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2025 Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat
SEWING & QUILTING

Welcome to our Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat for 2025!

 

After careful consideration of a selection of key venues that might fulfil all our criteria, we're absolutely delighted to announce that our first 2025 UK Midweek Crafting Retreat will take place at the Falcondale Hotel, in the visually stunning county of Ceredigion, Wales, over FOUR days in May 2025: Monday 12, Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 May 2025 - please read on below to learn all about this exciting live event!...

12-15.05.25

Class times on

Wednesday & Thursday

09.30-16.30 (BST)

(with lots of treats in-between!)

 

Midweek Craft Retreat!

Falcondale Hotel

Lampeter, Ceredigion, Wales

Improv Quilting with

Nicholas Ball!

CraftyMonkies Nicholas Ball Midweek Craft Retreat in Wales during May 2025!
Retreat_0923_RutlandHallHotel

Falcondale Hotel, Wales - Midweek Craft Retreat

Monday 12, Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14 & Thursday 15 May 2025

 

The Falcondale Hotel

Falcondale Drive, Lampeter, Ceredigion, SA48 7SB, United Kingdom

www.falcondale.co.uk

 

So, what do we have planned for you?!

This exciting event will feature a veritable improv-guru of the crafting world who will need little introduction to most of you - Nicholas Ball -

and you get to work directly with Nicholas for TWO of the four days we're all together!

 

In addition to two full days of crafting, Nicholas will also escort you on a fabric shopping & Museum trip in the local area on Tuesday and deliver a Trunk Show on the Monday evening after our Drinks Reception!

Read on for more details...

CraftyMonkies Nicholas Ball Midweek Craft Retreat in Wales during May 2025!
CraftyMonkies 2023 Weekend Crafting Retreat Rutland Hall Hotel!

Join us over FOUR days in May 2025 in the beautiful county of Ceredigion, Wales for a truly fabulous Midweek Break of crafting, trunk shows, relaxation, socialising, fabric shopping, a museum visit, wonderful food and
(perhaps most important of all)... FUN!

Sit back and relax and watch the video as Nicholas tells you all you need to know about the retreat!

On this fabulous CraftyMonkies Midweek Craft Retreat, not only will you have a re-invigorating, luxury break (the

hotel even features a Spa!) away with like-minded 'crafty souls', but you will also work with one of our fantastic CraftyMonkies tutors: Nicholas Ball! (Plus, yes, you can hire a machine from Bernina via us, it will be ready and waiting for you at a cost of £60!)

 

The location for our all-inclusive Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat in May 2025 is an absolute gem!

 

The Falcondale Hotel in Lampeter, Ceredigion, is located just a few miles off the A5 (about twenty miles from the M6) and is a stunning four-star, Grade II-listed country house hotel beautifully situated in the Teifi valley near to Cardigan Bay. This delightful Italianate mansion nestles amidst 14 acres of glorious, landscaped gardens with stunning vistas of the Cardiganshire countryside. A unique and incomparable setting!

 

So please read on in the hope you'll decide to join us in May 2025 in the beautiful county of Ceredigion for a truly fabulous 2025 Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat; not only will you have a re-invigorating, luxury break away with 18 - yes, only 18 places are available, so be sure to book early! - like-minded 'crafty souls', but you will also work alongside & be tutored by Nicholas Ball for TWO full days!

 

This package is an all-inclusive Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat. All of your breakfasts, lunches and evening meals, coach transport to and from the Museums, entry fees at both Museums and the 2-Day Improv-Quilting Workshops with Nicholas are included in your ticket price: AMAZING!...

CraftyMonkies 2023 Weekend Crafting Retreat Rutland Hall Hotel!

Day ONE - Monday 12 May 2025

The first day of our 2025 Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat will see you welcomed by us with a Drinks Reception from 4.00pm on the afternoon of Monday 12 May 2025. After the drinks reception and informal meet & greet with Rachel and Nicholas, you will be served a beautiful dinner. We've been assured by The Falcondale Hotel that they are going to tailor make our menus to give you traditional Welsh fayre throughout your stay. After dinner you can socialise in one of the hotel's many relaxing areas with your new-found friends or sit peacefully by yourself before retiring to your wonderful accommodation.

