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Our Craft Sanctuary Embroidery Weekends are designed to slow you down, spark your creativity, and reconnect you with a favourite hobby. Set in a calm and inspiring environment, the weekend is an invitation to step away from the rush of everyday life and immerse yourself in the mindful rhythm of needle and thread. Tutored by a Royal School of Needlework graduate, you will gain all the knowledge, hints, tips and advice you need to complete your project.
Kate Barlow will be your expert in 2026 and Helen McCook will be your expert in 2027.
Our UK team is here and happy to help!
Please choose your preferred 3 day itinerary
Workshop Information
Kate Barlow (2026): Kate's project draws inspiration from the 4-panelled crewelwork screen held in the Royal School of Needlework collection. It features a beautifully stylised flower with a delicate butterfly hovering nearby. The design is worked on linen twill fabric using Appleton’s crewel wools, employing a variety of stitches including long and short stitch, trellis stitch, raised stem stitch, stem stitch, closed fly, French knots, and bullion knots. This is a lovely project for crewelwork enthusiasts!
Helen McCook (2027): Helen's bloom in metal threads project will introduce you to the sumptuous world of metal work embroidery with surface stitches and beading details. Helen will guide you through the wide variety of stitches which will enable you to create this beautiful, embroidered artwork but also increase your embroidery vocab and improve your technique. The techniques you will cover include trellis, coaching with Japanese thread, passing, rococo and pearl purl, cut purls, looped purls, sequins, bugle beads and seed beads. This project is suitable for beginner to intermediate level embroiderers.
Make your own way to the hotel and check in to your room from 3pm. Get to know your expert, Retreat Manager and fellow crafters over dinner this evening.
After breakfast, enjoy a full-day workshop with your qualified tutor. We will break for lunch at the hotel and snacks, tea and coffee will be on offer throughout the day.
Dinner will be served in the hotel from 7pm.
After breakfast, enjoy a full-day workshop with your qualified tutor. We will break for lunch at the hotel and snacks, tea and coffee will be on offer throughout the day.
Following the workshop, depart the hotel and make your way home.
Tour Notes: Although there are no mobility requirements for this tour, please note that you will need to be able to make your own way between our workshop room, your bedroom and the restaurant, which could involve walks of up to 5 minutes. If you require full disabled access, please check with us before booking.
In 2026, you will stay for two nights at the Staverton Park Hotel & Golf Club.
In 2027, you will stay for two nights at the 4-star Blunsdon House Hotel.
Set in 30 acres of beautiful countryside, the 4-star Blunsdon House Hotel is situated in the village of Broad Blunsdon. All the individually decorated bedrooms have flat screen televisions, a safety deposit box, telephone, hairdryer and tea and coffee-making facilities. There are two restaurants and three bars to relax and enjoy a drink after a day of exploring or, alternatively, you can take a swim in the indoor heated swimming pool (charge applies) or take a walk around the beautiful hotel grounds.
Single Supplement from £90.00
Blunsdon House Hotel is located in the village of Broad Blunsdon, approximately 5 miles from Swindon railway station. If you are travelling by car the hotel is a 25 minute drive from junction 15 of the M4 or 40 minutes drive from junction 11a of the M5. Ample car parking on site free of charge. There are also 4 EV Charging points.