Workshops for Craft Festival 2024

At Craft Festival, we have a range of bookable and drop-in workshops for all ages. Our workshops are very popular and most sell out quickly. Click the workshop link and you can book direct. Please keep scrolling for our Mending Workshops provided by The Loom, The Stitch and the Wardrobe. All 2 hour workshops are £25 + Booking fee, which is payable at the time of booking. The workshop fee does not include entry into the show. To book a workshop you must be over 16 years of age. We have a range of free workshops for children and young people from ages 2-18 years in the Craft Lab.

To Book Your Workshops, hover and click over the workshops. You will be directed to our Ticketsource booking system. 

Friday June 7th 2024

BT1 Friday June 7th 11am-1pm Printmaking - Gelli Plate Printing  with Beth Munro. V1   

Learn basic Gelli Plate Printing techniques exploring pattern, textures, stencils and image transfer processes in a fun 2 hour workshop with Beth Munro from RAMP@Ocean Studios. No experience necessary but be prepared to get totally hooked!

BT2 Friday June 7th  11am-1pm Letter press printmaking - Make a poster - conservation of trees and the environment with Alan Qualtrough . V2      

Join letterpress artist Alan Qualtrough to devise your own two-colour A3 poster using beautiful vintage wood fonts. You will work as a small group to print the first colour from a pre-made linocut block, then work on your own to compose the words about how important trees are to the environment. You will take away at least one impressive poster.

BT3 Friday June 7th 11am-1pm Jewellery making - Textured silver pendant with Naomi Davies. V3 

Make a bespoke piece of jewellery to your own design. You will be cutting, forming, finishing and incorporating decorative texture to create an individual item of jewellery.

BT4 Friday June 7th 11am-1pm Carve your own cooking spoon with Alex Finberg. V4 

Award winning spoon carver Alex Finberg will take you step by step through learning basic wood spoon carving techniques to produce a wooden cooking spoon. This will be a fun and relaxing workshop where you will be carving a pre-made spoon blank into a finished cooking spoon. 

BT5 Friday June 7th 2pm-4pm Printmaking - Get Stamping Linocut  with Beth Munro. V1

Learn how to design, linocut and build a stamp to produce funky repeat printing patterns or fun images to use again and again. Beth Munro Printmaker from RAMP@OceanStudios will guide you through the process and teach you how to use linocut tools safely in this 2hr workshop.

BT6 Friday June  7th 2pm-4pm Letter press printmaking - Make a poster - marine life focus on sharks with Alan Qualtrough. V2

Join letterpress artist Alan Qualtrough to devise your own two-colour A3 poster using beautiful vintage wood fonts. You will work as a small group to print the first colour from a pre-made linocut block, then work on your own to compose the words about how we need to protect sharks in our seas and oceans. You will take away at least one impressive poster.

BT7 Friday June 7th 2pm-4pm Jewellery making - Silver ring with Naomi Davies. V3

Using traditional jewellery making techniques including cutting, forming, soldering and finishing you will make your own personalised silver ring.

BT8 Friday June 7th 2pm-4pm Suminagashi ink marbling and stitched book with Rachel O'Connell. V4

Suminagashi ink marbling, is an ancient heritage craft from Japan, dating back as far as the 8th Century. During this workshop, you will make several organic patterns, using the movement of air and simple tools to create concentric circles and organic shapes in the ink on the surface of the water. We will then make a simple stitched notebook using the patterned paper, some
needle and thread

Saturday June 8th 2024

BT9 Saturday June 8th 11am-1pm Early English loop-manipulated braid making with Jacqui Carey . V1

Renowned braid maker and QEST (Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust) Scholar will teach you techniques that have been found in historical instruction manuals dating from the 15th and 17th centuries. You will have the opportunity to create several braids from materials such as chunky wool to fine cotton and silk and make them into friendship bracelets or use them in your own projects.

