Events
Soaking in the Seasons - Woodlands - Beltane
The first session of this 4-part course
Basing ourselves in a beautiful Cumbrian woodland in the Rusland Valley, we will prepare a fire to gather around, cook on and heat up our dye baths. For the first part of the day we will be peeling oak. A traditional woodland skill, bark peeling involves removing the bark from felled oak trees. The bark is traditionally used by tanneries to tan leather but we will use it in our natural dyeing experiments and the now clean, smooth oak we can use in our creative projects. After bark peeling, we will walk in the woods to forage other plants to experiment with before returning to our fire to prepare dye baths and soak the fabric.
The rest of the day will be spent learning about the woodland, connecting with our surroundings, checking on our dye experiments and finally, we will stoke up the fire and have our own Beltane celebration to finish our first day together!
To book or find out more go to the Soaking in the Seasons page
Woodland Weaving
A collaborative workshop between myself and Owen Jones in the Lake District woodland we work together.
We’d love for you to join us for this unique course where you’ll be involved in the whole process from tree to basket. There’ll be lots of time to talk while we’re bark peeling, plenty of hot or cold drinks, and hopefully the sun will join us. We’ll end the weekend with a simple basketry project.
To book or find out more go to the Woodland Weaving page
Weekend in the Woods
Weekend in the Woods is here again! The annual woodland gathering and courses from the Coppice Association North West.
I’ll be teaching oak riving and weaving at this year’s Weekend in the Woods. We’ll cleave oak, load the mini boiler, and make a mini basket on Day 1. Day 2 we’ll rive out the hot oak and make a second basket.
Arrivals from afternoon of Friday 31st May. Camping is included, as well as delicious food, a tea tent with all the tea, coffee and cakes you’ll need, and good crack around the evening fire.
You can also choose from bowl turning, shavehorse making, westmorland panels, axe sheath making, foraging and a deep dive into the lime tree. This event is not to be missed.
Bookings and information on the Coppice Association North West website
Soaking in the Seasons - Mountains - Lammas
The second session of this 4-part course. Participants must sign up to all 4.
For our second gathering, we will be exploring the wild landscapes of mountains and valleys. We will have an indoor base (with outside space) to prepare this season’s dyes and we will be heading out into the fells to forage for plants and learn more about the landscape it’s history and ecosystems.
We’ll be celebrating Lammas together, which traditionally was a time to honour Lugh, the Celtic craftsman god so we will take the opportunity to celebrate our own skills with a small ceremony and fire.
To book or find out more go to the Soaking in the Seasons page
Tear Up wood and fibre festival
Eddie Glew’s amazing Tear Up Fest is back for 2024.
I’ll be teaching my L’al Yak oak and leather basket bags during the week and setting up a basket stall over the weekend.
Tickets sold out in super speedy time but you can still sign up to the waiting list.
Scottish Basketmakers Circle AGM and Gathering
I don’t need much encouragement to head North and I always really enjoy the SBC weekend.
This year I’ll be teaching a Scandinavian style hazel wall basket at the WASPS studio in Inverness.
Booking will be open soon on the Scottish Basketmakers’ Circle website
Soaking in the Seasons - Mosses - Samhain
The third session of this four part course. Participants must sign up to all four.
November is the darkest time of year, so we will gather indoors to make our dye baths and experiments but venture out again into another new landscape to gather materials whilst the sun (hopefully) shines. Mosses are areas of raised mires (peat bog), and are a prominent feature of the Cumbrian landscape. They are home to a wide variety of plants and wildlife and even in early winter, we will have no trouble finding things to forage and experiment with. We may even be lucky enough to see the local Red Deer.
After a day of connecting and creating, we will gather around a fire to celebrate Samhain with warming, seasonal foraged teas.
To book or find out more go to the Soaking in the Seasons page
Soaking in the Seasons - Coast - Imbolc
The last of this four part workshop.
For our final session, we will gather at the coast. Winter will be coming to an end, but the days are likely to still be cold. We will have a cosy base with a warming fire and will spend a lot of this session working with the fabrics we’ve dyed, to create textile pieces of art. We will also spend time outdoors, exploring our natural surroundings and discovering what there is to be found in winter by the sea.
