FEBRUARY UPDATE: Yikes how embarrassing – several of these listings have changed since I wrote this blog post!!

Do check out my workshop page for an updated programme.

Oh yay to be sat at my desk today after three weeks of working on the building site that is currently our home. It feels great to have bare feet rather than wearing steel toe caps and its bliss not being covered from head to toe in a fine layer of plaster dust! I usually rather grudge ‘desk’ days compared to ‘studio’ days but today I’m feeling pretty content – making plans for the next few months and setting my priorities for the year.

So to start by wishing you all a very happy and successful 2018. I’m excited by my year ahead. Last year didn’t quite go according to plan so that’s made me more determined than ever to make more time for my own textile work as well as developing my textile workshops. I’ll look forward to sharing my news of ‘goings on & happenings’ here on my blog –  I’m  determined to make time to update it and get myself just a wee bit more online savvy!

I do already have some fabulous workshops lined up this year. I’ll be visiting Sally at Needle & Thread  not just once but twice as we have just added a sneaky wee date in June in addition to my two day visit in September. In June we’ll be making Patchwood Tenements and in September we’ll be making Patchwood Samplers: Personal Collections and Scrappy Story Collages. Bookings are already underway and as always places are limited. If you’ve not visited Needle & Thread before it is a gorgeous venue in Lincolnshire where Sally runs a fantastic programme of workshops.

Patchwood Samplers: Personal Collections workshop

 

Scrappy Story Collage workshop

I’m hugely excited to be teaching on my first ever retreat in June this year in rural France with Crafty Retreats. I’m sure I’ll be banging on about this much more in the months to come but if you could fancy spending a week in the sunshine in the most gorgeous studio situated in the Limousin area amid the forests and low mountains of the Monts D’Ambazac then do check it out quickly as I think there are only a couple of places left! We’ll be making Patchwood Samplers – my original full size ones with twenty one wooden ‘patches’ all embellished with your own little treasures. It’s going to be the most gorgeous week of creativity, friendship, delicious food and local excursions and I for one have to keep pinching myself to make sure that it is for real!

Textile art by Al Ferguson
Patchwood Sampler workshop at Crafty Retreats

My own workshop programme is currently listed on my website and I’ve made BIG changes to the way that I am doing things. I’ll be hosting workshops in two very lovely local (near Edinburgh) venues over the next few months. My venues have been carefully chosen as places that have the same quirky vibe as my own studio The Purple Thread Shed. I’ll be starting the year at the Wellbeing Lab within The Restoration Yard at Dalkeith Country Park with my first workshop ‘Patchwood Samplers: Personal Collections’ on Saturday 10th February and then in April we’ll be making  ‘Patchwood Tenements’.

Patchwood Tenements workshop

 

Ali Ferguson textile workshops
Vintage Haberdashery Lampshades workshop

 

Ali Ferguson textile workshops
Scrappy Hand Stitch Sampler workshop

 

Ali Ferguson textile workshops
Stories From The Scullery workshop

I do know that people love visiting my own studio so I will open the doors to The Purple Thread Shed for a few workshops in May & June. There are only four places on each so early booking is essential starting with  ‘Handmade Journals’ & ‘Patchwood Samplers: Natural Collections’ in May and followed by ‘Rusted Samplers in June’.  Hopefully I’ll be able to restore my garden to it’s summer glory by then – it’s currently looking very sorry for itself as it’s been been ravaged by the house renovations.

Ali Ferguson textile workshops
Handmade Journals workshop

 

Ali Ferguson textile workshops
Rusted Samplers workshop

So that’s a wee round-up of what’s going on – I’ll be posting more details & pics of individual workshops as we go along.

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New Year, new plans , new textile workshops!
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