Quirky Workshops Art, Craft and Heritage Skill Courses
Quirky Workshops at Greystoke Craft Garden and Barns is a unique creative venue offering an inspiring range of art, craft and heritage workshops from a C17th listed farmhouse in the pretty village of Greystoke. We're placed 5 miles equidistantly from Penrith, Eden Valley & Ullswater, on the northern fringes of the Lake District, west of Penrith, in beautiful Cumbria, north west England. We have been running around 1440 craft courses each year, since 2005.
During the lockdown of May 2020, we renovated an old hay loft and now host the majority our indoor courses and workshops in this wonderful, new, light, airy and spacious studio - 'the Swallow Barn’ ; although some tutors still prefer the cosy atmosphere and ground floor easy access nature of the original studio, 'Squirrel Barn'. Many of the courses (especially art and calligraphy) feature live streaming of tutor demos onto a large screen at the front, allowing students to watch closely, whilst seated at their desks. This practice was started during Covid but has been continued as very helpful with many workshops.
Please see our website https://www.quirkyworkshops.co.uk/quirky-workshops-cumbria for full details of upcoming courses in date order.
Workshop days are relaxing, friendly and informal. They are delivered by hand picked professional and or expert tutors, many leaders in their chosen fields. Students often travel considerable distances to take part, staying in this lovely village of Greystoke or finding somewhere special close by . . .Keswick, Ullswater, Penrith and the Eden Valley are all within easy driving distance.
One, two or three day courses in:
- stone carving (relief or letter carving), wood carving, bird whittling, spoon carving, willow weaving and rush basket making.
- Lino cut printing, Fused glass, Stained Glass panels and Stained Glass mirrors, Sterling Silver jewellery and Silver Ring making courses, Porcelain plates and vases, and inspiring Mosaics
- Many textile courses including weaving, Needle felting Garden Bird pictures (robin/blue tit/wren) , Herdwick sheep and Pet Portraits, Felt art, Paint Print and Stitch, Felt Slippers, Ecoprinting, Leather Bag making, Learn to Spin and Lampshade Making, 'Hole House' bag making,
- Art courses : Introduction to Pen and Wash , Discovering Watercolours , Botanical and Wildlife illustration, Art courses with John Harrison, Frances Winder, Lyn Evans, Margaret Jarvis, Roy Simmons, Lis Bramwell, Calligraphy with Claire of byMoonandTide (our live streamed onto a large screen is especially useful for this course .. no more struggling to see the tutor demo close up from the back of the group!)
All day courses include tasty homemade lunch, fresh coffees and Aga cream teas. Drinks are served at desks do students may continue working Lunches to be taken at desks or in the garden during summer months.
Our workshop days are popular as gifts for special occasions. Quirky Open Vouchers make perfect and original presents and mean a lovely day can be shared together if preferred. Our Christmas Open vouchers are especially popular.
A full list of our courses can be found at https://www.quirkyworkshops.co.uk/quirky-workshops-cumbria or please phone 017684 83984
We look forward to welcoming you here in Greystoke!
Location
We are in the picturesque village of Greystoke, just 5 miles west of Penrith/Junction 40 of the M6 and a few miles north of the A66 and Ullswater. Keswick is approx 15 minutes further west
Greystoke boasts several B B's, as well as self catering options and has its own website greystokevillage.co.uk We have a playing field, an outdoor heated swimming pool open from June through to August, a Castle, a church, a shop and post office and a cosy pub serving evening meals.
'Dynamic Floral & Landscape Abstracts in Ink and Watercolour' - with Lyn Evans
Dynamic Floral and Landscape Abstracts in Ink and Watercolour - capture your favourite flowers and fells!
An exciting course from Lyn Evans combining these two favourite mediums. Bring along your own favourite reference photos of your favourite flowers, fells and dramatic landscapes and Lyn will show you how to create very loose and flowing paintings using two or three Acrylic inks and a few watercolours.
You will learn by adding water to ink marks, seeing it flow then adding more colour and watching while the magic happens.
An opportunity to let go with colour and line and produce some beautiful pictures and learn new techniques at the same time. Please bring your own materials - see below
Everyone brings acrylic inks, watercolours and paper. Lyn can provide all the paint and 2 sheet of caddi paper for those who require for £6. See below
10am – 4.00pm
£82 tasty homemade Lunch included and fresh coffee
Material Charges : n/a
'Botanical Art for the Terrified' with Lis Bramwell
Botanical Art for the Terrified! How to paint beautiful flowers using watercolours, even if you're not sure where to start!
Join Lis on this informal, fun and relaxed day where you will gradually build up your botanical skills and techniques as the day progresses. A perfect course for those with a love of flowers and plants who are keen to learn how to represent them using watercolour paints. Lis will spend the morning taking you step by gentle step learning how to paint petals, leaves, stems and buds, followed by a wander around the garden here at the Craft Garden in Greystoke, after lunch, to find inspiration for your own flower painting.
Hole House Bag making - the 'Forager Bag' with Emma Redfern
The Forager is an outdoorsy, cross body bag that looks great made in oilskin and tweed. The bag has a zipped outer pocket as well as optional pockets in the lining and a long, adjustable strap. The top of the bag is designed to slouch a little, while the main body has more structure, so that the whole bag is practical, comfortable to wear and the perfect day to day bag for chucking everything in! It comes in three sizes too, so you can choose whether you want a large messenger bag look, handbag size or handy dog walking bag!
Suitable for those with a little bag making experience or adventurous beginners, if you can confidently use your sewing machine, you can make this!
Relief Carving in Hardwood with Alister Neville
Join Alister Neville for a focussed day in the outdoors Carving a Design in Hardwood for a decorative plaque, board, bowl, house sign - or another project perhaps!
Arriving in a large van weighed down with 3 massive hand heavy workbenches, Alister brings a full set of really sharp wood carving tools for each student, plenty of resources and some lovely pieces of hardwood to choose from for your piece - including sycamore, ash, oak, birch.
Sometime carvers opt for a house name board, but many other items are carved as well; animals, numbers and sayings. Anything is possible - time allowing - in the day. The workbenches are placed under canopies if it looks like rain. Four people to each bench, plenty of space still and very solid.
A lovely if not rather meditative way to spend a day and end up with something lovely!
Gardening for the Terrified' short course with Shelagh Todd - lecturer, garden designer & plantswoman.
This gardening course is designed for absolute beginners and you will find out all you ever wanted to know about gardening - but were perhaps too embarrassed or afraid to ask.
Shelagh will cover a range of gardening topics to allow you to leave the course feeling confident & inspired to work in your own outdoor space.
Topics covered will include
- Getting to know your space. Every space is different and needs to be treated differently
- Selecting plants for your garden. Commonly referred to by gardeners as “the right plant for the right place”
- The practicallities of creating & maintaining your outdoor space
We will explore the garden created over 20 years at Poplin Dub to gather ideas on successful planting combinations, practical layouts, how you use the garden to fulfil your individual needs and ultimately allow you to take away practical & creative ideas to use in your garden.
And finally you will leave the course discovering gardening is fun & rewarding.
Bring along on the day
- A few photos of your outdoor space
- A small bag or jar of your garden soil
- Please bring along photos or live specimens of ornamental plants in your garden to allow Shelagh to help you identify them
- If you have a weed problem in garden please bring a sample along & Shelagh will give you tips on how to control them
Shelagh is widely known and highly respected throughout Cumbria's gardening fraternity. She has been both the familiar face, and 'lead' of Horticulture at Newton Rigg for well over 30 years, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our 2025 Quirky programme. She brings a wealth of gardening expertise and teaching experience, which over the years, will have gently inspired (literally) thousands of 'would-be gardeners’ to create and nurture their own individual outdoor spaces.
Gardening for the Terrified' short course with Shelagh Todd - lecturer, garden designer & plantswoman.
This gardening course is designed for absolute beginners and you will find out all you ever wanted to know about gardening - but were perhaps too embarrassed or afraid to ask.
Shelagh will cover a range of gardening topics to allow you to leave the course feeling confident & inspired to work in your own outdoor space.
Topics covered will include
- Getting to know your space. Every space is different and needs to be treated differently
- Selecting plants for your garden. Commonly referred to by gardeners as “the right plant for the right place”
- The practicallities of creating & maintaining your outdoor space
We will explore the garden created over 20 years at Poplin Dub to gather ideas on successful planting combinations, practical layouts, how you use the garden to fulfil your individual needs and ultimately allow you to take away practical & creative ideas to use in your garden.
And finally you will leave the course discovering gardening is fun & rewarding.
Bring along on the day
- A few photos of your outdoor space
- A small bag or jar of your garden soil
- Please bring along photos or live specimens of ornamental plants in your garden to allow Shelagh to help you identify them
- If you have a weed problem in garden please bring a sample along & Shelagh will give you tips on how to control them
Shelagh is widely known and highly respected throughout Cumbria's gardening fraternity. She has been both the familiar face, and 'lead' of Horticulture at Newton Rigg for well over 30 years, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our 2025 Quirky programme. She brings a wealth of gardening expertise and teaching experience, which over the years, will have gently inspired (literally) thousands of 'would-be gardeners’ to create and nurture their own individual outdoor spaces.
'Landscapes of the Lake District' in Oils, with Roy Simmons ... Beginners and intermediates.
'PROPER' PAINTING! Of course oil paint has that reputation, deserved or not, for its many qualities. Blending with oil paint is a wonderful thing, as you will discover on this course. You can employ loose and lively brushwork, which is the key to creating engaging paintings. After introducing the materials and equipment, we will do a couple of quick studies, step by step, to loosen up and gain confidence. Following this we will paint a landscape, again step by step, working from a supplied photograph. After that you will be free to paint your own choice of landscape from supplied photos, of which there will be many.
'Needle Felted Garden Birds ~ 'The Blue Tit' with Helen Hammond (low relief)
Needle Felted Garden Birds . . 'The Blue Tit' with Helen Hammond (see 'The Wren' under a separate heading)
An exciting new addition for 2023 from Helen Hammond in her needle-felted Birds series .... creating one of our bird tables' most frequent visitors - the 'colourful and lovable' Blue Tit.
Join Helen for a lovely day being guided through how to make this beautifully detailed garden friend using the needle felting process. Once again, your piece will have a slightly sculpted low relief appearance, subtly enhancing the natural features of this characterful little bird.
Whatever your ability, Helen will provide you with tools, materials, knowledge and guidance to create your own delightful bird over the day, before applying the legs & fixing it to the 'branch'. The birds will then be mounted in a special box frame, for a really professional finish.
You will be using a variety of natural wool fibres and Helen will teach you all about needle felting and how to blend your fibre colours. You will be using specialist needle felting needles (not sewing needles) for this purpose. These specialist tools/ needles are designed to entangle, compact, control and shape the soft carded wool fibres into firm felted pieces. It is a slow and very therapeutic process.
