Smiles all round for our Patchwork and Quilting Group

Crafts and Textiles tutor Sue Hazell has run yet another successful course at Farncombe. The day course saw 7 beginner quilters get together and take part in the popular Patchwork and Quilting - An Introduction for Beginners.

On this one day quilting course Sue Hazell teaches student's how to select the right fabrics, cut them out with accuracy, test your design, assemble accurately and apply quilting fabric. She then shows students how to quilt the easy way and add backing to the piece.

For more information on this quilting course or any of our crafts and textiles course click here.


If you are a memeber of a quilt group and take part in retreats then bear Farncombe in mind for your next venue. As we run quilting courses all the time we know what we are doing and will use our expertise to make sure that your needs are fully catered for.

For more information on using Farncombe as a group venue then please click here.

What is Pyrography?

Pyrography means 'Fire Writing' and is an ancient and very unusual art involving decorating wooden objects. The wood is burnt to various depths of brown to create a pattern or effect. Various tools are used to burn away the surface on natural materials like wood and leather.

The technique is pretty easy and can be compared to drawing or sketching with a pen or pencil.  At Farncombe we offer the perfect course for someone who would like to give Pyrography a go for the first time.

The tutor Bob Neill will guide students through making smaller items such as keyrings, small spoons and coasters to larger items including bread boards and plaques for pictures.

For more details on Bob's course at Farncombe please visit our website, where you will find all the information you need including prices.

Our 2013 courses are now ready to book!

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the new Farncombe brochures are here!   Our 2013 programme has been designed and printed and – if you subscribe to the printed version – should soon appear on a door mat near you.

In the interests of being green, we do, of course, encourage you to visit the website or download our virtual brochure instead.  All our 2013 courses are now available to see online, along with background on our tutors, photographs of the venue in action and information about what it’s like to come on a Farncombe weekend.   Just visit www.farncombecourses.co.uk

We are excited to offer an extended range of faculties in 2013, with more Art weekends, extra  Languages and more History tutors than ever before.  You’ll also find some amazing new subjects like Bee-keeping, Pyrography, Meditation and Poetry.

We can’t wait to welcome you (back?) to our beautiful Farncombe Estate.  Call us on 0333 456 8580.

A venue for group events and leisure courses in the Cotswolds, Farncombe Estate

Some venues offer group packages that suits the venue, in unloved meeting rooms with fixed meal times. There’s nothing fixed about Farncombe. Our 320-acre estate is perfect for photographers and ramblers, artists and team-builders – the only limit is your imagination.

Our parkland setting, combined with a “village” of smaller buildings, enables us to create privacy for every kind of activity. Whether you want to make lace or practise yoga, sing or pray, we can ensure calm and tranquility, far away from main roads and urban centres.

We are also a favourite retreat for charities and associations, who choose us for their annual conferences and group meetings. Our Heart of England location is easy to reach from the motorway network by delegates from all over the UK.

As well as welcoming groups of all-kind to our venue, we offer our own Course Programme of weekend leisure courses and day courses in subjects that include; History, Art, Painting, Crafts and Textiles, Music Appreciation and much more.

Summer Courses in the Heart of the UK

Farncombe Estate based in the North Cotswolds is a place where you cal lear, laugh and relax. Over the Summer Farncombe is hosting residential and day courses in a wide variety of subjects. Courses being held this summer are:

The Extraordinary life of Heitor Villa-Lobos

Start: 6th July 2012 at 6:00pm
End: 8th July 2012 at 2:00pm

Drawing for Absolute Beginners

Start: 7th July 2012 at 9:30am
End: 7th July 2012 at 4:30pm

Quilting Weekend: Where is the North Star?

Start: 31st August 2012 at 6:00pm
End: 2nd September 2012 at 2:00pm

‘All the Queen’s Women’: the Female World of Elizabeth I

Start: 31st August 2012 at 6:00pm
End: 2nd September 2012 at 2:00pm

Exploring Natural Abstract Painting in Oils and Acrylics

Start: 5th August 2012 at 6:00pm
End: 7th August 2012 at 2:00pm

Formy more information about any of our courses please visit www.farncombeestate.co.uk

Summer Discount at Farncombe

Our Early Bird offer may have flown but we are pleased to offer you a 10% discount on selected summer courses at Farncombe!   Please quote FC0612 to claim this special discount. Bookings need to be made by phone - 0333 456 8580.

