Workshops at Ash Farm

In addition to the machine knitting workshops Sian will be hosting a range of workshops in 2021

If anyone is interested in any of these workshops and would like to be kept up to date with the new dates please do get in touch. 


To enquire and/or book a place on these courses please use the contact form at the bottom of the page.


Bronwen Gwillim – Plasticsmithing Workshop

Workshop fully booked

Plasticsmithing 1: A short introduction to designing and making jewellery with waste plastics

1 DAY WORKSHOP 10 – 4.30 pm
£116 plus £8 materials April 17th 2021 – FULLY BOOKED May 15th 2021- FULLY BOOKED
minimum 4
maximum 6 participants

Plastic offers huge potential for creating exciting colours, textures, shapes, forms and finishes. This one day course will provide beginners with the basics required to experiment freely and safely and to complete a unique piece of jewellery to take away. During the day participants will learn about the types and characteristics of plastics readily available as waste and a range of safe techniques that can be used to create jewellery and other small objects.By the end of the day you will have:
• Learned about a range of plastic types and where they can be found.
• Used a range of tools and techniques to texture, cut, carve, form and join plastic safely
• Understood health, safety and environmental issues and precautions required for safe working
• Considered the use of supplementary materials such as resins and silver findings in finishing
• Designed and produced a piece of jewellery such as earrings or a brooch to take awayParticipants are asked to bring with them sketchbooks and pencils and some domestic waste or beach plastics.

All other tools and materials will be provided. 


Beginners Intaglio Collagraph Printing Workshop with Marian-Haf

An introduction to Intaglio Collagraph printing, with print designer Marian-Haf.

June 19th 2021- 5 PLACES LEFT! 1 Day Workshop 
10am – 4.30 pm
Homemade lunch included plus tea, coffee and cake 
£83 plus £10 materials minimum 5 participants/ max 6 

This one day course will provide you with the knowledge of how to manipulate a peace of mount board into producing a beautiful fine tonal intaglio print, suitable for beginners and more seasoned printmakers looking to explore collagraphs.

By the end of the day you will have  • Learnt how to prepare and translate an image into an intaglio collagraph.
• How to manipulate the plate (mount board) with different tools and techniques to achieve tonal variation with contrasting linear ark making.
• To ink a plate intaglio, where the ink is applied liberally and then polished off.
• Which paper to choose and how to prepare them along with plate registration and good working practice in achieving a clean result.
• Printing with a press.
• Designed, made, inked and printed an intaglio collagraph.
Marian is very much looking forward to sharing her process and technical expertise with you. If you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to get in touch.


Caroline Beddard – Free Machine Embroidery

2 Day Workshop Exploring the art of Freemotion Embroidery

Dates: April 24th-25th 2021- FULLY BOOKED! 3rd July- 4th 2021- 2 PLACES LEFT Cost: £215 per person plus £10 materials minimum 4 / maximum of 6
10- 4.30pm Lunch included plus tea coffee and cake

Learn the art of freemotion embroidery and enjoy the freedom of drawing with your sewing machine in this creative two day workshop producing your very own artwork. This in-depth workshop is fully adaptable to both beginners and the more experienced alike, as we will not only cover the basics but also delve into the many creative ways of adapting this technique to suit your own abilities and experience.

This workshop is taught by Caroline Beddard who is a Welsh textile artist specialising in freemotion embroidery artwork. Caroline, who studied at Cardiff Metropolitan University as a mature student whilst bringing up her three children, successfully gained a first class honours degree in Textiles and has been practicing and perfecting the technique of freemotion embroidery ever since. Inspired by the natural environment and particularly the coastline Caroline will share her experience and knowledge to be able to pass on her passion for this wonderfully creative technique.

Day one focuses on everything from the basics of setting up your machine and what equipment you will need to top tips and handy advice to get the most out of this process. Throughout the day you will be taught the skills and techniques required by producing several small samples, growing in confidence as you become more skilled at the technique. Focusing on freemotion patterns we will be experimenting with dissolvable film, creating your own fabrics when combining it with variety different materials.