All reference images will be provided and will form an important part of your working process. This course is suitable for all abilities including beginners. This is a dry felted process and a 'clean' method of working. No aprons or gloves are required. However, please bring plasters!
This Blue Tit is one of three Garden birds that Helen offers on the inspiring Needle felting days- the others being the Robin (in early December '25) and the Wren . Please see your website for booking dates, thank you.
Discovering 'Pen & Wash' with Margaret Jarvis
Join Margaret Jarvis for the day and learn the various intricacies of painting in 'Pen and Wash'
This medium is also be known as 'Watercolour & Ink'. This day will touch on colour mixing and using watercolours and it combines the subtle variable nature of the watercolour wash with finer detail picked out in black ink pen, allowing the artist different effects in shading and textures. The type of ink pens used - its water solubility and also stippling intensity and textures employed can create a vast range of effects.
The December workshop will be the same introduction to the day but students can paint their own optyionally themed Christmas subjects such as holly, baubles, snowdrops and christmas trees etc. Matgaret can easily show you how!
'Paint Print Stitch in Nature' with Kay Leech
'Paint Print Stitch in Nature' with Kay Leech
A lovely day with Kay Leech, being guided through the process of creating using paint, print and then stitch. Working in mixed media you will create a picture based on flowers, you can bring your own image or use one of the ones provided for inspiration. You will paint the background directly onto a base fabric and then add layers with simple stencils and print blocks that you have created. Finally you will add stitch which can be by machine and/or hand embroidered and embellished with beads and buttons. The finished piece will be 30cmx30cm which will fit into a standard 40cmx40cm frame. Kay's work centres on textured pieces using paint, print and collage coupled with hand and machine embroidery with stitch on textiles. Please note there will be a materials charge of £15, payable directly to the tutor on the day.
Needle Felt a Herdwick Portrait ~ with Jane Makes
'Paint with Wool' and Needle Felt your own Herdwick Sheep ... The iconic breed of the Lake District ~ with Jane Makes
Learn how to paint with wool to create a beautiful Herdwick sheep, crafted with real wool fibres into a hessian background.
Over the duration of the day Jane will show you how to create a 2D Herdwick head using the needle felting technique. You don’t need any drawing skills, and everyone is welcome, from beginners to improvers. Jane will guide you through the tools & techniques needed and go through the various attributes of different breeds of sheep and their wool, which fibres work well and why - as well as which needles to use for different finish’s and effects, and also how to correct mistakes.
You will be working on a hessian background and build your picture through the manipulation and layout of fibres, from colour choices and blending to the beautiful intricate detailed effects to bring your herdy to life!
You will take home a beautiful felted picture, and as a bonus you will also get to keep the tools you used over the day, meaning you can continue your new found love of felting when you get home.
Jane will bring along a selection of 100% real Wool fibres, a foam mat as a working surface, Hessian for your background and 2 felting needles and all these materials will be yours to take home at the end of the day - just in case you feel the need for a final tweaking of your piece. There will be £15 materials charge payable to Jane on the day.
'Lakeland Cottages & more' in Pen & Wash - with Lyn Evans
Painting Lakeland Cottages & more ~ in Pen & Wash ~ with Lyn Evans
This is a lovely day with Lyn Evans, who will combine this most popular medium along with some of our lovely Lakeland buildings, of all sizes, whether nestled on a hillside in a wider landscape, in a townscape or amongst its own garden or setting - depicting those beauitful lakeland buildings in Pen and Wash, in a closer or larger landscape as preferred.
The day will start with a step by step where you will be working on the same piece with Lyn, using the camera and screen so you can follow from the comfort of your desks as she leads you through the drawing and painting of the piece. You can of course just watch at the front too if you wish. Bring some of you own photographs or images to work on in the afternoon and Lyn will continue to guide you through your piece. Suitable for all abiities.
'Hearts of Flowers' in fused glass with Michelle of 'Lakeshore Arts'
Join Michelle and create your own beautiful fused glass Flower Heart - suitable for all abilities.
Michelle will arrive with her ready prepared heart shapes and will talk you through the various design aspects and techniques of creating the lovely flowes and leaves for your piece to assemble together to create your own beautiful floral heart.
You will learn about different types of glass used in fusing work and also about the all important COE (Coefficient of expansion) – vital to understand in glass fusing as it makes sure the right types of glass are used and fuse together. Your finished heart designs will then be taken away and fired and returned to Greystoke. If there is time you maybe be able to make a second heart for additional materials cost tbc). The flower hearts can be collected from here a few weeks later, once they have been fired and fused. Alternatively Michelle can post these directly to your home for approx £5.50
We first saw Michelle's beautiful fused glass pieces at a local farm show and just loved them. We are absolutely delighted she has agreed to take some workshops here at Greystoke.
You will learn how to cut and trim the flowers and leaves and get an idea of what can be done with glass in a kiln in terms of fusing, stacking, tack fusing and slumping. You will also learn about various inclusions and their different applications, using frits, stringers, glassline pens and sheet glass along with other fragments.
'Hearts of Flowers' in fused glass with Michelle of 'Lakeshore Arts'
Join Michelle and create your own beautiful fused glass Flower Heart - suitable for all abilities.
Michelle will arrive with her ready prepared heart shapes and will talk you through the various design aspects and techniques of creating the lovely flowes and leaves for your piece to assemble together to create your own beautiful floral heart.
You will learn about different types of glass used in fusing work and also about the all important COE (Coefficient of expansion) – vital to understand in glass fusing as it makes sure the right types of glass are used and fuse together. Your finished heart designs will then be taken away and fired and returned to Greystoke. If there is time you maybe be able to make a second heart for additional materials cost tbc). The flower hearts can be collected from here a few weeks later, once they have been fired and fused. Alternatively Michelle can post these directly to your home for approx £5.50
We first saw Michelle's beautiful fused glass pieces at a local farm show and just loved them. We are absolutely delighted she has agreed to take some workshops here at Greystoke.
You will learn how to cut and trim the flowers and leaves and get an idea of what can be done with glass in a kiln in terms of fusing, stacking, tack fusing and slumping. You will also learn about various inclusions and their different applications, using frits, stringers, glassline pens and sheet glass along with other fragments.
'Gorgeously Swirly Calligraphy' with Claire from by Moon and Tide
10.00am-12.30pm OR 1.30pm to 4.00pm
£55 inc fresh coffee/tea/home made biscuits
Material Charges : included , and to take home
Create beautiful lettering using 'Gorgeously Swirly Calligraphy' - with Claire from By Moon and Tide
Calligraphy workshops are all about beginning your lettering adventures. I try to keep all the sessions really playful and fun, helping you to explore what your new pens and nibs will do. Everyone is different, and some people like to try drawing with calligraphy pens rather than focusing on letters. That’s why I love teaching calligraphy.
I write my own worksheets which incorporate as many swirls and flourishes as they do letters. Learning this way takes the focus off ‘handwriting’ and onto something more enjoyable and free!
Join Claire for this friendly and relaxed Calligraphy workshop and learn how to write using this wonderful style of modern Calligraphy to create your own gorgeous cards, gift tags and more! This By Moon & Tide workshops is perfect for absolute beginners as well as those with a little Calligraphy experience - all are welcome!
Please ask if you wish to reserve more than two spaces on this class.
The workshop will take place in our lovely listed first floor studio, the Swallow Barn, where Claire's every hand movement and flourish will be filmed close up and projected onto a large screen above her, for all to see. This means everyone can enjoy their welcome coffee and biscuit from the comfort of their chairs and take it all in. Of course you can move closer to watch if you prefer!
You’ll have fun getting to grips with a dip pen and copperplate nib in this friendly, relaxed class, from initial scratches and swirls you’ll soon be writing beautiful letters, all in the space of a couple of hours!
By Moon & Tide modern calligraphy workshops are fun, informal sessions, ideal for individuals or for sharing with friends. Please join us if you can – we’d love to help you learn the art of beautiful writing. Everyone will have some personal tuition on the day as well as the opportunity to watch demos and ask questions as you learn.
Ceramic Hare Sculptures with Mark Bradley
9.30am to 4.30pm ish
£120 Lunch and fresh coffee included
Material Charges: £40 inc clay and two firings(see below NOTE*)
Sculpt your own beautiful seated Ceramic Hare, with Mark Bradley
New for 2025 we're really pleased to welcome Mark and this exciting ceramic Hare workshop to the Quirky Programme.
Enjoy a busy and absorbing day being guided through the many processes involved in creating these amazing Hares. You can choose whether your Hare is moon gazing with ears back, or positioned up, ears alert listening for danger. Each Hare will be unique, with its own quirks and personality - and towards the end of the class you can choose to create a smoother finish for it, or more textured as in the main photo - or any permutation in between. The choice is yours.
Mark will provide all the equipment and materials needed to create your lovely sculpture in just one day - you only need to bring along shirt or apron to protect your clothes and your materials money below. Once finish the Hares will be carefully transported back to Mark studio to be slowly air dried. After a few weeks they will be ready for bisque firing, and then Mark will apply - if you wish - the various oxides to highlight the ears and tails particularly, before firing a second time.
The colouring is with oxides, students can choose to skip this stage if they wish, and Mark can return them either bisque, or fired twice, which turns the clay into stoneware.
The Hares will hopefully be ready for collection back at Greystoke within 3 to 4 weeks of the class. Sometimes, in damp conditions, this can take take longer.
This course will usually take place in the ground floor Squirrel Barn with three steps up from the gravel driveway.
Ceramic Hare Sculptures with Mark Bradley
9.30am to 4.30pm ish
£120 Lunch and fresh coffee included
Material Charges: £40 inc clay and two firings(see below NOTE*)
Sculpt your own beautiful seated Ceramic Hare, with Mark Bradley
New for 2025 we're really pleased to welcome Mark and this exciting ceramic Hare workshop to the Quirky Programme.
Enjoy a busy and absorbing day being guided through the many processes involved in creating these amazing Hares. You can choose whether your Hare is moon gazing with ears back, or positioned up, ears alert listening for danger. Each Hare will be unique, with its own quirks and personality - and towards the end of the class you can choose to create a smoother finish for it, or more textured as in the main photo - or any permutation in between. The choice is yours.
Mark will provide all the equipment and materials needed to create your lovely sculpture in just one day - you only need to bring along shirt or apron to protect your clothes and your materials money below. Once finish the Hares will be carefully transported back to Mark studio to be slowly air dried. After a few weeks they will be ready for bisque firing, and then Mark will apply - if you wish - the various oxides to highlight the ears and tails particularly, before firing a second time.
The colouring is with oxides, students can choose to skip this stage if they wish, and Mark can return them either bisque, or fired twice, which turns the clay into stoneware.