The following courses qualify:

Drawing for theTerrified (2 nights) 13 – 15 July

Richard Box will guide you on your first steps in creative drawing

Botanical BasicsPainting (2 nights) 13 – 15 July

Learn to use gouache or watercolour to illustrate botanical subjects, with artist Simon Williams

Digital PhotographyWeekend – Learn to use your Compact Digital Camera (2 nights) 20-22 July

Ban the auto button and take better pictures with the help of photographer Nick Meers

Blocks Galore forQuilts and More (4 nights) 22 – 26 July

Textile tutor Jennie Rayment will teach you the delights of textured twiddling!

The High Renaissancein Italy (3 nights) 5 – 8 August

Discover the important artists and patrons of 16^th Century Italy, with art historian Alice Foster

Novel Outline andBeyond (3 nights) 12 – 15 August

Pick up professional tips on developing a story and creating believable characters – with author Sue Johnson

Quilting Weekend - Where is the North Star?

This weekend course teaches you how to make a quilt featuring the same design entirely with straight seams. It is foundation pieced, a technique using paper backing to ensure accurate shapes, with pieces larger than would normally be found on a quilt like this, yet this course is still suitable for all skill levels. Novices can start slowly and work their way up, also there are challenges for more experienced patchworkers as well. Materials list will be supplied upon request.

For full details on quilting courses at Farncombe Estate click here or call us formore details on 0333 456 8580

Learn something new in 2011

Rag rug heart cushions

Last few places available on these 2011 courses...

Art and Imagery in Stitch Textiles with Sandra Meech
04-06 February 2011 (Weekend Course)
This workshop will make the connection between the images we take for inspiration, the drawing and painting we do for fun and their important connection to fabric and stitch. This is a workshop for all who want to express themselves in creative new stitched textile directions.

Painting Buildings using Watercolour and Ink with Rosemary Hale
04-06 February 2011 (Weekend Course)
Join tutor Rosemary Hale and get to grips with a subject many find unnecessarily daunting....perspective. Over the course of the weekend, tuition will be given, often on a one-to-one basis and with frequent demonstrations. There will be opportunity to complete a step-by-step painting (suitable for beginners) or, for more experienced painters, to work from your own source material.

Boudoir Rag Rug Heart Cushion with Debbie Siniska
08-10 April 2011 (Weekend Course)
As seen on Channel 4's 'Kirstie's Homemade Home'
Learn to use traditional hand tools for hooky and proggy techniques, and make a beautiful little heart cushion. You will be using recycled textiles and experimenting with colour and the textured surface. Materials list provided.

Last few places available. Call us on 033 3456 8580 and book today to avoid disappointment.

Rag rug making in Kirstie's Homemade Home on Channel 4

If you missed Farncombe rag rug tutor Debbie Siniska in the last programme of the series, you can still watch it on Channel 4oD - click here for programme information.

Those contemplating signing up for Debbie Siniska’s craft course at the 370-acre Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds get a sneaky preview of what the weekend will entail when she featured on Channel 4’s Kristie’s Homemade Home.

Debbie teaches the traditional techniques of hooky, proggy and proddy, and viewers who want to also learn the art of rag rug making can sign up for her course at Farncombe Estate which is held over the Friday and weekend of 8 April 2011.

Farncombe tutor Debbie Siniska on Channel 4 TV with Kirstie Allsopp

Farncombe Estate tutor Debbie Siniska will be appearing on Kirstie Allsopp's Channel 4 television series, "Kirstie's Homemade Home".

Following numerous requests via Twitter, the TV production company were searching for a rag rug tutor and Debbie was approached to demonstrate the craft.

Filming took place in London and Debbie's home studio, and a rug commissioned by the programme will appear in her new book, "Rag Rugs, Old into New, the art of creative textile recycling" available from December 2010.

The new series of Kirstie's Homemade Home will be broadcast on Channel 4 from 2nd November 2010. Debbie and the rag-rug will be featured in the last episode of the series teaching Kirsty how to do "proggy".

For more details about Debbie visit Farncombe's website or to order her new book visit http://www.debbiesiniska.co.uk/

How to Use a Sewing Machine - one day workshop

On this one day workshop, students will be shown how to get the most from a sewing machine. They will see how they like sewing - by using their own machine or one of ours, with assistance, through demonstration & 'hands on'.

The day will teach you what can be achieved with the push of the pedal & controls. You will see samples & other projects, along with how to achieve those results.

Click here for details of other courses at Farncombe Estate with Sue Hazell

Discount offer for Christmas Craft Fair visitors

Visitors to our Craft Fair can pick up a £15 discount voucher code for any weekend course on any subject and £5 for any day course on any subject.

The unique voucher code must be quoted at the time of booking and valid for bookings made before 5.00 pm on Friday 3 December.

