We are very happy to host four different crafts workshops by Elli Beaven, a UK based quilt maker, a friend of our school, and a Waldorf graduate!
Elli Beaven is a quilt maker with a passion for natural and sustainable making. Always a keen stitcher, she has been making quilts for over eight years and subsequently expanded her practice to include natural dyeing. What started as hobby to counteract the hours spent at the computer writing a PhD thesis is now a full time passion. In 2017 she launched Wholecloth Studio, producing one of a kind quilts, homewares and accessories made from high quality repurposed and waste textiles. Her work has been featured in Mollie Makes, Curated Quilts, Selvedge Magazine, and No Serial Number and she sells both online and at contemporary craft fairs such as Selvedge Fair and the Craft Festival at Bovey Tracey. You can see her work on Instagram @wholeclothstudio.
Kitchen Waste Dyeing
Nov 16, 2019 (Sat), 10 am – 5 pm (including a one hour lunch break)
The basic principles of dyeing textiles or yarn with readily available kitchen waste such as onion skins, avocado skins and pits, tea leaves and pomegranate skins will be introduced. We will discuss the different types of dye that can be extracted from plants and experiment with a range of fibres, mordants and modifiers. This workshop will give you the confidence to continue your own natural dyeing journey at home.
You will be given a range of textile samples to dye on the day and take home but you are also welcome to bring a small 100% natural fibre (wool, linen, silk, cotton or bamboo) item of your own to dye.
Please note that, as we will be working with chemicals and hot water, this workshop is for adults only.
Exploring Local Colours
Nov 17, 2019 (Sun), 10 am – 5 pm (including a one hour lunch break)
In the second workshop, we will take a more experimental approach, foraging our dye plants from the surrounding area to develop a site specific colour palette. We will discuss the different types of plant dye as well as the practical processes involved in extracting colour from plants. There will be a range of textiles, mordants and modifiers on hand to experiment with and while the dye pots are simmering you will have the opportunity to explore the use of natural dyes on paper. You will leave with a deeper understanding of the potential of natural dyeing and the practical skills to continue this process at home.
You will be given a range of textile samples to dye on the day and take home but you are also welcome to bring a small 100% natural fibre (wool, linen, silk, cotton or bamboo) item of your own to dye.
Again, please note that as we will be working with chemicals and hot water, this workshop is for adults only.
Simple Wholecloth Quilting
Nov 24, 2019 (Sun), 10 am – 5 pm (including a one hour lunch break)
In this one day workshop we will cover the processes of simple wholecloth quilting by hand, a wonderfully slow and meditative introduction to quilt making. We will begin by making a template for the traditional Baptist Fan quilting design, before layering our fabric and wadding and transferring our quilting design. You will then have some time to practice the hand quilting techniques, including burying knots for a clean finish. Finally we will cover how to hand finish the edges of your quilt at home.
Materials for students to bring:
- Two pieces of fabric* minimum 1m x 1m
- Wadding (cotton, bamboo or wool) minimum 1m x 1m
- Hand quilting thread (ie Aurifil 12wt / Perle Cotton 8wt / Sashiko Thread etc to match or contrast fabric as desired)
A note on fabric: Printed fabrics will not show the stitch design so clearly so we recommend at least one side is a plain linen, lightweight cotton or double gauze fabric. We can help you purchase the necessary fabric at additional cost.
Christmas Crafts with Children
Nov 23, 2019 (Sat), 10 am – 3 pm, during the school’s Winter Fair
Join us for a day of Christmas and nature themed making where we will be sewing a range of small felt animals, birds, gnomes and decorations for your home or Christmas tree. All materials will be provided and there will be a selection of projects to suit all skill levels from complete beginners to more experienced sewers.