The Hares will hopefully be ready for collection back at Greystoke within 3 to 4 weeks of the class. Sometimes, in damp conditions, this can take take longer.
This course will usually take place in the ground floor Squirrel Barn with three steps up from the gravel driveway.
Create your own Botanical Prints in full colour, linocut for beginners and intermediates, with Laura Sowerby
9.30am – 4.30pm
£85 Lunch included, fresh coffee cream tea etc
Material Charges £20
Create your own Botanical Prints in full colour, linocut for beginners and intermediates with Laura Sowerby
Spend a lovely day creating your own original botanical lino print in full colour, under the careful guidance of lovely artist and printer Laura Sowerby. Using professional quality materials and and some clever carving, you will turn your seed of an idea into a print to be proud of.
Laura Sowerby creates intricate botanical prints and handmade wallpaper in linocut at her picturesque studio in the Langdale Fells. Her evocative designs on cushions, lampshades and gift-ware have recently been widely featured has been featured in Country Living, Gardens Illustrated, Country Homes & Interiors and The English Home magazines and shown in galleries both locally and nationally.
‘Discovering that I am a direct descendant of James Sowerby, famous 18th-century botanical illustrator is a delight.’ she smiles.
Over the day you will learn how to plan your original design, the principles of lino cut and master various cutting techniques with the goal of producing your own multi-coloured linocut print by the end of the day. (up to A4 in size) All abilities are welcome. The print blocks you create can be taken home and also could be used to print onto fabrics and soft furnishings such as cushion covers etc.
Design & Planting Tips for a small Garden' with Shelagh Todd - lecturer, garden designer & plantswoman.
Design and Planting Tips for a Small Garden with Cumbrian Based lecturer, garden designer & plantswoman Shelagh Todd.
Shelagh is widely known and highly respected throughout Cumbria's gardening fraternity. She has been both the familiar face, and 'lead' of Horticulture at Newton Rigg for well over 30 years, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our 2025 Quirky programme. She brings a wealth of gardening expertise and teaching experience, which over the years, will have gently inspired (literally) thousands of 'would-be gardeners’ to create and nurture their own individual outdoor spaces.
During this one day course Shelagh will share garden design advice, hints and tips on how you can make the most of your small garden. We will explore how you can achieve atmospheric and all year interest in your small space.
Subjects covered:
- Site assessment
- Design inspiration for small spaces
- A walk & talk around the gardens at Poplin Dub created over the last 25 years.
- Privacy & screening solutions for a small space
- Choosing the right plants for a small space
By the end of the day you will have:
- An understanding of how to choose the correct plants for your small garden
- A list of plants that will create impact and interest but not outgrow their space
- A list of plants that are suitable for the atmosphere that you want to create
A textured Porcelain Plant Pot ~ with Cath Ball of 'Stitched Ceramics'
Textured Porcelain pieces ~ Cath Ball of 'Stitched Ceramics'
Join Cath for a short course to make your own special decorated plant pot or plate in Porcelain.
AM workshop Porcelain Plant Pot 10.30am -12.30pm
+/or PM workshop Porcelain Plate 1.30pm - 3.30pm
Choose either the morning or afternoon sessions depending on the piece you wish to make. If both sessions are booked a tasty lunch is included.
We are delighted to welcome talented Cumbrian artist, Cath from Stitched Ceramics, offering these two lovely short courses over one day.
You will be using hand building techniques to make your very own beautiful plant pot or plate, using gleaming white porcelain clay. Once rolled out using special 'guides', Cath will show you how to add special textures to the surface of the clay using a collection of laces and fabric. If you have any of your own textured fabrics/lace, that you'd like to include, please bring them along.
Your piece will then be carefully transported back to Cath’s studio, based in Thursby, near Carlisle,to be glazed and fired. When complete you can collect your Porcelain from either Thursby, or Greystoke or can choose to have it then posted out at an extra charge (around £6).
We hope you'll love using your special textured Porcelain for many years to come. They are also safe for you to use in the oven or dishwasher.
10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm
£48 inc fresh coffee, inc biscuits (free lunch if both booked)
Material Charges : £20 collected on the day see Note*
A textured Porcelain Plate ~ with Cath Ball of 'Stitched Ceramics'
Textured Porcelain pieces ~ Cath Ball of 'Stiiched Ceramics'
Join Cath for a short course to make your own special decorated plant pot or plate in Porcelain.
AM workshop Porcelain Plant Pot 10.30am -12.30pm
+/or PM workshop Porcelain Plate 1.30pm - 3.30pm
Choose either the morning or afternoon sessions depending on the piece you wish to make. If both sessions are booked a tasty lunch is included.
We are delighted to welcome talented Cumbrian artist, Cath from Stitched Ceramics, offering these two lovely short courses over one day.
You will be using hand building techniques to make your very own beautiful plant pot or plate, using gleaming white porcelain clay. Once rolled out using special 'guides', Cath will show you how to add special textures to the surface of the clay using a collection of laces and fabric. If you have any of your own textured fabrics/lace, that you'd like to include, please bring them along.
Your piece will then be carefully transported back to Cath’s studio, based in Thursby, near Carlisle,to be glazed and fired. When complete you can collect your Porcelain from either Thursby, or Greystoke or can choose to have it then posted out at an extra charge (around £6).
We hope you'll love using your special textured Porcelain for many years to come. They are also safe for you to use in the oven or dishwasher.
10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm
£48 inc fresh coffee, inc biscuits (free lunch if both booked)
Material Charges : £20 collected on the day see Note*
Mokuhanga' Japanese woodblock printing- 'Japanese Gardens' with Julie Evans
‘Mokuhanga’ Japanese woodblock printing. 'Japanese Gardens' with Julie Evans
Join printmaker Julie Evans for an exciting foray into the art of Mokuhanga, explored through the theme of Katei (Ka-house, Tei- Garden)
This is a fascinating and full on day learning the basic processes of this ancient traditional Japanese technique which uses wood, watercolours, rice starch and paper. You will come away with the skills you need to continue exploring and developing at home.
In the morning Julie will guide you through creating a simple 3-5 colour ‘garden’ image inspired by the rocks, gravel, stone paths, water and plants found in a Japanese garden. Your print will be 16 x 11 cm in size and you are invited to bring your own ideas or use those supplied by Julie. Each element of your design will then be transferred onto the individual colour blocks - iro-ban ready for carving. You will learn how to cut the registration kentou that ensure each block prints exactly on top of the previous one.
Using a set of woodcutting tools you will outline each element of the design and carve a gully all around it to isolate it from the surrounding wood. The shina plywood is very soft, but if you have any injury or arthritis in your fingers or shoulder Julie will help and adapt your design to reduce the amount of carving required. You will have the choice to work on a large woodblock in the traditional way, or use smaller blocks with the more contemporary soto-kento which requires much less carving.
After lunch you will prepare your paints, rice starch and paper ready to begin printing the woodblocks. Julie will show you how to apply the paint and rice starch - nori to the wood, lay the damp paper into the block and then print by applying pressure from a circular hand held baren.
After that you will be free to spend the afternoon printing your blocks and exploring different colours and paints effects. You will be supplied with a variety of papers, western and Japanese so that you can experience how differently they print. Julie will also bring along some of her professional tools and barens for you to try out.
Your woodblocks are yours to take home along with a baren, some nori and paper so that you can continue printing at home.
After booking the workshop Julie will send you more detailed information about what to bring and some design ideas.
Typically this course runs with 8 students.
Funky Felt Slippers with Debra Esterhuizen
Design and create your very own bespoke, warm and funky felt slippers from 100% merino wool, with Debra Esterhuizen.
Join Debra on this fun and soap-filled felting day that can't fail to leave you smiling. Make yourself a beautiful pair of bespoke, warm and seamless felt slippers, using the wet felting technique, moulded cleverly to your feet. Each slipper is unique and made to fit, as plain or as fancy as you like. Do feel free to bring any special small inclusions which it might be possible to use, very fine silk for example or anything else you treasure that could be incorporated into the felt fibres. Due to social distancing we ask students to bring their own washing up bowls and be sure they are agile enough to spend a good time at the end of the day massaging their own bare slippered feet over the bowl - or resting your foot on your knee. For the comical effort of soapy rubbing and afternoon acrobatics, your just reward will be not only a pair of lovely slippers, but you'll also be heading home with feet scented and laundered as never before!
Design & Plan your own Garden - 2 days with Shelagh Todd - lecturer, garden designer & plantswoman
"Learn to design your own garden… just the way you want it" with leading Cumbrian Garden Designer, Lecturer and Plantswoman, Shelagh Todd.
Shelagh is widely known and highly respected throughout Cumbria's gardening fraternity. She has been both the familiar face - and 'lead' - of Horticulture at Newton Rigg College for well over 30 years, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our 2025 Quirky programme. She brings a wealth of gardening expertise and teaching experience, which over the years will have gently inspired literally thousands of 'would-be gardeners’ to create and nurture their own individual outdoor spaces. This two-day course is an ideal starting point for beginners, garden enthusiasts and anyone who wants to re-design their garden space.
Day 1 will cover the design process, including surveying, analysing & soil testing your site. Using your own design brief, you will learn to create a functional layout plan that you can apply to your garden, including consideration for hard landscaping materials as required. We can explore both the established and newer areas of the garden at Quirky Workshops which is maintained on a largely organic basis with wildlife at its heart.
Day 2 Shelagh will show you how to design the planting for your garden to achieve colour, interest and atmosphere; how to choose and combine the right plants for your soil conditions, and for best effect. You can decide on the style of planting and the types of plants you wish to grow, and we’ll discuss the pros and cons of different plants, what to look for when you are buying plants and how to source good plants locally.
*In advance of the workshop we'll send you an 'easy to follow' guide on how to measure up your garden. This means you can arrive on the first day of the course with a plan of your plot ready to begin the design process. With illustrated talks & drawing exercises, by the end of the 2 days you will have completed some planting schemes and have the skills to continue designing at home.
Christmas Fused Glass..'Robins and Tea Light Holders' with Michelle of Lakeshore Arts
Join Michelle and create your own beautiful fused glass festive Tealight holder/ Robins for Christmas - suitable for all abilities.
Michelle will have prepared all the specialist glass set out and will talk you through the various design aspects and techniques of creating both a cheerful robin to hang on your tree, or a festive tea light holder for your table. This can be slumped (melted into a shallow bowl shape) if required. You can choose whether to make one of each, or alternatively two of the same.
You will learn about different types of glass used in fusing work and also about the all important COE (Coefficient of expansion) – vital to understand in glass fusing as it makes sure the right types of glass can fuse together correctly. Your finished designs will then be taken away to Michelle's studio and fired, before being returned to Greystoke some weeks later. The finshed pieces can be collected from here a few weeks later, once they have been fired and fused. Alternatively Michelle can post these directly to your home for approx £5.50
We first saw Michelle's beautiful fused glass pieces at the Keswick Show and just loved them. We are absolutely delighted she has agreed to take some workshops here at Greystoke.
