Nicholas Ball - Saturday 28 September 2024

"When I began quilting I would often hear others say that binding the raw edges of the quilt was their least favourite part of the process. I couldn’t disagree more, even after the countless quilts I’ve bound since then. I love binding and it often surprises people when I tell them that enthusiastically. For me, the finishing of the quilt’s edge is a culmination of all the hard work that has gone into making it. I love each step, from choosing the fabric to hand stitching it down. I enjoy deciding on an edge treatment that suits the style of quilt and love to share all the other alternatives to double fold binding. In this workshop we’ll explore several different options you can use to finish the edges of your quilted projects.  We’ll start by looking at some examples of my favourite types of finish before working through my preferred technique for simple binding step-by-step.  I have perfected the way I make and attach my binding and you maybe surprised by some of the extra steps I take to ensure a great finish. I’ll be showing you how I cut my strips, press, machine stitch and hand finish. After looking at binding a curved and angular edge, we’ll move on to facings, for both a straight and wonky edge, before finishing the workshop with a pillow case method."

Trudi Wood  - Saturday 28 September 2024

"I am so excited about this retreat, partly because Nicholas will be there, and as many of you will know I quilt Nicholas's quilts for him so I can certainly answer any questions you may have about his quilts and our collaborations! I've decided in this class to talk about how you can design your quilting for your finished quilts. In the class, we will be learning some FMQ techniques that I LOVE teaching, we will have so much fun! You will definitely be able to play with some free motion quilting stitches during class, but the main part of the class will be how we create the quilted designs that will work perfectly with your quilt. I'm going to bring some plastic templates with me to lay over your quilts (if you bring some with you) on which you can draw patterns, and then we can sew together. If you don't have a quilt, it doesn't matter, we canuse some plain fabrics and still talk and learn design principles. You will have so many new and fresh ideas when you leave.

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Sarah Payne - Sunday 29th September 2024

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As many of you may know, in 2023 I spent the majority of my time in the hospital with a broken leg and then a stroke, so I've decided to set up an A&E clinic in the hotel! Well, not really, but it is going to be Sarah's first-aid clinic where you can bring any UFOs from home and sew them in the beautiful location of the Rutland Hotel with me on hand to help you if you need any advice. Alternatively, you may want to work on the projects you learn't the day before with Trudi and Nicholas and this session would give you the opportunity to sit, relax and sew those pieces. I'll probably bring some sewing along too, and we can all have a lovely morning or afternoon together. It gives you a chance to rest your mind from all that learning and just relax, but have me on hand for guidance if you need it.

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Sarah Hibbert - Sunday 29th September 2024

"My class is going to be about optical illusions. I'm going to help you create a circle made from a square. I know, how is that even possible? For many of you who were on the retreat last year, you might already have a clue, but if you weren't, don't worry, I'm going to take you step-by-step through the process teaching you different techniques than I did last year. So for anybody who wasn't with us last year, it doesn't matter as we are starting afresh, and for anybody who was with us last year, I'm going to be building on what you learnt and teaching you new lessons!

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