For details about the Fair or other Christmas events at Farncombe, visit Christmas Art & Craft Fair - Christmas & New Year or call 033 3456 8580.

Date for the diary - Farncombe Christmas Art and Craft Fair : Farncombe Estate

Creative ideas for Christmas decorations and the chance to do a bit of early shopping for the festive break are on offer at the Farncombe Estate Christmas Art & Craft Fair which takes place next month on 21 November 2010 from 10.30 to 3.30pm.

This is the 2nd year the fair has been held and local suppliers have jumped at the chance to display their hand-made crafts and produce with 55 exhibitors in total already taking part, all of them local and many not selling their products elsewhere.

Admission is free and visitors will not only have the chance to purchase a wide range of bespoke gifts but will also be able to take part in taster workshops that give a sample of what the Estate has to offer from its programme of courses both for the remainder of this year and from the recently launched 2011 programme.

In addition to purchasing gifts and taking part and signing up for courses, visitors can also buy the recently launched range of Farncombe gift vouchers. The gift vouchers start from £5.00 and can be used against any of the 230 courses available including day workshops and residential courses over a weekend. For a limited period leading up to Christmas 2010, Farncombe is offering readers £25 of extra gift vouchers free, when they purchase £100 or more.

Further information is available by calling 0333 456 8580.

Date for the diary - Farncombe Christmas Art and Craft Fair : Farncombe Estate

Lacemaking: Tantalising Torchon - Crafts & Textiles weekend at Farncombe Estate

Have you ever thought about the myriad possibilities for exciting lacemaking offered by our old friend Torchon? What other lace has over 14 varieties of just one stitch? Over this weekend Jan will lead you in an exploration of this neglected lace type. We will look at the stitches, the use of inventive grids, the scale of work, the control of colour and many other aspects of this beautiful lace. Jan will bring along a selection of designs that will enable students of ALL abilities, from complete beginner to advanced, to get the most out of the experience. Equipment can be borrowed if requested before the event. Materials list provided.

Join Jan Gardiner at Farncombe Estate 11-13 February 2011. To book online visit
Lacemaking: Tantalising Torchon - Crafts & Textiles or call 033 3456 8580.

What do you think of the Crafts Council website? Win a £100 Amazon gift voucher

Complete their web survey by 4 October and you will be entered into our prize draw to win a £100 Amazon voucher.

Click here to complete the survey www.surveymonkey.com/s/CBB9WV6

Glass Workshop and Classes, Ruskin Glass Centre

Glass Artist Paul Floyd will lead afternoon sessions on glass fusing. Teaching the basics of fusing, cutting glass to a pattern and working with colored sheet glass, frits and powders. Only 3 people per workshop for maximum individual attention – by the end you will have made a beautiful light catcher.

Dates: Saturday 2nd October 2010

Time: 2pm till 4:30pm
Costs: £30 (includes all materials, fusing & postage of light catcher)


Please contact Paul or Monika for further details and to book your place.

Studio:01384 399412
www.paulfloyd.co.uk
email@paulfloyd.co.uk
Transparent Glass Studio, Ruskin Glass Centre, Wollaston Road, Stourbridge, DY8 4HE, West Midlands

Free Christmas Craft Workshop: Essential Oils for Winter

This workshop with Aromatherapist Julia Baker will show how to use suitable essential oils to combat typical winter ailments.

Participants will be able to join in and do a simple hand and arm massage using some of the featured essential oils.

To book call 033 3456 8580 or reserve tickets online here: Free Christmas Craft Workshop: Essential Oils for Winter - Christmas & New Year

Christmas Art & Craft Fair Visitor Discount !

We are offering special discount codes to all visitors to our Craft Fair on Sunday 21 November 2010 - offers valid on 2010 and 2011 courses ...!

For more details call 033 3456 8580.

Christmas Art & Craft Fair - Christmas & New Year

Free Farncombe Christmas Craft Workshop: How to make a Miniature Stocking Front

With Sue Hazell.

These are easier than you think, by laying fabrics across calico & sewing in straight lines. You may use odd pieces of fabrics in the tones of a traditional Christmas or to suit your own colour scheme. Materials will be provided.

Suitable for adults and accompanied children aged 8 or over.

To reserve a ticket please call 033 3456 8580.

Free Christmas Craft Demonstration: How to make a Miniature Stocking Front - Crafts & Textiles

Free Christmas Craft Workshop: Christmas Origami - Sunday 21 November with Judith Laing

Judith will also be selling work at the end of the workshop.

Suitable for adults and accompanied children aged 8 or over.

To reserve a ticket please call 033 3456 8580.

Free Christmas Craft Workshop: Christmas Origami - Crafts & Textiles