You will learn how to cut and trim the glass to get an idea of what can be created. You will also learn about fusing, stacking, tack fusing and slumping. You will also learn about various inclusions and their different applications, using frits, stringers, glassline pens and sheet glass along with other fragments.
Christmas Fused Glass..'Robins and Tea Light Holders' with Michelle of Lakeshore Arts
Join Michelle and create your own beautiful fused glass festive Tealight holder/ Robins for Christmas - suitable for all abilities.
Michelle will have prepared all the specialist glass set out and will talk you through the various design aspects and techniques of creating both a cheerful robin to hang on your tree, or a festive tea light holder for your table. This can be slumped (melted into a shallow bowl shape) if required. You can choose whether to make one of each, or alternatively two of the same.
You will learn about different types of glass used in fusing work and also about the all important COE (Coefficient of expansion) – vital to understand in glass fusing as it makes sure the right types of glass can fuse together correctly. Your finished designs will then be taken away to Michelle's studio and fired, before being returned to Greystoke some weeks later. The finshed pieces can be collected from here a few weeks later, once they have been fired and fused. Alternatively Michelle can post these directly to your home for approx £5.50
We first saw Michelle's beautiful fused glass pieces at the Keswick Show and just loved them. We are absolutely delighted she has agreed to take some workshops here at Greystoke.
You will learn how to cut and trim the glass to get an idea of what can be created. You will also learn about fusing, stacking, tack fusing and slumping. You will also learn about various inclusions and their different applications, using frits, stringers, glassline pens and sheet glass along with other fragments.
'Engraving Sgraffito on Glass' short course with Vicky Boase
'Engraving Sgraffito on Glass', with Vicky Boase.
Enjoy discovering the art of Sgraffito on Glass, expertly guided by glass artist Vicky Boase.
Sgraffito, meaning 'scratched away' in Italian, is the 'subtractive' art of engraving a design into the top thin layer of black paint to reveal the underlying base colour of the glass. This creates a stunning pattern in silhouette which can be beautifully highlighted when hung at a window.
Vicky will arrive with a selection of pre-painted stained glass pieces, in four vibrant colours, for you to choose from for your piece. After a brief introduction to the history of stained glass and Sgraffito, and learning how your piece has been prepared before the class, students can then start to plan their personal design using specially provided black paper and white pencils, which will mimic the reverse nature of the process.
Then with the help of your own individual lightbox and special tools, you can transfer your design onto your chosen glass, bringing your piece to life by gently engraving your pattern into the paint.
At the end of the day Vicky will take all student work back to her studio near Alston to be glass fired to make the paint permanent and no longer scratchable. If you choose the optional extra leaded surround to your glass piece, Vicky will prepare and add it at this stage (pre-book on the day for £10 please). All pieces will then be posted back to Greystoke for collection. Alternatively she can post the piece directly to your address for an additional charge.
All tools and materials are provided; some confidence in drawing is desirable for this course although tracing is also allowed!!
'Engraving Sgraffito on Glass' short course with Vicky Boase
'Engraving Sgraffito on Glass', with Vicky Boase.
Enjoy discovering the art of Sgraffito on Glass, expertly guided by glass artist Vicky Boase.
Sgraffito, meaning 'scratched away' in Italian, is the 'subtractive' art of engraving a design into the top thin layer of black paint to reveal the underlying base colour of the glass. This creates a stunning pattern in silhouette which can be beautifully highlighted when hung at a window.
Vicky will arrive with a selection of pre-painted stained glass pieces, in four vibrant colours, for you to choose from for your piece. After a brief introduction to the history of stained glass and Sgraffito, and learning how your piece has been prepared before the class, students can then start to plan their personal design using specially provided black paper and white pencils, which will mimic the reverse nature of the process.
Then with the help of your own individual lightbox and special tools, you can transfer your design onto your chosen glass, bringing your piece to life by gently engraving your pattern into the paint.
At the end of the day Vicky will take all student work back to her studio near Alston to be glass fired to make the paint permanent and no longer scratchable. If you choose the optional extra leaded surround to your glass piece, Vicky will prepare and add it at this stage (pre-book on the day for £10 please). All pieces will then be posted back to Greystoke for collection. Alternatively she can post the piece directly to your address for an additional charge.
All tools and materials are provided; some confidence in drawing is desirable for this course although tracing is also allowed!!
Discovering Watercolours with Margaret Jarvis
Introduction to Watercolours with Margaret Jarvis for Beginners and intermediates.
First Steps in Watercolour paints looks in depth at colours, colours mixing techniques washes shading and brush techniques. It is the most useful place to start for those wishing to learn the basics in an enjoyable, thorough day of discovering the world of watercolours. Even those with considerable experience say they learn a lot from this class.
If you are new to painting and would like to start somewhere, we can highly recommend Margaret Jarvis, an outstanding local tutor for Beginners and Improvers in both Watercolours. Margaret brings a wealth of knowledge and confirms that you don't need to be able to 'draw' to paint with watercolours. It's all about technique. This course provides a good grounding in watercolour techniques.
Sterling Silver Jewellery - 3 Silver Rings in a day - with Melinda Scarborough
30 Nov 24' Hannah reviewed: Silver Jewellery Workshop - '3 Silver Rings in a Day' - a 'Quirky Workshop' nr Ullswater & the Lake District
"5 stars is an understatement, this day course was amazing. Melinda is so knowledgeable and incredibly patient. I'm thrilled with the rings I made and would recommend this course to everyone"
Design & make 'three Silver rings' with Sterling Silver and some Semi-Precious Stones with Melinda Scarborough
Your experienced professional tutor, Melinda, will guide you through the process of designing your rings and show you how to use the workshop tools with systematic demonstrations. Once ready to start you will cut out your silver using a saw frame (each student has their own) and then shape the pieces to add texture and interest using your own set of tools provided.
You will learn the basic techniques of soldering, surface textures and how to get a nice professional finish to ensure that your three rings will sit together well if required. This is quite an intensive day, but by the end of it you will be able to leave with a set of 3 different rings that you yourself have designed and made. The material cost is £20 and the tutor will have more materials to buy if necessary.
This course is suitable for both beginners and intermediate. Each student will sit at their own desk spaced well apart
Sterling Silver Jewellery 2 days with Melinda Scarborough
Create your own beautiful jewellery with Sterling Silver, Pearls and Semi-Precious Stones
On this popular 2-day workshop you will use a variety of equipment to make as many stunning pieces as you can under Melinda's guidance. The number of items you make will vary according to your pace. Melinda brings all the tools and equipment essential for any proper silver jewellery course.
Once people become familiar with the tools the designs start flowing. Your design will be unique; you will learn cutting, forming, doming, soldering, texturing and polishing. You can work at your own pace and make the most your workshop time. All photos are student pieces from our Greystoke workshop.
Make a Stained Glass Mirror with Lizzy Hippisley-Cox
Join Lizzy Hippisley-Cox for a one day Stained Glass 'taster' ... Design and make a beautiful Leaded Panel - with optional mirror.
An opportunity to dip your toe into and try this intensive one day Stained Glass taster day with Lizzy making a leaded stained glass mirror (its not compulsory to includ a mirrored panel - using only glass is fine too! All glass, tools, equipment, expertise and enthusiasm is provided by Lizzy, who is highly skilled in preserving these jewels of our heritage and has spent many years advising on and restoring original stained glass windows in our cathedrals and churches countrywide
Lizzy will have some prepared design templates ready for you and there will be a choice of coloured glass along with some pre cut panels mirror as needed. Firstly she will explain the various aspects of creating a stained glass panel, and will then let you have a go at learning the safe glass cutting technique. Once practised, you can then choose your template from a selection supplied, depending on your cutting abilities and at this stage you can decide whether you wish to incorporate a mirrored panel within this or alternatively keep the whole panel as glass. If mirror is required Lizzy can cut this for you.
Once all the pieces are cut , the panel is carefully leading up the mirror according to the design. You will then finish by soldering everything together in your panel and finally cleaning and polishing using demonstrated techniques. You will leave with your own bespoke stained glass (mirrored) panel.
Discovering Stained Glass' ..a two day workshop with Lizzy Hippisley-Cox
Design and create your own beautiful Stained Glass panel on this 2 day workshop with Lizzy Hippisley-Cox of Eden Stained Glass
Working with beautifully coloured and clear, textured glass - all provided by Lizzy - you will learn how to handle, cut safely and to 'lead up' a square panel over the two day course of approximately 8 inches square. Obviously all glass, tools, equipment, expertise and enthusiasm is provided by Lizzy, who is highly skilled in preserving these jewels of our heritage and has spent many years advising on and restoring original stained glass windows in our cathedrals and churches countrywide.
Although traditionally stained glass is associated with place sf worship, these days it is increasingly popular when used in homes for decoration. Staining glass is an ancient art of using colour and light to create atmosphere and to depict images and stories.
The panel you make could be for a place in your house or could be built into a window or frame as a hanging panel. Please bring any ideas you may have in terms of design and Lizzy will assess what will be possible in the time allowed.
Needle Felted Garden Birds ~ 'The Robin' with Helen Hammond (low relief)
Needle Felted Garden Birds, . . 'The Robin' with Helen Hammond (see 'The Wren' and 'The Blue Tit' under a separate heading)
Another exciting and inspiring workshop from Helen Hammond in her needle-felted Birds series .... creating one of our bird tables' most frequent visitors - the 'joyful' Robin!
Join Helen for a lovely day being guided through how to make this beautifully detailed garden friend using the needle felting process. Once again, your piece will have a slightly sculpted low relief appearance, subtly enhancing the natural features of this characterful little bird.
Whatever your ability, Helen will provide you with tools, materials, knowledge and guidance to create your own delightful bird over the day, before applying the legs & fixing it to the 'branch'. The birds will then be mounted in a special box frame, for a really professional finish.
You will be using a variety of natural wool fibres and Helen will teach you all about needle felting and how to blend your fibre colours. You will be using specialist needle felting needles (not sewing needles) for this purpose. These specialist tools/ needles are designed to entangle, compact, control and shape the soft carded wool fibres into firm felted pieces. It is a slow and very therapeutic process.
All reference images will be provided and will form an important part of your working process. This course is suitable for all abilities including beginners. This is a dry felted process and a 'clean' method of working. No aprons or gloves are required. However, please bring plasters!
Discovering 'Pen & Wash' with Margaret Jarvis
Join Margaret Jarvis for the day and learn the various intricacies of painting in 'Pen and Wash'
This medium is also be known as 'Watercolour & Ink'. This day will touch on colour mixing and using watercolours and it combines the subtle variable nature of the watercolour wash with finer detail picked out in black ink pen, allowing the artist different effects in shading and textures. The type of ink pens used - its water solubility and also stippling intensity and textures employed can create a vast range of effects.
