a making retreat & a special bag
Updated: Please note that the Making Zen retreat has finished for this year. You can find my tutorial for the zippered purse here. I can’t wait for the online retreat next year. If you’re on my mailing list then I’ll send info when you can access it.
It’s here again! The Making Zen online Retreat. Last year when I was included it was such an honour and a beautiful collaboration of people to be sharing this with.
The Making Zen online Retreat is a week-long gathering of creatives sharing their special courses for you to enjoy and learn from. The great thing is that the whole week of access to the courses is entirely FREE. Yes, you can access over 20 different textile courses.
From creating your own spontaneous stitching, making an origami bag, making buttons (fastenings) to eco-printing and painting fabric. I’ve created a special project just for the Making Zen retreat, which shows how to insert a zipper and make a slow stitched gusset-bottom purse.
What’s Making Zen? you’re wondering…
Making Zen is a 5-day online retreat for stitchers and crafters to help them learn new processes, improve technique, and get inspired through a wholistic approach that nurtures creativity. Not only does this retreat offer all of the above through presentations from incredible artists from different places and backgrounds, it also offers an excuse to slow down, practice mindfulness, and bring some quietness into your life! Oh - and remember it’s free for the whole week of wonderful Making!
The retreat will cover lots of topics, including different methods of printing, visible mending, and bringing nature into your craft. My presentation (in case you haven’t guessed) will help you to overcome that fear (I used to have it) of inserting a zipper into a purse, and using hand stitching to make something beautiful practical.
I used to machine sew these little zippered purses all the time, and still have them in use today for so many uses. Plus they’re perfect for gifting. I’m thinking filled with chocolates, or a little notepad and pen, but of course a sewing kit for a new sewist is perfect.
Where do I sign up?
Tickets are available on the Zen Stitching website. You can also find lots of information there, as well as FAQs and a full list of the speakers that will be presenting throughout the retreat. There’s a heap of extra bonuses too that I know you’ll enjoy.
I’m excited to learn about ‘Stitching a Blessing book’, ‘Rust dyeing’ (I haven’t done this for a long time, and am eager to get back into it), ‘Stitching moss textures’ (ummmm wow!), and ‘The Boro Aesthetic book’ by Jody Alexander which is one of the bonuses is amazing!
This retreat is going to be a lot of fun, and a great way to improve your craft or learn a new one. The other excellent thing about the retreat is that it’s not like a regular online course or bundle. It’s actually designed as a way to connect with other makers. The courses are opened at specific times each day and there is an online community to connect with while we’re making.
Are you going to be there! I’d love to chat online during my course demonstration.
PS - this post was written for the May 2023 Making Zen Retreat. You can find the tutorial for my zippered purse here.