Our seasonal celebration will be Imbolc. A celebration of the end of winter, and of our time together.
To book or find out more go to the Soaking in the Seasons page
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 12-4.30
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 12-4.30
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 12-4.30
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 12-4.30
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 12-4.30
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 12-4.30
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 12-4.30
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 12-4.30
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 12-4.30
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 12-4.30
Other times by appointment.
Christmas at Grizedale
Put yourself in the festive spirit at Grizedale!
Enjoy festive specials and mulled wine in Cafe Ambio, explore the fantastic range of makers and crafters working here in the forest and get out and about for a Christmas forest walk, you can even pick out your perfect Christmas tree to take home!
Activities include:
🎄 Festive food and drink from Cafe Ambio
🎄 Print designs with Shona Branigan
🎄 Wreath making sessions with Pow Pots
🎄 Open artist studios - pick your perfect Christmas gift
🎄 Drop in family Christmas crafts
🎄 Small selection of real Christmas trees
🎄 Zog Christmas trail and family Christmas adventure
Midwinter open studio
Come and join us for a (nearly) midwinter open studio. I’d love to see everyone that I’ve met or collaborated with over the last year, or 10, share a mince pie, have a good catch up and start winding down for midwinter.
We’re clearing back the work space to create more display and mooching space. I’ll have some work on display, including samples that you can’t buy online, as well as some work from guest artists tbc, so you can do some shopping if you wish or simply soak up the woody surroundings.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 11-3.
Other times by appointment.
Christmas Fair at Rydal Mount
Rydal Mount & Gardens are holding their second Christmas Fair and I’ll be there with my baskets (outside so that I don’t ruin any of William Wordsworth’s belongings with my wet oak!). There’ll be lots of artists throughout the historic house, fires, carols, mince pies, mulled wine and full access to the house and garden with your ticket.
Open 10-4
Tickets are £4 and you can book ahead of the day buy tickets here
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 11-3.
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 11-3.
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 11-3.
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio at Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, opposite the information centre.
You’re welcome to come by between 11-3.
Other times by appointment.
Blackwell Craft Fair
Blackwell Craft Fair is the place to discover distinctive, handcrafted gifts made by exceptional local artists and makers. As you explore the rooms in the Arts & Crafts house, you’ll find beautiful jewellery, textiles, ceramics, glass, leather products and prints.
Makers confirmed include; Emma Mercedes Riis, Isabella Lepri Simpson, Jan Huntley-Pearce, Kate Morrison, Lakeland Stich, Lauren Frost, Liz Jones, Monica Metsers Fine Art, Morgan Leather, My Mum Taught Me To Sew, Purple Dragon Workshops, Susan Deakin.
The fair runs from 10-4 each day.
Entry costs £6 adult and £3 child (5-15yrs). Entry is free for under 5’s, Lakeland Arts Members and annual pass holders.
Book your tickets here
Tree to treen course
Come and make treen with me. During the day we’ll turn trees in spatulas, coat hoooks, flowers and mini carved trees.
Lunch at Cafe in the Forest is included
£95 full price/£75 unwaged or student
Booking details coming soon.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio in Grizedale Forest.
You’re welcome to come by between 12-4.
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio in Grizedale Forest.
You’re welcome to come by between 11-3.
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio in Grizedale Forest.
You’re welcome to come by between 10-2.
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio in Grizedale Forest.
You’re welcome to come by between 10-2.
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio in Grizedale Forest.
You’re welcome to come by between 10-2.
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio in Grizedale Forest.
You’re welcome to come by between 10-2.
Other times by appointment.
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio in Grizedale Forest.
You’re welcome to come by between 10-2.
Other times by appointment.
Westmorland County Show
I’ll be demonstrating my craft in the Rural Crafts tent at the County Show.
Info and tickets on the show Society website here
Westmorland County Show
I’ll be demonstrating my craft in the Rural Crafts tent at the County Show.
Info and tickets on the show Society website here
Open Studio
I’ll be working in my studio in Grizedale Forest.
You’re welcome to come by between 10-2.
Other times by appointment.