The December workshop will be the same introduction to the day but students can paint their own optyionally themed Christmas subjects such as holly, baubles, snowdrops and christmas trees etc. Matgaret can easily show you how!
Your enquiry will be sent directly to Quirky Workshops Art, Craft and Heritage Skill Courses. Please fill in as much detail as you can.
Quirky Workshops at Greystoke Craft Garden and Barns is a unique creative venue offering an inspiring range of art, craft and heritage workshops from a C17th listed farmhouse in the pretty village of Greystoke. We're placed 5 miles equidistantly from Penrith, Eden Valley & Ullswater, on the northern fringes of the Lake District, west of Penrith, in beautiful Cumbria, north west England. We have been running around 1440 craft courses each year, since 2005.
During the lockdown of May 2020, we renovated an old hay loft and now host the majority our indoor courses and workshops in this wonderful, new, light, airy and spacious studio - 'the Swallow Barn’ ; although some tutors still prefer the cosy atmosphere and ground floor easy access nature of the original studio, 'Squirrel Barn'. Many of the courses (especially art and calligraphy) feature live streaming of tutor demos onto a large screen at the front, allowing students to watch closely, whilst seated at their desks. This practice was started during Covid but has been continued as very helpful with many workshops.
Please see our website https://www.quirkyworkshops.co.uk/quirky-workshops-cumbria for full details of upcoming courses in date order.
Workshop days are relaxing, friendly and informal. They are delivered by hand picked professional and or expert tutors, many leaders in their chosen fields. Students often travel considerable distances to take part, staying in this lovely village of Greystoke or finding somewhere special close by . . .Keswick, Ullswater, Penrith and the Eden Valley are all within easy driving distance.
One, two or three day courses in:
- stone carving (relief or letter carving), wood carving, bird whittling, spoon carving, willow weaving and rush basket making.
- Lino cut printing, Fused glass, Stained Glass panels and Stained Glass mirrors, Sterling Silver jewellery and Silver Ring making courses, Porcelain plates and vases, and inspiring Mosaics
- Many textile courses including weaving, Needle felting Garden Bird pictures (robin/blue tit/wren) , Herdwick sheep and Pet Portraits, Felt art, Paint Print and Stitch, Felt Slippers, Ecoprinting, Leather Bag making, Learn to Spin and Lampshade Making, 'Hole House' bag making,
- Art courses : Introduction to Pen and Wash , Discovering Watercolours , Botanical and Wildlife illustration, Art courses with John Harrison, Frances Winder, Lyn Evans, Margaret Jarvis, Roy Simmons, Lis Bramwell, Calligraphy with Claire of byMoonandTide (our live streamed onto a large screen is especially useful for this course .. no more struggling to see the tutor demo close up from the back of the group!)
All day courses include tasty homemade lunch, fresh coffees and Aga cream teas. Drinks are served at desks do students may continue working Lunches to be taken at desks or in the garden during summer months.
Our workshop days are popular as gifts for special occasions. Quirky Open Vouchers make perfect and original presents and mean a lovely day can be shared together if preferred. Our Christmas Open vouchers are especially popular.
A full list of our courses can be found at https://www.quirkyworkshops.co.uk/quirky-workshops-cumbria or please phone 017684 83984
We look forward to welcoming you here in Greystoke!
Location
We are in the picturesque village of Greystoke, just 5 miles west of Penrith/Junction 40 of the M6 and a few miles north of the A66 and Ullswater. Keswick is approx 15 minutes further west
Greystoke boasts several B B's, as well as self catering options and has its own website greystokevillage.co.uk We have a playing field, an outdoor heated swimming pool open from June through to August, a Castle, a church, a shop and post office and a cosy pub serving evening meals.
'Dynamic Floral & Landscape Abstracts in Ink and Watercolour' - with Lyn Evans
Dynamic Floral and Landscape Abstracts in Ink and Watercolour - capture your favourite flowers and fells!
An exciting course from Lyn Evans combining these two favourite mediums. Bring along your own favourite reference photos of your favourite flowers, fells and dramatic landscapes and Lyn will show you how to create very loose and flowing paintings using two or three Acrylic inks and a few watercolours.
You will learn by adding water to ink marks, seeing it flow then adding more colour and watching while the magic happens.
An opportunity to let go with colour and line and produce some beautiful pictures and learn new techniques at the same time. Please bring your own materials - see below
Everyone brings acrylic inks, watercolours and paper. Lyn can provide all the paint and 2 sheet of caddi paper for those who require for £6. See below
10am – 4.00pm
£82 tasty homemade Lunch included and fresh coffee
Material Charges : n/a
'Botanical Art for the Terrified' with Lis Bramwell
Botanical Art for the Terrified! How to paint beautiful flowers using watercolours, even if you're not sure where to start!
Join Lis on this informal, fun and relaxed day where you will gradually build up your botanical skills and techniques as the day progresses. A perfect course for those with a love of flowers and plants who are keen to learn how to represent them using watercolour paints. Lis will spend the morning taking you step by gentle step learning how to paint petals, leaves, stems and buds, followed by a wander around the garden here at the Craft Garden in Greystoke, after lunch, to find inspiration for your own flower painting.
Hole House Bag making - the 'Forager Bag' with Emma Redfern
The Forager is an outdoorsy, cross body bag that looks great made in oilskin and tweed. The bag has a zipped outer pocket as well as optional pockets in the lining and a long, adjustable strap. The top of the bag is designed to slouch a little, while the main body has more structure, so that the whole bag is practical, comfortable to wear and the perfect day to day bag for chucking everything in! It comes in three sizes too, so you can choose whether you want a large messenger bag look, handbag size or handy dog walking bag!
Suitable for those with a little bag making experience or adventurous beginners, if you can confidently use your sewing machine, you can make this!
Relief Carving in Hardwood with Alister Neville
Join Alister Neville for a focussed day in the outdoors Carving a Design in Hardwood for a decorative plaque, board, bowl, house sign - or another project perhaps!
Arriving in a large van weighed down with 3 massive hand heavy workbenches, Alister brings a full set of really sharp wood carving tools for each student, plenty of resources and some lovely pieces of hardwood to choose from for your piece - including sycamore, ash, oak, birch.
Sometime carvers opt for a house name board, but many other items are carved as well; animals, numbers and sayings. Anything is possible - time allowing - in the day. The workbenches are placed under canopies if it looks like rain. Four people to each bench, plenty of space still and very solid.
A lovely if not rather meditative way to spend a day and end up with something lovely!
Gardening for the Terrified' short course with Shelagh Todd - lecturer, garden designer & plantswoman.
This gardening course is designed for absolute beginners and you will find out all you ever wanted to know about gardening - but were perhaps too embarrassed or afraid to ask.
Shelagh will cover a range of gardening topics to allow you to leave the course feeling confident & inspired to work in your own outdoor space.
Topics covered will include
- Getting to know your space. Every space is different and needs to be treated differently
- Selecting plants for your garden. Commonly referred to by gardeners as “the right plant for the right place”
- The practicallities of creating & maintaining your outdoor space
We will explore the garden created over 20 years at Poplin Dub to gather ideas on successful planting combinations, practical layouts, how you use the garden to fulfil your individual needs and ultimately allow you to take away practical & creative ideas to use in your garden.
And finally you will leave the course discovering gardening is fun & rewarding.
Bring along on the day
- A few photos of your outdoor space
- A small bag or jar of your garden soil
- Please bring along photos or live specimens of ornamental plants in your garden to allow Shelagh to help you identify them
- If you have a weed problem in garden please bring a sample along & Shelagh will give you tips on how to control them
Shelagh is widely known and highly respected throughout Cumbria's gardening fraternity. She has been both the familiar face, and 'lead' of Horticulture at Newton Rigg for well over 30 years, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our 2025 Quirky programme. She brings a wealth of gardening expertise and teaching experience, which over the years, will have gently inspired (literally) thousands of 'would-be gardeners’ to create and nurture their own individual outdoor spaces.
Gardening for the Terrified' short course with Shelagh Todd - lecturer, garden designer & plantswoman.
This gardening course is designed for absolute beginners and you will find out all you ever wanted to know about gardening - but were perhaps too embarrassed or afraid to ask.
Shelagh will cover a range of gardening topics to allow you to leave the course feeling confident & inspired to work in your own outdoor space.
Topics covered will include
- Getting to know your space. Every space is different and needs to be treated differently
- Selecting plants for your garden. Commonly referred to by gardeners as “the right plant for the right place”
- The practicallities of creating & maintaining your outdoor space
We will explore the garden created over 20 years at Poplin Dub to gather ideas on successful planting combinations, practical layouts, how you use the garden to fulfil your individual needs and ultimately allow you to take away practical & creative ideas to use in your garden.
And finally you will leave the course discovering gardening is fun & rewarding.
Bring along on the day
- A few photos of your outdoor space
- A small bag or jar of your garden soil
- Please bring along photos or live specimens of ornamental plants in your garden to allow Shelagh to help you identify them
- If you have a weed problem in garden please bring a sample along & Shelagh will give you tips on how to control them
Shelagh is widely known and highly respected throughout Cumbria's gardening fraternity. She has been both the familiar face, and 'lead' of Horticulture at Newton Rigg for well over 30 years, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our 2025 Quirky programme. She brings a wealth of gardening expertise and teaching experience, which over the years, will have gently inspired (literally) thousands of 'would-be gardeners’ to create and nurture their own individual outdoor spaces.
'Landscapes of the Lake District' in Oils, with Roy Simmons ... Beginners and intermediates.
'PROPER' PAINTING! Of course oil paint has that reputation, deserved or not, for its many qualities. Blending with oil paint is a wonderful thing, as you will discover on this course. You can employ loose and lively brushwork, which is the key to creating engaging paintings. After introducing the materials and equipment, we will do a couple of quick studies, step by step, to loosen up and gain confidence. Following this we will paint a landscape, again step by step, working from a supplied photograph. After that you will be free to paint your own choice of landscape from supplied photos, of which there will be many.
'Needle Felted Garden Birds ~ 'The Blue Tit' with Helen Hammond (low relief)
Needle Felted Garden Birds . . 'The Blue Tit' with Helen Hammond (see 'The Wren' under a separate heading)
An exciting new addition for 2023 from Helen Hammond in her needle-felted Birds series .... creating one of our bird tables' most frequent visitors - the 'colourful and lovable' Blue Tit.
Join Helen for a lovely day being guided through how to make this beautifully detailed garden friend using the needle felting process. Once again, your piece will have a slightly sculpted low relief appearance, subtly enhancing the natural features of this characterful little bird.
Whatever your ability, Helen will provide you with tools, materials, knowledge and guidance to create your own delightful bird over the day, before applying the legs & fixing it to the 'branch'. The birds will then be mounted in a special box frame, for a really professional finish.