Day TWO - Tuesday 13 May 2025

After a hearty (or light, if you prefer!) breakfast, we will be collected by coach and driven to our first location, the National Wool Museum. Wool was historically the most important and widespread of Wales's industries. The picturesque village of Dre-fach Felindre in the beautiful Teifi Valley was once the centre of a thriving woollen industry, earning the nickname 'The Huddersfield of Wales’. Located in the historic former Cambrian Mills, shirts and shawls, blankets and bedcovers, woollen stockings and socks were all made here, and sold in the surrounding countryside - and indeed across the globe.

 

We will follow the process from Fleece to Fabric and visit the sympathetically restored listed mill buildings and Historic Machinery.

 

We will then travel on to have a wonderful lunch at the Town Hall deli. The friendly staff serve Great Taste Award winner Union Hand Roasted Foundation coffee in a relaxed atmosphere in the spectacular Lampeter old Town Hall building. At Town Hall Café Deli all meals are freshly prepared daily using the finest local ingredients!

 

Our second location on Day Two will be the fabric shop next door to the café called Calico Kate, so you can have some time to do your favourite thing, fabric shopping! After your shopping comes another museum visit to The Welsh Quilt Centre. Since opening in 2009, The Welsh Quilt Centre has become an exceptional venue in the heart of the Teifi Valley. It was officially opened in 2010 by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. The idea to open a centre to celebrate and promote a wider understanding of the Welsh Quilt, came from Jen Jones, whose obsession with collecting Welsh Quilts, Blankets and textiles has spanned over forty years. Jen’s perseverance has led to the saving and preservation of this vital part of Welsh heritage.  Housed in Lampeter’s historic Town Hall, visitors will celebrating the ancient art of the Welsh Quilt alongside the contemporary works of local and international artists. 

 

After what will have been a fascinating day, we will be driven back to our hotel where you will enjoy another delicious dinner!

Days THREE & FOUR  - Wednesday 14 & Thursday 15 May 2025

On Wednesday 14 & Thursday 15 May, we will be heading to our beautiful, well-lit quilting room within The Falcondale Hotel where Nicholas Ball will be taking centre-stage! Classes will run from 09.30-16.30 on both days, perhaps finishing a little earlier on Day Four when we will all be vacating the hotel and heading homewards from whence we came!...

Here's What You Will Learn on this very special Two-Day Workshop

 

In terms of Course Information, Skill Level required and Materials/Equipment needed, here's all you need to know for your CraftyMonkies 2025 Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat:-

Introduction by Nicholas about Welsh Quilting history:-

Wales has a rich quilting history that predates the Amish. Once one of the country’s most important exports, flannel has found its way not only into the national costume of Wales, but also into many stunning examples of improvised quilts. Less known than whole cloth examples, Welsh flannel quilts were first created out of necessity, for warmth and comfort. Now, they are works of art which hold their own against more celebrated examples of improvisation, such as the quilts of Gee’s Bend.

What You Will Learn in this In-Person Interactive Workshop:-

During the workshop, you will learn how to improvisationally piece many of the familiar elements found in Welsh flannel quilts, such as four patch, nine patch, half square triangles, and quarter square triangles. Each student will receive a small piece of traditional Welsh flannel which they will combine with brought fabrics to create a small improvisational study, approximately 18” square.  Students will then learn big-stitch hand quilting using wool thread to add wonderful texture to their quilt in a number of traditional motifs, as well as a more organic, improvised design. Each student will receive a reel of thread for quilting. Finally, the edges of the quilt will be finished using a traditional Welsh butted edge technique.

Skill Level for this In-Person Interactive Workshop:-

The workshop is suitable for all skill levels. The traditional blocks will be familiar to new and experienced quilters, whilst the improvisational nature of the piecing will provide a gentle introduction to sewing without patterns or specific measurements.  A small quilt study is also great for learning how best to fit irregular sized pieces together without feeling overwhelmed and provides a firm foundation for lots of other improvised techniques.

Material requirements for this In-Person Interactive Workshop:-

Whilst not essential for the workshop, Nicholas's latest book Use & Ornament (Lucky Spool, scheduled for release in March 2024) will expand upon some of the techniques learnt and provide many more improv tips and tricks!

Fabric Equipment requirements for this In-Person Interactive Workshop:-

Whilst difficult to give exact fabric amounts and measurements when sewing in an improvised way, please use the following as a rough guide:-

  • An assortment (4-6) fat quarters in your chosen colour scheme.  Students may wish to use the traditional colours of Welsh flannel quilts, which are black and red, though any colour scheme will work.  The flannel provided will be a mixture of red, black, and cream.

  • A piece of wadding approximately 22” square

  • A piece of backing fabric approximately 22” square

  • An assortment of small square and rectangular scraps in your chosen colours for added interest.