BT10 Saturday June 8th 11am-1pm Bookbinding - Make a casement bound book with Brian Norman V2

Learn the core binding techniques including stitching and glueing with a choice of colours for the casement. A great introduction to bookbinding whilst making your own book to take away

BT11 Saturday June 8th 11am - 1pm Jewellery making - Stacking silver rings with Naomi Davies V3

Create a series of silver rings designed to be worn together using cutting, forming, soldering and finishing techniques.

BT12 Saturday June 8th 11am-1pm Papercraft - Papercutting birds from old maps with Sam Brown V4

Re-use old maps to make a beautiful decorative bird using papercutting techniques. Your bird will be mounted so that it can be wall hung enabling bird-shaped shadows to be cast.

BT13 Saturday June 8th 2pm-4pm Miniature beaded bunting with Jacqui Carey V1

An opportunity to create some miniature bunting in a myriad of different colours and patterns, using just a needle, thread and some small glass beads. Measuring less than 2cm in depth, the bunting makes an ideal addition to a celebration card, decoration for a work desk, or wear it as a necklace!

BT14 Saturday June 8th 2pm-4pm Printmaking - mixed media linocut  with Brian Norman V2

Try cutting and texture-making techniques experimenting to create a printed image that includes additional elements.

BT15 Saturday June 8th 2pm-4pm  Jewellery making - Silver bangle with Naomi Davies V3

Form silver into the shape you choose to make a bangle which you can personalise with decorative texture to make a unique item of jewellery

BT16 Saturday June 8th 2pm-4pm Felt making - Needle felted picture with Sam Brown V4

Referring to an image or using your imagination you will learn needle felting techniques. You will be using the softest of Merino wool in a range of colours to create your picture.

Sunday June 9th 2024

BT17 Sunday June 9th Mosaic hedgehog with Kym Lee 11am-1pm  V1

Re-use a selection of broken china and other materials to create a decorative mosaic hedgehog. You will be supported through each stage of the mosaic process from choosing your mosaic pieces through to grouting.

BT18 Sunday June 9th 11am-1pm Papercrafts - Paper table lantern with Brian Norman V2

Using wet strength tissue and decorative paper make a table lantern with a choice of colours and natural materials. Battery operated tea light will be included.

BT19 Sunday June 9th 11am-1pm Make an envelope style leather pouch Rachel O'Connell  V3

Using sustainably sourced repurposed leather, we will make a minimal envelope pouch, with a wrist strap and fixed with a button. Large enough to carry a phone and sunglasses. You will cut your pattern pieces, sand and edge your leather and using simple tools, mark and punch holes, before riveting and adding the fixings. Optional is to personalise your pouch using initials stamped into the leather.

BT20 Sunday June 9th 11am-1pm Stone carving - Small free form soapstone sculpture with Maria Moorhouse  V4

Learn how to use tools and hand stone carving techniques and methods to create a decorative soapstone sculpture.

BT21 Sunday June 9th 2pm-4pm Mosaic Hare with Kym Lee V1

Re-use a selection of broken china and other materials to create a decorative mosaic hare. You will be supported through each stage of the mosaic process from choosing your mosaic pieces through to grouting.

BT22 Sunday June 9th 2pm-4pm Printmaking - Try Drypoint  with Brian Norman. V2

Learn the fundamentals of this intaglio printed technique to create your own unique prints.

BT23 Sunday June 9th 2pm-4pm Jewellery making - Silver ring with Naomi Davies. V3

Using traditional jewellery making techniques including cutting, forming, soldering and finishing you will make your own personalised silver ring.

BT24 Sunday June 9th 2pm-4pm  Stone carving - Maltese Limestone free form sculpture with Maria Moorhouse. V4

Learn how to use tools and hand stone carving techniques and methods to create a decorative limestone sculpture.

The Loom, The Stitch and the Wardrobe

Welcome to Loom Stitch and the Wardrobe led by a group of like-minded designers and makers on a mission to help you mend the textiles in your life.

All workshops are 2 hours long and £25, hosted on The Loom, The Stitch and The Wardrobe tent.