You will be using a variety of natural wool fibres and Helen will teach you all about needle felting and how to blend your fibre colours. You will be using specialist needle felting needles (not sewing needles) for this purpose. These specialist tools/ needles are designed to entangle, compact, control and shape the soft carded wool fibres into firm felted pieces. It is a slow and very therapeutic process.
All reference images will be provided and will form an important part of your working process. This course is suitable for all abilities including beginners. This is a dry felted process and a 'clean' method of working. No aprons or gloves are required. However, please bring plasters!
This Blue Tit is one of three Garden birds that Helen offers on the inspiring Needle felting days- the others being the Robin (in early December '25) and the Wren . Please see your website for booking dates, thank you.
Discovering 'Pen & Wash' with Margaret Jarvis
Join Margaret Jarvis for the day and learn the various intricacies of painting in 'Pen and Wash'
This medium is also be known as 'Watercolour & Ink'. This day will touch on colour mixing and using watercolours and it combines the subtle variable nature of the watercolour wash with finer detail picked out in black ink pen, allowing the artist different effects in shading and textures. The type of ink pens used - its water solubility and also stippling intensity and textures employed can create a vast range of effects.
The December workshop will be the same introduction to the day but students can paint their own optyionally themed Christmas subjects such as holly, baubles, snowdrops and christmas trees etc. Matgaret can easily show you how!
'Paint Print Stitch in Nature' with Kay Leech
'Paint Print Stitch in Nature' with Kay Leech
A lovely day with Kay Leech, being guided through the process of creating using paint, print and then stitch. Working in mixed media you will create a picture based on flowers, you can bring your own image or use one of the ones provided for inspiration. You will paint the background directly onto a base fabric and then add layers with simple stencils and print blocks that you have created. Finally you will add stitch which can be by machine and/or hand embroidered and embellished with beads and buttons. The finished piece will be 30cmx30cm which will fit into a standard 40cmx40cm frame. Kay's work centres on textured pieces using paint, print and collage coupled with hand and machine embroidery with stitch on textiles. Please note there will be a materials charge of £15, payable directly to the tutor on the day.
Needle Felt a Herdwick Portrait ~ with Jane Makes
'Paint with Wool' and Needle Felt your own Herdwick Sheep ... The iconic breed of the Lake District ~ with Jane Makes
Learn how to paint with wool to create a beautiful Herdwick sheep, crafted with real wool fibres into a hessian background.
Over the duration of the day Jane will show you how to create a 2D Herdwick head using the needle felting technique. You don’t need any drawing skills, and everyone is welcome, from beginners to improvers. Jane will guide you through the tools & techniques needed and go through the various attributes of different breeds of sheep and their wool, which fibres work well and why - as well as which needles to use for different finish’s and effects, and also how to correct mistakes.
You will be working on a hessian background and build your picture through the manipulation and layout of fibres, from colour choices and blending to the beautiful intricate detailed effects to bring your herdy to life!
You will take home a beautiful felted picture, and as a bonus you will also get to keep the tools you used over the day, meaning you can continue your new found love of felting when you get home.
Jane will bring along a selection of 100% real Wool fibres, a foam mat as a working surface, Hessian for your background and 2 felting needles and all these materials will be yours to take home at the end of the day - just in case you feel the need for a final tweaking of your piece. There will be £15 materials charge payable to Jane on the day.
'Lakeland Cottages & more' in Pen & Wash - with Lyn Evans
Painting Lakeland Cottages & more ~ in Pen & Wash ~ with Lyn Evans
This is a lovely day with Lyn Evans, who will combine this most popular medium along with some of our lovely Lakeland buildings, of all sizes, whether nestled on a hillside in a wider landscape, in a townscape or amongst its own garden or setting - depicting those beauitful lakeland buildings in Pen and Wash, in a closer or larger landscape as preferred.
The day will start with a step by step where you will be working on the same piece with Lyn, using the camera and screen so you can follow from the comfort of your desks as she leads you through the drawing and painting of the piece. You can of course just watch at the front too if you wish. Bring some of you own photographs or images to work on in the afternoon and Lyn will continue to guide you through your piece. Suitable for all abiities.
'Hearts of Flowers' in fused glass with Michelle of 'Lakeshore Arts'
Join Michelle and create your own beautiful fused glass Flower Heart - suitable for all abilities.
Michelle will arrive with her ready prepared heart shapes and will talk you through the various design aspects and techniques of creating the lovely flowes and leaves for your piece to assemble together to create your own beautiful floral heart.
You will learn about different types of glass used in fusing work and also about the all important COE (Coefficient of expansion) – vital to understand in glass fusing as it makes sure the right types of glass are used and fuse together. Your finished heart designs will then be taken away and fired and returned to Greystoke. If there is time you maybe be able to make a second heart for additional materials cost tbc). The flower hearts can be collected from here a few weeks later, once they have been fired and fused. Alternatively Michelle can post these directly to your home for approx £5.50
We first saw Michelle's beautiful fused glass pieces at a local farm show and just loved them. We are absolutely delighted she has agreed to take some workshops here at Greystoke.
You will learn how to cut and trim the flowers and leaves and get an idea of what can be done with glass in a kiln in terms of fusing, stacking, tack fusing and slumping. You will also learn about various inclusions and their different applications, using frits, stringers, glassline pens and sheet glass along with other fragments.
'Hearts of Flowers' in fused glass with Michelle of 'Lakeshore Arts'
Join Michelle and create your own beautiful fused glass Flower Heart - suitable for all abilities.
Michelle will arrive with her ready prepared heart shapes and will talk you through the various design aspects and techniques of creating the lovely flowes and leaves for your piece to assemble together to create your own beautiful floral heart.
You will learn about different types of glass used in fusing work and also about the all important COE (Coefficient of expansion) – vital to understand in glass fusing as it makes sure the right types of glass are used and fuse together. Your finished heart designs will then be taken away and fired and returned to Greystoke. If there is time you maybe be able to make a second heart for additional materials cost tbc). The flower hearts can be collected from here a few weeks later, once they have been fired and fused. Alternatively Michelle can post these directly to your home for approx £5.50
We first saw Michelle's beautiful fused glass pieces at a local farm show and just loved them. We are absolutely delighted she has agreed to take some workshops here at Greystoke.
You will learn how to cut and trim the flowers and leaves and get an idea of what can be done with glass in a kiln in terms of fusing, stacking, tack fusing and slumping. You will also learn about various inclusions and their different applications, using frits, stringers, glassline pens and sheet glass along with other fragments.
'Gorgeously Swirly Calligraphy' with Claire from by Moon and Tide
10.00am-12.30pm OR 1.30pm to 4.00pm
£55 inc fresh coffee/tea/home made biscuits
Material Charges : included , and to take home
Create beautiful lettering using 'Gorgeously Swirly Calligraphy' - with Claire from By Moon and Tide
Calligraphy workshops are all about beginning your lettering adventures. I try to keep all the sessions really playful and fun, helping you to explore what your new pens and nibs will do. Everyone is different, and some people like to try drawing with calligraphy pens rather than focusing on letters. That’s why I love teaching calligraphy.
I write my own worksheets which incorporate as many swirls and flourishes as they do letters. Learning this way takes the focus off ‘handwriting’ and onto something more enjoyable and free!
Join Claire for this friendly and relaxed Calligraphy workshop and learn how to write using this wonderful style of modern Calligraphy to create your own gorgeous cards, gift tags and more! This By Moon & Tide workshops is perfect for absolute beginners as well as those with a little Calligraphy experience - all are welcome!
Please ask if you wish to reserve more than two spaces on this class.
The workshop will take place in our lovely listed first floor studio, the Swallow Barn, where Claire's every hand movement and flourish will be filmed close up and projected onto a large screen above her, for all to see. This means everyone can enjoy their welcome coffee and biscuit from the comfort of their chairs and take it all in. Of course you can move closer to watch if you prefer!
You’ll have fun getting to grips with a dip pen and copperplate nib in this friendly, relaxed class, from initial scratches and swirls you’ll soon be writing beautiful letters, all in the space of a couple of hours!
By Moon & Tide modern calligraphy workshops are fun, informal sessions, ideal for individuals or for sharing with friends. Please join us if you can – we’d love to help you learn the art of beautiful writing. Everyone will have some personal tuition on the day as well as the opportunity to watch demos and ask questions as you learn.
Ceramic Hare Sculptures with Mark Bradley
9.30am to 4.30pm ish
£120 Lunch and fresh coffee included
Material Charges: £40 inc clay and two firings(see below NOTE*)
Sculpt your own beautiful seated Ceramic Hare, with Mark Bradley
New for 2025 we're really pleased to welcome Mark and this exciting ceramic Hare workshop to the Quirky Programme.
Enjoy a busy and absorbing day being guided through the many processes involved in creating these amazing Hares. You can choose whether your Hare is moon gazing with ears back, or positioned up, ears alert listening for danger. Each Hare will be unique, with its own quirks and personality - and towards the end of the class you can choose to create a smoother finish for it, or more textured as in the main photo - or any permutation in between. The choice is yours.
Mark will provide all the equipment and materials needed to create your lovely sculpture in just one day - you only need to bring along shirt or apron to protect your clothes and your materials money below. Once finish the Hares will be carefully transported back to Mark studio to be slowly air dried. After a few weeks they will be ready for bisque firing, and then Mark will apply - if you wish - the various oxides to highlight the ears and tails particularly, before firing a second time.
The colouring is with oxides, students can choose to skip this stage if they wish, and Mark can return them either bisque, or fired twice, which turns the clay into stoneware.
The Hares will hopefully be ready for collection back at Greystoke within 3 to 4 weeks of the class. Sometimes, in damp conditions, this can take take longer.
This course will usually take place in the ground floor Squirrel Barn with three steps up from the gravel driveway.
Ceramic Hare Sculptures with Mark Bradley
9.30am to 4.30pm ish
£120 Lunch and fresh coffee included
Material Charges: £40 inc clay and two firings(see below NOTE*)
Sculpt your own beautiful seated Ceramic Hare, with Mark Bradley
New for 2025 we're really pleased to welcome Mark and this exciting ceramic Hare workshop to the Quirky Programme.
Enjoy a busy and absorbing day being guided through the many processes involved in creating these amazing Hares. You can choose whether your Hare is moon gazing with ears back, or positioned up, ears alert listening for danger. Each Hare will be unique, with its own quirks and personality - and towards the end of the class you can choose to create a smoother finish for it, or more textured as in the main photo - or any permutation in between. The choice is yours.
Mark will provide all the equipment and materials needed to create your lovely sculpture in just one day - you only need to bring along shirt or apron to protect your clothes and your materials money below. Once finish the Hares will be carefully transported back to Mark studio to be slowly air dried. After a few weeks they will be ready for bisque firing, and then Mark will apply - if you wish - the various oxides to highlight the ears and tails particularly, before firing a second time.