Day two examines the wonderfully addictive technique of raw edge applique as well as how to draw simple stitched pictures with your machine. You will be guided through each step carefully to successfully transfer prepared images on paper into wonderfully textured versions in an assortment of fabrics. It’s a great way to use up all those fabric scraps you have been putting away for a rainy day! We will also focus on freemotion text, examining two great ways of easily adding writing to your artworks. You will be taught all the skills needed to make the most out of this fantastic technique and end your day by producing a lovely piece of freemotion artwork using the raw edge applique technique. The small class size allows for plenty of one to one tuition which means you will leave the workshop with the knowledge and ability to continue with your own designs in the future .

All materials are included in the price of this workshop however please bring along your sewing machine and foot pedal as well as a suitable freemotion embroidery foot.


Anna Lewis – Jewellery Heirloom Workshop

2 Day Workshop

10am – 4.30pm
Dates: April 8th-9th 2021 Cost: £208 plus £40 material costs
min 6 participants

This 2 day workshop is designed around you and your jewellery heirlooms and collections of curios…. We will focus on creating layered chain and charm necklace which is quirky and tells a story. It might be that you have some old broken or unworn and unloved jewellery, we can reinvent it and bring it to life in a collective piece.

Please bring with you any charms, chains, pendants, old rings, beads, pearls, costume and precious jewellery, if you don’t have any maybe you could prepare for the workshop by selecting some from car boot sales, flea markets and e-bay. You do not need to spend a fortune, it would be nice to use real gold and silver but plated pieces are just as nice and elements of even plastic can excite your design. Do not be afraid to bring in an eclectic mix of objects and materials, the more you have the more options are open to you.

You will be taught skills in jewellery design and concept, basic connecting, some chain making and soldering from silver wire. Your piece will be constructed in a range of ways over the 2 days and you will leave with a beautiful chain and charm neckpiece.

All tools will be provided
Added materials in silver, chain, stone beads etc will also be included in the workshop cost to enhance your designs.

About your tutor:

Anna Lewis is an established jewellery artist working in mixed media and experimental scale. Anna is also a lecturer on Design Crafts and Surface Pattern Design at Swansea College of Art. A passion and inspiration of Anna’s is to collect antiques and curios, over the years she has been given and collected a range of tiny treasures which she embeds into jewels for both the body and the home.
More of Anna’s work can be seen here: www.annalewisdesign.com


Beginners No Press Relief Collagraph Making Workshop- Printing with a Spoon

Dates: April 18th 2021 1 day workshop / FULLY BOOKED
10am – 4.30 pm
Homemade lunch included plus tea, coffee and cake 
Cost: £83 plus £10 materials Min 5/ max 6 

For Marian-Haf printmaking is the closest thing to magic, that moment when you lift the paper with bated breath to reveal the print never gets old and is an experience she wants to share with you. This one day course will provide you with the confidence and knowledge to design, make and print a relief collagraph with the expert guidance and knowledge of your tutor Marian-Haf.
By the end of the day you will have  • Learned about a range of materials that can be used in making a collagraph plate from household packaging, paper and boards • Used a range of tools and techniques to create line texture and form .• Learned how to relief inked your plate using artist quality ink • Experimented with printing on to a range of paper and how each one handles differently, along with plate registration and good working practice in achieving a clean result• Designed, made and printed a series of relief collagraph prints to take away, with the knowledge to keep printing at home with minimal tools and investment.

Please bring with you a sketchbook and pencil along with images or design ideas or equally let the process guide you on the day.
Marian is very much looking forward to sharing this magical and accessible process with you.

