Goldwork embroidery course

Last week, I was joined by two German and two Swiss ladies for a five day goldwork embroidery course. I run several five-day courses throughout the year and they are a great opportunity to try something new or to hone your skills. You either buy your project materials from me or you bring your own. Equally, you have the opportunity to try out a slate frame or you bring your own favourite frame. Regarding embroidery designs, you can come up with your own design or peruse my extensive library and work an (adapted) design from a book.

Up to five students fit into my spacious light flooded studio. As a five-day course can be quite intensive, we'll break regularly for coffee/tea and we'll enjoy an excellent lunch together. Meeting like-minded embroidery enthusiast in a friendly place where you are well taken care off; who doesn't want that? Bad Bayersoien has plenty of good and affordable accommodation to make the week into a needlework retreat with time left to explore the beautiful alpine landscape.

Hazel Everett's book on Goldwork proved to be the right sort of inspiration for two of my ladies. Remember the leaf sampler from the book? Instead of working the same leaf, a series of different shaped leaves was filled with a myriad of goldwork techniques. Not too keen on gold-gold? Then silver might be the answer. And who doesn't remember the bug pages from Hazel's book? It was such fun to see bug after bug emerge under Monika's skilful hands.

One of the ladies was taken by my Celtic knot, so we searched for a similar design in the book 'Armenian ornamental Art'. Mirrored, the end-knot on a cross became the right sort of design with plenty of scope to practise couching different goldthreads, chipping and cutwork. Rita came up with a design all her own. She started work on a house blessing for friends based on the Magi. She incorporated several materials she had acquired over the years.

It has been a lot of fun to guide my ladies during their different projects. However, the past few weeks have been really busy. So, as the weather is really nice in this part of the world, I done my walking boots and take a well-deserved break. A refreshed me will see you next week.