The colouring is with oxides, students can choose to skip this stage if they wish, and Mark can return them either bisque, or fired twice, which turns the clay into stoneware.
The Hares will hopefully be ready for collection back at Greystoke within 3 to 4 weeks of the class. Sometimes, in damp conditions, this can take take longer.
This course will usually take place in the ground floor Squirrel Barn with three steps up from the gravel driveway.
Create your own Botanical Prints in full colour, linocut for beginners and intermediates, with Laura Sowerby
9.30am – 4.30pm
£85 Lunch included, fresh coffee cream tea etc
Material Charges £20
Create your own Botanical Prints in full colour, linocut for beginners and intermediates with Laura Sowerby
Spend a lovely day creating your own original botanical lino print in full colour, under the careful guidance of lovely artist and printer Laura Sowerby. Using professional quality materials and and some clever carving, you will turn your seed of an idea into a print to be proud of.
Laura Sowerby creates intricate botanical prints and handmade wallpaper in linocut at her picturesque studio in the Langdale Fells. Her evocative designs on cushions, lampshades and gift-ware have recently been widely featured has been featured in Country Living, Gardens Illustrated, Country Homes & Interiors and The English Home magazines and shown in galleries both locally and nationally.
‘Discovering that I am a direct descendant of James Sowerby, famous 18th-century botanical illustrator is a delight.’ she smiles.
Over the day you will learn how to plan your original design, the principles of lino cut and master various cutting techniques with the goal of producing your own multi-coloured linocut print by the end of the day. (up to A4 in size) All abilities are welcome. The print blocks you create can be taken home and also could be used to print onto fabrics and soft furnishings such as cushion covers etc.
Design & Planting Tips for a small Garden' with Shelagh Todd - lecturer, garden designer & plantswoman.
Design and Planting Tips for a Small Garden with Cumbrian Based lecturer, garden designer & plantswoman Shelagh Todd.
Shelagh is widely known and highly respected throughout Cumbria's gardening fraternity. She has been both the familiar face, and 'lead' of Horticulture at Newton Rigg for well over 30 years, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our 2025 Quirky programme. She brings a wealth of gardening expertise and teaching experience, which over the years, will have gently inspired (literally) thousands of 'would-be gardeners’ to create and nurture their own individual outdoor spaces.
During this one day course Shelagh will share garden design advice, hints and tips on how you can make the most of your small garden. We will explore how you can achieve atmospheric and all year interest in your small space.
Subjects covered:
- Site assessment
- Design inspiration for small spaces
- A walk & talk around the gardens at Poplin Dub created over the last 25 years.
- Privacy & screening solutions for a small space
- Choosing the right plants for a small space
By the end of the day you will have:
- An understanding of how to choose the correct plants for your small garden
- A list of plants that will create impact and interest but not outgrow their space
- A list of plants that are suitable for the atmosphere that you want to create
A textured Porcelain Plant Pot ~ with Cath Ball of 'Stitched Ceramics'
Textured Porcelain pieces ~ Cath Ball of 'Stitched Ceramics'
Join Cath for a short course to make your own special decorated plant pot or plate in Porcelain.
AM workshop Porcelain Plant Pot 10.30am -12.30pm
+/or PM workshop Porcelain Plate 1.30pm - 3.30pm
Choose either the morning or afternoon sessions depending on the piece you wish to make. If both sessions are booked a tasty lunch is included.
We are delighted to welcome talented Cumbrian artist, Cath from Stitched Ceramics, offering these two lovely short courses over one day.
You will be using hand building techniques to make your very own beautiful plant pot or plate, using gleaming white porcelain clay. Once rolled out using special 'guides', Cath will show you how to add special textures to the surface of the clay using a collection of laces and fabric. If you have any of your own textured fabrics/lace, that you'd like to include, please bring them along.
Your piece will then be carefully transported back to Cath’s studio, based in Thursby, near Carlisle,to be glazed and fired. When complete you can collect your Porcelain from either Thursby, or Greystoke or can choose to have it then posted out at an extra charge (around £6).
We hope you'll love using your special textured Porcelain for many years to come. They are also safe for you to use in the oven or dishwasher.
10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm
£48 inc fresh coffee, inc biscuits (free lunch if both booked)
Material Charges : £20 collected on the day see Note*
A textured Porcelain Plate ~ with Cath Ball of 'Stitched Ceramics'
Textured Porcelain pieces ~ Cath Ball of 'Stiiched Ceramics'
Join Cath for a short course to make your own special decorated plant pot or plate in Porcelain.
AM workshop Porcelain Plant Pot 10.30am -12.30pm
+/or PM workshop Porcelain Plate 1.30pm - 3.30pm
Choose either the morning or afternoon sessions depending on the piece you wish to make. If both sessions are booked a tasty lunch is included.
We are delighted to welcome talented Cumbrian artist, Cath from Stitched Ceramics, offering these two lovely short courses over one day.
You will be using hand building techniques to make your very own beautiful plant pot or plate, using gleaming white porcelain clay. Once rolled out using special 'guides', Cath will show you how to add special textures to the surface of the clay using a collection of laces and fabric. If you have any of your own textured fabrics/lace, that you'd like to include, please bring them along.
Your piece will then be carefully transported back to Cath’s studio, based in Thursby, near Carlisle,to be glazed and fired. When complete you can collect your Porcelain from either Thursby, or Greystoke or can choose to have it then posted out at an extra charge (around £6).
We hope you'll love using your special textured Porcelain for many years to come. They are also safe for you to use in the oven or dishwasher.
10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm
£48 inc fresh coffee, inc biscuits (free lunch if both booked)
Material Charges : £20 collected on the day see Note*
Mokuhanga' Japanese woodblock printing- 'Japanese Gardens' with Julie Evans
‘Mokuhanga’ Japanese woodblock printing. 'Japanese Gardens' with Julie Evans
Join printmaker Julie Evans for an exciting foray into the art of Mokuhanga, explored through the theme of Katei (Ka-house, Tei- Garden)
This is a fascinating and full on day learning the basic processes of this ancient traditional Japanese technique which uses wood, watercolours, rice starch and paper. You will come away with the skills you need to continue exploring and developing at home.
In the morning Julie will guide you through creating a simple 3-5 colour ‘garden’ image inspired by the rocks, gravel, stone paths, water and plants found in a Japanese garden. Your print will be 16 x 11 cm in size and you are invited to bring your own ideas or use those supplied by Julie. Each element of your design will then be transferred onto the individual colour blocks - iro-ban ready for carving. You will learn how to cut the registration kentou that ensure each block prints exactly on top of the previous one.
Using a set of woodcutting tools you will outline each element of the design and carve a gully all around it to isolate it from the surrounding wood. The shina plywood is very soft, but if you have any injury or arthritis in your fingers or shoulder Julie will help and adapt your design to reduce the amount of carving required. You will have the choice to work on a large woodblock in the traditional way, or use smaller blocks with the more contemporary soto-kento which requires much less carving.
After lunch you will prepare your paints, rice starch and paper ready to begin printing the woodblocks. Julie will show you how to apply the paint and rice starch - nori to the wood, lay the damp paper into the block and then print by applying pressure from a circular hand held baren.
After that you will be free to spend the afternoon printing your blocks and exploring different colours and paints effects. You will be supplied with a variety of papers, western and Japanese so that you can experience how differently they print. Julie will also bring along some of her professional tools and barens for you to try out.
Your woodblocks are yours to take home along with a baren, some nori and paper so that you can continue printing at home.
After booking the workshop Julie will send you more detailed information about what to bring and some design ideas.
Typically this course runs with 8 students.
Funky Felt Slippers with Debra Esterhuizen
Design and create your very own bespoke, warm and funky felt slippers from 100% merino wool, with Debra Esterhuizen.
Join Debra on this fun and soap-filled felting day that can't fail to leave you smiling. Make yourself a beautiful pair of bespoke, warm and seamless felt slippers, using the wet felting technique, moulded cleverly to your feet. Each slipper is unique and made to fit, as plain or as fancy as you like. Do feel free to bring any special small inclusions which it might be possible to use, very fine silk for example or anything else you treasure that could be incorporated into the felt fibres. Due to social distancing we ask students to bring their own washing up bowls and be sure they are agile enough to spend a good time at the end of the day massaging their own bare slippered feet over the bowl - or resting your foot on your knee. For the comical effort of soapy rubbing and afternoon acrobatics, your just reward will be not only a pair of lovely slippers, but you'll also be heading home with feet scented and laundered as never before!
Design & Plan your own Garden - 2 days with Shelagh Todd - lecturer, garden designer & plantswoman
"Learn to design your own garden… just the way you want it" with leading Cumbrian Garden Designer, Lecturer and Plantswoman, Shelagh Todd.
Shelagh is widely known and highly respected throughout Cumbria's gardening fraternity. She has been both the familiar face - and 'lead' - of Horticulture at Newton Rigg College for well over 30 years, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our 2025 Quirky programme. She brings a wealth of gardening expertise and teaching experience, which over the years will have gently inspired literally thousands of 'would-be gardeners’ to create and nurture their own individual outdoor spaces. This two-day course is an ideal starting point for beginners, garden enthusiasts and anyone who wants to re-design their garden space.
Day 1 will cover the design process, including surveying, analysing & soil testing your site. Using your own design brief, you will learn to create a functional layout plan that you can apply to your garden, including consideration for hard landscaping materials as required. We can explore both the established and newer areas of the garden at Quirky Workshops which is maintained on a largely organic basis with wildlife at its heart.
Day 2 Shelagh will show you how to design the planting for your garden to achieve colour, interest and atmosphere; how to choose and combine the right plants for your soil conditions, and for best effect. You can decide on the style of planting and the types of plants you wish to grow, and we’ll discuss the pros and cons of different plants, what to look for when you are buying plants and how to source good plants locally.
*In advance of the workshop we'll send you an 'easy to follow' guide on how to measure up your garden. This means you can arrive on the first day of the course with a plan of your plot ready to begin the design process. With illustrated talks & drawing exercises, by the end of the 2 days you will have completed some planting schemes and have the skills to continue designing at home.
Christmas Fused Glass..'Robins and Tea Light Holders' with Michelle of Lakeshore Arts
Join Michelle and create your own beautiful fused glass festive Tealight holder/ Robins for Christmas - suitable for all abilities.
Michelle will have prepared all the specialist glass set out and will talk you through the various design aspects and techniques of creating both a cheerful robin to hang on your tree, or a festive tea light holder for your table. This can be slumped (melted into a shallow bowl shape) if required. You can choose whether to make one of each, or alternatively two of the same.
