Workshops

Most of our workshops have now been confirmed for the 2010 festival.  We’re trying some new ideas as well as repeating some popular sessions that we’ve held previously.

Next year there’ll be a really nice creative buzz in the workshops. 

Getting creative on Brooches, Buttons & Bows at Inspirations 2009

We’re holding them in the undercroft at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, and there will be at least 2 sessions on at any time during both the Friday and the Saturday – sometimes all four spaces will be full of people making and creating!

We’ll keep you up to date on all the sessions taking place over the next couple of months so that you can decide which ones you’d like to come on – you can book a place from January.

‘The Patch Project’ – Inspirations 2009 live project

We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with the National Quilt Museum on The Patch Project.  We’ve had a fantastic initial meeting with them this week and Melanie, their education officer, has come up with all sorts of wonderful ways of supporting us.  We’ll add in a link along the side of this blog to take you straight to the museum’s website so you can find out more about their beautiful exhibitions, and hopefully get inspired to have a go at making your own textiles pieces.

The Patch Project is our take on the increased interest in all things homemade.  We want to encourage people to try something new,  explore using different materials and feel involved in a community project.  If you’re new to textiles, or don’t have the patience for intricate patchwork – fear not!  We’re just as happy for you to use felt, wool, sequins,  paint, or any other material you fancy using to create pictures or abstract squares.

We’re also going to suggest that people use things they already have or can buy cheaply, to make their patch.  We’ll be using clothes we no longer wear, scraps of fabrics, bits of ribbons we’ve been hoarding and raiding our button  collections to make our patches! 

We plan to launch The Patch Project officially in January, but if you’re really keen to get started, you might like to attend one of the ‘patch sessions’ that we’re holding between now and then – if so, drop an email to Katie who’s part of the Inspirations team – katie.pask@york.gov.uk, and she’ll tell you when the next one is happening.

Once we’ve launched officially, you’ll be able to download a basic handout about the project to get you started, as well as 3 detailed handouts about creating traditional patchwork produced by volunteers from the  Quilt Museum.  We’re keen to make sure that everyone can contribute to the piece, no matter what their existing level of skill.

We’ll keep blogging about the project to keep you up to date (and because we’re excited about itourselves!) and to show you patches that other people have created.

Deep in planning…..

We’re busy busy busy at the moment planning next year; thinking about lots of ideas for our workshops including jewellery, photography, portraiture and all sorts of fab crafting sessions.

Getting very excited about the live project theme next year too! We’ve decided to go for textiles this time around, and The Patch Project will be a project and a half!  More details to follow soon…..