PLUS! FRIDAY-SUNDAY, throughout the Festival: MISSION TO MEND in the The Loom, The Stitch and The Wardrobe Tent. (Drop in, FREE OF CHARGE)

Bring your beloved clothes and textiles that need mending to the festival and we will help you repair them.

Apart from the workshops our group is on a mission to help you extend the life of your clothes and textile items.

We each have different complementary skills and approaches to repair, refashioning and upcycling.

Come and join us at any time during the festival and be part of our mission to mend as many textile items as possible in 3 days.

Please bring your own items to repair and/or come and watch us demonstrating a multitude of repair techniques.

Friday June 7^th

11-1pm

Nature Printing & Hammering on Fabric with Allison Sylvester BOOK NOW

Using Japanese Tataki Zome flower hammering and monoprinting to reinvent your textiles.

Learn how to utilise the Japanese Art of Tataki Zome using flowers and leaves, simple monoprinting and stitching to make beautiful patches and ‘disguises’ for your loved but damaged clothes.

This workshop is all about a creative, experimental approach to your textile problems so bring them along and have a play!

Very much suited to closely woven, natural light coloured fabrics such as linen, silk and cotton. Samples will also be available to practice with.

2pm-4pm

Darn it! With Molly Rooke of Darn Good studio BOOK HERE

Learn the traditional skill of woven darning, a great way to repair knitwear, denim and much more.

Has your favourite sock got a hole? Has your jumper been eaten by moths? Did you snag your cardigan on a door handle? Join Molly Rooke of Darn Good Studio to learn how to mend your clothes using the traditional art of darning. Particularly good for knitwear, cotton and denim, darning can help your clothes last longer and you can make darns joyful and fun too.

Saturday

11-1pm

Twisting Textiles - a zero waste workshop with Jessica Geach BOOK NOW

Twist and braid a new twine from scrap textiles. Learn to stitch a basket with this new twine on a sewing machine using zig zag stitch.

Join textile artist Jessica Geach to turn textile scraps into a basket. You will first learn how to turn the scraps into a single length of braid using a twisting and twining technique. Once you have a length of braid you will learn how to stitch this on a sewing machine using a zig zag stitch to create a 3D basket.

2pm-4pm

Improv Quilting with scraps with Allegra Galvin BOOK NOW

Join textile artist Allegra Galvin to hand quilt a classic quilt block from scraps.

Join quilter & textile artist Allegra Galvin to make an improvised quilt block using scraps. You will design, sew, quilt and frame a unique work of art. Learn a ‘log cabin’ quilt block and ‘improv piecing’. We will close by stretching our blocks and discussing the many alternative ways to finish a scrap project - including creating a cushion, a full quilt top or a framed piece.

Sunday

11-1pm

Shirt Shakeup- Creative Upcycling Session by MINSKI BOOK NOW

Join MINSKI for a journey of creative expression in our Shirt Upcycle Workshop! Join us for a journey of creative expression in our Shirt Upcycle Workshop! Dust off your beloved button-up shirts hiding in your wardrobe or even pinch one from your dad's collection!

In this hands-on session, we'll explore a range of techniques, from appliqué to ruching, and even revamping the silhouette of your shirt. I'll showcase a variety of my own upcycled creations as inspiration for your own unique piece.

By the end of the workshop, you'll proudly walk away with a brand new addition to your wardrobe, infused with sustainability and crafted by your own hands. Embrace the satisfaction of wearing a garment that tells a story of creativity, craftsmanship, and environmental consciousness.

You’ll need to bring:

• A button up shirt (or multiple). Everything else is provided.
• Optional: you may want to bring any ribbon, trims or pretty things to adorn your shirt with but there will be some provided.

2pm-4pm

Slow Stitching with Sigrid Verschraeghen

Hand sewing needlebooks and lavender bags. 

Be present in the act of hand stitching. Come and relax at the end of the festival with slow stitching, gentle conversation and the wonderful smell of lavender.

You will take home your hand made items - all materials included.