Marian Haf Workshop

English Paper Piecing – a traditional patchwork technique with Carlo Briscoe

Course Schedule : 1 Full day with 5 evening sessions every 2 weeks 
Cost: £182 per person (6 sessions)
Min: 6 Max: 8

Course Summary: This is the perfect course to start you on your first patchwork quilt with the benefit of professional guidance and support as you develop and build your skills. This course is suitable for complete beginners who are looking for a new project and challenge to get stuck in to for 2021. 
Portable, fun and addictive, this is a great way to use up scrap fabrics, or to have an excuse to buy some of the irresistible new fabrics easily available today. This is an inexpensive way of creating many useful and beautiful items from large quilts to lavender bags. Items that ultimately are handmade and heirloom pieces that will be cherished and enjoyed for many years. Very little equipment is needed to take part in this course. You will be provided with two specialised needles, thread, fabric and a choice of designs for your first project.Please bring along your own sewing scissors and a thimble if you have one.
Over the workshops you will learn about many different approaches to paper piecing, and will end up with a thorough knowledge to enable you to make anything you want to. 

Day 1: A brief history of EPP (English Paper Piecing) with a look at different examples.
You will be talked through the equipment needed to start off. 
The morning will be spent choosing your design and cutting out your paper pieces before fixing them onto the fabric.
The afternoon will start with a brief talk about the whole process from start to finish as well as starting to sew some of your pieces together.
Evening 1: We will look at all the items made and talk through any issues that may have arisen, discussing as a group how to overcome and ways of improving in the future. You will learn about different papers and ways of attaching them to the fabric. We will talk about different types of fabric that can be used, and all about “fussy cutting” your material.
Evening 2:You will learn about different types of wadding, or batting, for your quilt, and how to fix the three layers of a quilt together before quilting. You will also learn about basic hand quilting.
Evening 3: You will learn how to finish a quilt with binding or facing.
Evening 4: All about designing your own quilts or cushions.
Evening 5: We will look at all the items made and talk about any problems you have encountered.  Dates: First full day: 
Tuesday March 30th 2021 
10am-4.30pm  1st evening Session: April 13th 2021 
( 5.30pm-9pm/ half hour lunch), 2 2nd evening Session: April 27th 2021 
(5.30pm-9pm/ half hour lunch) 3rd Evening Session: May 11th 2021, 
(5.30pm-9pm/ half hour lunch) 4th evening session: 25th May 2021, 
(5.30pm-9pm/ half hour lunch5th Final Evening session: 8th June (5.30pm-9pm/ half hour lunch


Boro Necklace Workshop with Imogen Mills

2 Day Workshop Dates: Saturday May 22nd- Sunday 23rd 2021 Cost: £112 plus £5 materials

10am – 4.30 pm
Homemade lunch included plus tea, coffee and cake 
minimum/max 6 participants 

In this workshop you will design and hand make your own boro necklace made from scrap materials, making each individual bead and necklace string. This could be for a total beginner or an experienced stitcher. Skills will be learnt and exchanged, but most of all while we stitch we will share stories and laughter. 

You will during this workshop:

-Discover the Japanese craft of Boro as way of recycling and repurposing fabric.

– Look at design techniques to gather inspiration and build your ideas.

-Learn how to utilise scrap fabric and construct 3 dimensional shapes, through wrapping, binding and stitching.

-Investigate a variety of stitches that can be used to strengthen fabric or for decoration.

-Explore colour combinations; mixing contrasting fabric and threads.

-You will take away with you a completed necklace for yourself or that could be a gift.

You will be supplied with your own embroidery needle, a range of embroidery threads to take away with you and scraps of fabric to choose from, however you are welcome to bring your own favourite sewing kits and tools and any particular scraps of fabric you would like to include in your necklace. Sturdy fabrics such as denim and heavy cotton work best, however thinner fabrics can be strengthened easily. Examples here are with plain fabrics but please feel free to bring patterned fabric that you feel may enhance your stitch embellishments. 

About Imogen Mills.

Imogen is a recent textile graduate from Carmarthen School of Art, specialising in weave. Imogen is currently studying MA textile and is the textile graduate resident at Carmarthen School of Art. Imogen has extensive experience in teaching previously as a community artist and gallery educator in Somerset and London. Imogen’s current hand woven sculpture work inspired by a year of cold water swimming can be found at http://www.imogenmills.co.uk


Contact form for all workshop enquiries and booking


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