £225

 

 

To book, contact Farncombe Estate on 01386 854100 or visit their website www.farncombeestate.co.uk

 

Other Workshops

This is a list of workshops that we have heldin the past. These and any of the current workshops can easily be repeated, all that is needed is a minimum number of students and a suitable venue. If you would like Diana Sanderson to visit your club, school or other organisation please get in touch via our Contact Page.

 

Workshop Information

Designed to Dissolve

 

Designed to Dissolve

Lacy effects can be achieved with the use of soluble fabrics and papers. This workshop will look into the variety of soluble fabrics available and where they can be used as well as the way that machine stitching can create a range of interesting textures that have a multitude of uses.

 

Creative Sketchbooks for Textile Artists

A day exploring ways of mounting samples of textile work into sketchbooks in a variety of ways. Both surface and window mounting will be investigated as well as innovative methods of attaching textile pieces to the paper page. Techniques to integrate the sample within the page so that the sample and design become one will be covered as well.

 

A Stitch with No Boundaries – Chain Stitch

 

A Stitch with No BOundaries - Chain STitch

A day exploring a hand stitch technique. A stitch family such as chain stitch will be investigated. It is amazing how a simple starting point can produce a huge variety of effects by experimenting with elements such as colour, texture, scale and layering. Having discovered the potential of stitches, you will find ways of incorporating them into a variety of work situations.

A Holey Affair

This workshop exploits the effects of heat on a variety of fabrics such as polyester sheers and Kunin felt. A combination of fabric, stitch and heat will create holey effects to reveal hidden gems beneath the surface.

 

Sumptuous Surfaces

Ever bought the packet of Tyvek and/or Fabritex and not sure what to do with them? This workshop will demonstrate a variety ways of using these materials from colouring to distressing and applying them to a stitched piece of work. Other ways of creating a sumptuous surface will be explore using a glue gun, plastic bags and ... Your imagination is the limit to what can be used.

Creative Canvas

Using a few simple canvas work stitches, a square design will be developed during the day incorporating a variety of unusual threads, sheer fabrics and metal threads. The panel created can be used for card making, cushion panel, hanging and much much more.

Over the Edge

 

A day exploring ways of edging fabric in a creative way. This is particularly useful for students who wish to explore ways of finishing a textile hanging as the edge is as important as the design within. Neat and distressed edges will be investigated as well as ways of incorporating an edge as the hanging element so it becomes integral with the design.

 

A Stitch with No Boundaries - Buttonhole

 

A day exploring a hand stitch technique. A stitch family such as buttonhole stitch will be investigated. It is amazing how a simple starting point can produce a huge variety of effects by experimenting with elements such as colour, texture, scale and layering. Having discovered the potential of stitches, you will find ways of incorporating them into a variety of work situations.