Please don’t stress about these requirements. They are simply a guide and Nicholas has yet to teach a class where something couldn’t be made because of the wrong fabric pieces. If in doubt, gather up a selection of prints and colours you like and you can cut during the workshop. Accuracy at the cutting stage is not so important using Nicholas's techniques, so it won’t take long at all if you want to cut your pieces along with him!

Equipment requirements for this In-Person Interactive Workshop:-

  • Sewing machine - you could hand piece, yet this will be slower and so you may not achieve as much on the day.

  • Good quality thread in an appropriate weight for piecing (Nicholas recommends Aurifil 50wt)

  • Sharp fabric scissors

  • A hand needle for quilting - Nicholas prefers a long milliner’s needle. Use whatever length you are comfortable with, though ensure that whatever you choose has a large eye to accommodate the thicker woollen thread. We will be using a 12wt thread for quilting.

  • A willingness to explore your own creativity!

Tickets for this live, in-person 2025 Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat will be limited to no more than EIGHTEEN people and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis, so please be sure to book quickly!

 

 

Rachel (owner of CraftyMonkies) and Nicholas really are the most warm, engaging of souls and our total focus is on ensuring that you have an experience to remember - trying anything new is always a wee bit scary but don't be put off; jump in - you're going to love it!

 

We aim to inspire you and give you a lot of fun at the same time!...

CraftyMonkies 2023 Weekend Crafting Retreat Rutland Hall Hotel!
CraftyMonkies Nicholas Ball Midweek Craft Retreat in Wales during May 2025!

Ticketing

For the CraftyMonkies Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat in May 2025 at the Falcondale Hotel we are offering TWO core ticket options, each of which you can pay for in full at the time of booking or secure a place with a £250.00 Deposit and 4 subsequent monthly payments:-

 

SINGLE Own-Room Occupancy

For the all-inclusive price of £1,195.00, you are guaranteed your own en-suite room within the Falcondale Hotel.

 

SHARED Occupancy

For the all-inclusive price of £1,145.00, you are guaranteed a SHARED en-suite room within the Falcondale Hotel. If you decide on this option, once you have booked your place we will contact you via email to see whether you would like to share with a friend or family member who is also attending the 2025 Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat or are happy to be placed with one of your fellow attendees who is not previously known to you.

 

IMPORTANT: Due to the nature of advance bookings & payments needed to secure the tutors, hotel, food and facilities we operate a strict Non-Refund Policy; you are however free to assign another person to take your place on the Retreat, should you be unable to attend for any unforeseen reason. All we ask in that instance is that you give us due advance notice of such an arrangement, should it be necessary.

CraftyMonkies Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat May 2025 SINGLE Occupancy (Pay In Full)
CraftyMonkies Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat May 2025 SINGLE Occupancy (£250 Deposit)
CraftyMonkies Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat May 2025 SHARED Occupancy (Pay in Full)
CraftyMonkies Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat May 2025 SHARED Occupancy (£250 Deposit)

Paying in Full

For those of you wishing to pay in full, simply go to our Pay Online page, find the 2025 Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat graphic and follow the prompts.

Paying via Instalments

 

For those of you interested in paying via an initial Deposit and 4 x monthly instalments, we're not able to do this automatically via the website but it can be arranged wholly securely via PayPal. Please email us via hello@craftymonkies.com if you would like to pay via Deposit plus 4 x monthly instalments. The first payment is a deposit of £250.00 with the balance to be paid in full by end of October 2024.

 

All being well, we've covered any questions/queries you might have about the super-exciting 2025 Four-Day Midweek Welsh Craft Retreat but if there is anything else you'd like to know, please don't hesitate to contact us via email: hello@craftymonkies.com.

CraftyMonkies Nicholas Ball Midweek Craft Retreat in Wales during May 2025!
CraftyMonkies 2025 Midweek Welsh Crafting Retreat Falcondale Hotel
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CraftyMonkies 2025 Weekend Crafting Retreat Rutland Hall Hotel
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Looking for a birthday surprise, marking a special occasion or a treat for someone special? A timely reminder that CraftyMonkies Gift Vouchers, in a variety of denominations, are available all year round - could be just the ticket for your crafty loved one!...

CraftyMonkies Gift Vouchers in assorted price categories
CraftyMonkies Online Interactive Zoom Workshops with leading craft tutors!
CraftyMonkies Online Interactive Zoom Workshops with leading craft tutors!
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