If like me you’ve seen the phrase “ De fil en aiguille” and just thought it’s something to do with needles and thread but never quite got round to looking it up, let me enlighten you, it means: one thing, eventually leads to another. So we’ll start with the “fil” or thread and see where it takes us.
We’ll start at St Jean des Bois, in the Orne just a few kilometers from Granville and Bayeux at the home of Gloria Peek. Back in the UK Gloria worked in IT, but since retiring to Normandy she can at last devote herself to her real passion which is teaching fibre crafts. She has her own sheep which provide some of the wool for the yarn and being crafty in both senses of the word, has a deal with the mayor of St Jean: she gets his sheep shorn in exchange for a few extra fleeces. 
Gloria will show you how to select a fleece and prepare it for spinning, then how to spin using a spinning wheel or a drop spindle. More experienced spinners can try out other fibres, like alpaca, silk or bamboo and learn different methods of plying and how to make felt. She grows dye plants in her garden, so you can learn natural dyeing and try acid or food dyes too. If there’s something you’re dying to know how to do she will be happy to show you. Once you’ve got your yarn you might like to have a go at weaving, there are looms for you to use (Gloria doesn’t teach weaving) or you can refresh your knitting or crochet skills.
Her classes are open to locals and to guests at her B and B and range from regular half day workshops to seven day house parties for groups of friends. She can arrange for you to try watercolour painting, pyrography and wood-turning too.
Now, for our next course we’ll follow the thread down to Luçon in the Vendée to the home of Val Holmes. Val teaches embroidery and textile art to beginners and experienced embroiderers alike, she exhibits widely and has written several books on the subject. You can choose from a range of themed courses, such as machine embroidery, embroidered gardens or silk and lace or your own bespoke course. She will take you out and about in search of inspiration for your creations, stopping for lunch along the way.
Val offers you high quality accommodation with wonderful food, either in her Chambre d’hôte or self-catering gîte with heated pool and there’s plenty of things for non-embroidering partners to do, like golf or horse-riding and the beautiful Vendée coast to explore.
Next we’ll be cutting cloth and learning patchwork in the Pyrénées with Penny Roberts at le Jardin du Cure. She’s been teaching patchwork since 1979 and since moving to France offers classes for locals and holiday courses for groups of friends who stay in her well equipped, comfortable gîtes with pool and fabulous gardens. You can learn the basics of patchwork and how to get the most from your sewing machine or learn more advanced techniques and patterns, Penny will design a course to your requirements. She says “Even a beginner can make a quilt in a day!” Plus you can explore Toulouse, “La Ville Rose”, Albi, birthplace of Toulouse Lautrec or take a tour of the haunting ruins of cathar castles.
Lastly, our thread turns green as we recycle or “re-invent” French textiles at the fabulous 18th century Château Dumas in Tarn et Garonne. If you’ve got boxes or drawers full of vintage fabric and lace, old pearl buttons and silk ribbons but have never got round to doing anything with them, this course is for you. Your tutor is top stylist and textile designer Ros Badger. She’s designed knitwear for Betty Jackson and Margaret Howell and has just published “Homemade” (featured in British Vogue). You’ll be guided through a series of planned projects including fabric bags and cushions and you’ll be encouraged to use your own ideas. As well as five days with Ros, the course includes a day of woad dying with expert Denise Lambert from Bleu de Lectoure, visits to local flea markets to hunt for more fabric finds. The château is set in 22 acres and has a large pool and offers you hotel style pampering and superb cuisine. Château Dumas also runs courses on silver jewellery making and hat-making with Princess Diana’s hat designer.
If you’ve been inspired to get stitching you’ll find all these courses and more on Facilitutors.com. Oh and if you never know what to say when you’re asked what you’d like for your birthday or for Christmas, I hope I’ve given you a few ideas!
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Contact details: -
Gloria Peek
http://www.crafts-at-leslandes.com/
Tel 02 33 96 09 04
Val Holmes
http://gitesvendee.com/embroideryinfrance.htm
Tel 02 51 27 43 39
Penny Roberts
http://www.lejardinducure.com/
Tel 05 63 34 83 69
Château Dumashttp://www.chateaudumas.net/
Tel 00 44 79 447917 80690517 806905
Wendy Wise owns and runs www.facilitutors.com
which promotes courses of all sorts – for all sorts of people. So if you want to add another string to your bow or find out how Facilitutors can promote your courses contact
Wendy
wendywise3@hotmail.com
Tel 05 46 33 09 89
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