Residential Embroidery Courses at

St. Andrews, Fife. June and July 2008

Travel, at home and abroad, the landscape and the sea-shore have inspired our tutors to devise classes with something for everyone. Beginners might like to sample two days of traditional hand-stitching with Yvonne. Machine embroidery enthusiasts can sharpen their skills with Wilma. Lorraine, Alison and Maggie will encourage you to experiment ’play-school’ style before helping you to transform your ideas into stitch and taking you on to create panels, jewellery or items of your own choice. These are classes suitable for all abilities, beginners included - you will amaze yourself! If you have yet to make your first piece of felt, or if you are already an addict, you will have a chance to enjoy the luscious colours and textures with Sheila and even have a shopping trip thrown in!

N.B. New for 2008: Two Day Courses in week two.

Rock to Ruin

9-13 June, Mon 2pm-Fri noon

tutor Lorraine Pickles

Have you ever been amazed at the patterns on a rock face, a stone wall or a humble sea-side pebble? You might have photos of an ivy-covered ruin, a dry-stane dyke, a rockery or scree garden which inspire you. Now is your chance to bring these to life in a small panel using a variety of experimental techniques to create unusual surfaces for stitch which could be by hand and/or by machine. Booking

Traveller's Tales

9-13 June, Mon 2pm-Fri noon

tutor Alison Rennie

Using foreign holiday souvenirs and photos or a favourite foreign travel/embroidery book as your inspiration you will design and make unusually textured fabrics, beads, cords and tassels. These will be turned into a precious treasure, a memory panel or a decorative item of your choosing. Hand and/or machine embroidery and the use of ethnic techniques.Booking

Felt All Over

16-20 June, Mon 2pm - Fri noon

tutor Sheila Mortlock

Learn basic felting processes including nuno (felting onto other fabrics e.g. chiffon, muslin) and cobweb (ultrafine) as well as making three-dimensional seamless felt. During the week there will be a visit to the local supplier of felt-making supplies – ‘Twist Fibre Craft’ in Newburgh, and all students will complete at least one scarf and several beautiful surfaces for stitch.Booking

Starting from the Edge

16-18 June 2 days

tutor Wilma Graham

Straight, cut, frayed, lacy, beaded, fringed, layered, distressed, singed; every piece of embroidery has edges –all interesting on their own. But could these be combined and developed into a complex fabric – the basis for a new piece of embroidery? Students who have basic machine embroidery skills will enjoy exercises and experiments leading to a notebook of inspirational samples and the development of a variety of possible projects. Booking

A Walk in the Country

18-20 June 2 days

tutor Yvonne Weir

Turn your favourite photo or sketch into a colourful textured small panel using pulled work techniques – restrained and traditional or exuberant and experimental. Full instructions for completing and mounting your work will be provided. You could take away a completed gem ready to hang on the wall!Booking

Transfer the Magic of St.Andrews

30 June - 4 July Mon 2pm - Fri noon

tutor Maggie Murray

You will begin with some beachcombing to find interesting source material to give you inspiring ideas for colour and pattern. Then you will have fun with colour and print on paper and fabric using transfer dyes and paints, resists, over printing, sponging and other new techniques to create wonderful surfaces for stitch by hand and/or machine. The magic will be completed when you combine some of these samples into a unique panel, cushion, bag or other small treasure.Booking