You will learn about different types of glass used in fusing work and also about the all important COE (Coefficient of expansion) – vital to understand in glass fusing as it makes sure the right types of glass can fuse together correctly. Your finished designs will then be taken away to Michelle's studio and fired, before being returned to Greystoke some weeks later. The finshed pieces can be collected from here a few weeks later, once they have been fired and fused. Alternatively Michelle can post these directly to your home for approx £5.50
We first saw Michelle's beautiful fused glass pieces at the Keswick Show and just loved them. We are absolutely delighted she has agreed to take some workshops here at Greystoke.
You will learn how to cut and trim the glass to get an idea of what can be created. You will also learn about fusing, stacking, tack fusing and slumping. You will also learn about various inclusions and their different applications, using frits, stringers, glassline pens and sheet glass along with other fragments.
Christmas Fused Glass..'Robins and Tea Light Holders' with Michelle of Lakeshore Arts
Join Michelle and create your own beautiful fused glass festive Tealight holder/ Robins for Christmas - suitable for all abilities.
Michelle will have prepared all the specialist glass set out and will talk you through the various design aspects and techniques of creating both a cheerful robin to hang on your tree, or a festive tea light holder for your table. This can be slumped (melted into a shallow bowl shape) if required. You can choose whether to make one of each, or alternatively two of the same.
You will learn about different types of glass used in fusing work and also about the all important COE (Coefficient of expansion) – vital to understand in glass fusing as it makes sure the right types of glass can fuse together correctly. Your finished designs will then be taken away to Michelle's studio and fired, before being returned to Greystoke some weeks later. The finshed pieces can be collected from here a few weeks later, once they have been fired and fused. Alternatively Michelle can post these directly to your home for approx £5.50
We first saw Michelle's beautiful fused glass pieces at the Keswick Show and just loved them. We are absolutely delighted she has agreed to take some workshops here at Greystoke.
You will learn how to cut and trim the glass to get an idea of what can be created. You will also learn about fusing, stacking, tack fusing and slumping. You will also learn about various inclusions and their different applications, using frits, stringers, glassline pens and sheet glass along with other fragments.
'Engraving Sgraffito on Glass' short course with Vicky Boase
'Engraving Sgraffito on Glass', with Vicky Boase.
Enjoy discovering the art of Sgraffito on Glass, expertly guided by glass artist Vicky Boase.
Sgraffito, meaning 'scratched away' in Italian, is the 'subtractive' art of engraving a design into the top thin layer of black paint to reveal the underlying base colour of the glass. This creates a stunning pattern in silhouette which can be beautifully highlighted when hung at a window.
Vicky will arrive with a selection of pre-painted stained glass pieces, in four vibrant colours, for you to choose from for your piece. After a brief introduction to the history of stained glass and Sgraffito, and learning how your piece has been prepared before the class, students can then start to plan their personal design using specially provided black paper and white pencils, which will mimic the reverse nature of the process.
Then with the help of your own individual lightbox and special tools, you can transfer your design onto your chosen glass, bringing your piece to life by gently engraving your pattern into the paint.
At the end of the day Vicky will take all student work back to her studio near Alston to be glass fired to make the paint permanent and no longer scratchable. If you choose the optional extra leaded surround to your glass piece, Vicky will prepare and add it at this stage (pre-book on the day for £10 please). All pieces will then be posted back to Greystoke for collection. Alternatively she can post the piece directly to your address for an additional charge.
All tools and materials are provided; some confidence in drawing is desirable for this course although tracing is also allowed!!
'Engraving Sgraffito on Glass' short course with Vicky Boase
'Engraving Sgraffito on Glass', with Vicky Boase.
Enjoy discovering the art of Sgraffito on Glass, expertly guided by glass artist Vicky Boase.
Sgraffito, meaning 'scratched away' in Italian, is the 'subtractive' art of engraving a design into the top thin layer of black paint to reveal the underlying base colour of the glass. This creates a stunning pattern in silhouette which can be beautifully highlighted when hung at a window.
Vicky will arrive with a selection of pre-painted stained glass pieces, in four vibrant colours, for you to choose from for your piece. After a brief introduction to the history of stained glass and Sgraffito, and learning how your piece has been prepared before the class, students can then start to plan their personal design using specially provided black paper and white pencils, which will mimic the reverse nature of the process.
Then with the help of your own individual lightbox and special tools, you can transfer your design onto your chosen glass, bringing your piece to life by gently engraving your pattern into the paint.
At the end of the day Vicky will take all student work back to her studio near Alston to be glass fired to make the paint permanent and no longer scratchable. If you choose the optional extra leaded surround to your glass piece, Vicky will prepare and add it at this stage (pre-book on the day for £10 please). All pieces will then be posted back to Greystoke for collection. Alternatively she can post the piece directly to your address for an additional charge.
All tools and materials are provided; some confidence in drawing is desirable for this course although tracing is also allowed!!
Discovering Watercolours with Margaret Jarvis
Introduction to Watercolours with Margaret Jarvis for Beginners and intermediates.
First Steps in Watercolour paints looks in depth at colours, colours mixing techniques washes shading and brush techniques. It is the most useful place to start for those wishing to learn the basics in an enjoyable, thorough day of discovering the world of watercolours. Even those with considerable experience say they learn a lot from this class.
If you are new to painting and would like to start somewhere, we can highly recommend Margaret Jarvis, an outstanding local tutor for Beginners and Improvers in both Watercolours. Margaret brings a wealth of knowledge and confirms that you don't need to be able to 'draw' to paint with watercolours. It's all about technique. This course provides a good grounding in watercolour techniques.
Sterling Silver Jewellery - 3 Silver Rings in a day - with Melinda Scarborough
30 Nov 24' Hannah reviewed: Silver Jewellery Workshop - '3 Silver Rings in a Day' - a 'Quirky Workshop' nr Ullswater & the Lake District
"5 stars is an understatement, this day course was amazing. Melinda is so knowledgeable and incredibly patient. I'm thrilled with the rings I made and would recommend this course to everyone"
Design & make 'three Silver rings' with Sterling Silver and some Semi-Precious Stones with Melinda Scarborough
Your experienced professional tutor, Melinda, will guide you through the process of designing your rings and show you how to use the workshop tools with systematic demonstrations. Once ready to start you will cut out your silver using a saw frame (each student has their own) and then shape the pieces to add texture and interest using your own set of tools provided.
You will learn the basic techniques of soldering, surface textures and how to get a nice professional finish to ensure that your three rings will sit together well if required. This is quite an intensive day, but by the end of it you will be able to leave with a set of 3 different rings that you yourself have designed and made. The material cost is £20 and the tutor will have more materials to buy if necessary.
This course is suitable for both beginners and intermediate. Each student will sit at their own desk spaced well apart
Sterling Silver Jewellery 2 days with Melinda Scarborough
Create your own beautiful jewellery with Sterling Silver, Pearls and Semi-Precious Stones
On this popular 2-day workshop you will use a variety of equipment to make as many stunning pieces as you can under Melinda's guidance. The number of items you make will vary according to your pace. Melinda brings all the tools and equipment essential for any proper silver jewellery course.
Once people become familiar with the tools the designs start flowing. Your design will be unique; you will learn cutting, forming, doming, soldering, texturing and polishing. You can work at your own pace and make the most your workshop time. All photos are student pieces from our Greystoke workshop.
Make a Stained Glass Mirror with Lizzy Hippisley-Cox
Join Lizzy Hippisley-Cox for a one day Stained Glass 'taster' ... Design and make a beautiful Leaded Panel - with optional mirror.
An opportunity to dip your toe into and try this intensive one day Stained Glass taster day with Lizzy making a leaded stained glass mirror (its not compulsory to includ a mirrored panel - using only glass is fine too! All glass, tools, equipment, expertise and enthusiasm is provided by Lizzy, who is highly skilled in preserving these jewels of our heritage and has spent many years advising on and restoring original stained glass windows in our cathedrals and churches countrywide
Lizzy will have some prepared design templates ready for you and there will be a choice of coloured glass along with some pre cut panels mirror as needed. Firstly she will explain the various aspects of creating a stained glass panel, and will then let you have a go at learning the safe glass cutting technique. Once practised, you can then choose your template from a selection supplied, depending on your cutting abilities and at this stage you can decide whether you wish to incorporate a mirrored panel within this or alternatively keep the whole panel as glass. If mirror is required Lizzy can cut this for you.
Once all the pieces are cut , the panel is carefully leading up the mirror according to the design. You will then finish by soldering everything together in your panel and finally cleaning and polishing using demonstrated techniques. You will leave with your own bespoke stained glass (mirrored) panel.
Discovering Stained Glass' ..a two day workshop with Lizzy Hippisley-Cox
Design and create your own beautiful Stained Glass panel on this 2 day workshop with Lizzy Hippisley-Cox of Eden Stained Glass
Working with beautifully coloured and clear, textured glass - all provided by Lizzy - you will learn how to handle, cut safely and to 'lead up' a square panel over the two day course of approximately 8 inches square. Obviously all glass, tools, equipment, expertise and enthusiasm is provided by Lizzy, who is highly skilled in preserving these jewels of our heritage and has spent many years advising on and restoring original stained glass windows in our cathedrals and churches countrywide.
Although traditionally stained glass is associated with place sf worship, these days it is increasingly popular when used in homes for decoration. Staining glass is an ancient art of using colour and light to create atmosphere and to depict images and stories.
The panel you make could be for a place in your house or could be built into a window or frame as a hanging panel. Please bring any ideas you may have in terms of design and Lizzy will assess what will be possible in the time allowed.
Needle Felted Garden Birds ~ 'The Robin' with Helen Hammond (low relief)
Needle Felted Garden Birds, . . 'The Robin' with Helen Hammond (see 'The Wren' and 'The Blue Tit' under a separate heading)
Another exciting and inspiring workshop from Helen Hammond in her needle-felted Birds series .... creating one of our bird tables' most frequent visitors - the 'joyful' Robin!
Join Helen for a lovely day being guided through how to make this beautifully detailed garden friend using the needle felting process. Once again, your piece will have a slightly sculpted low relief appearance, subtly enhancing the natural features of this characterful little bird.
Whatever your ability, Helen will provide you with tools, materials, knowledge and guidance to create your own delightful bird over the day, before applying the legs & fixing it to the 'branch'. The birds will then be mounted in a special box frame, for a really professional finish.
You will be using a variety of natural wool fibres and Helen will teach you all about needle felting and how to blend your fibre colours. You will be using specialist needle felting needles (not sewing needles) for this purpose. These specialist tools/ needles are designed to entangle, compact, control and shape the soft carded wool fibres into firm felted pieces. It is a slow and very therapeutic process.
All reference images will be provided and will form an important part of your working process. This course is suitable for all abilities including beginners. This is a dry felted process and a 'clean' method of working. No aprons or gloves are required. However, please bring plasters!
Discovering 'Pen & Wash' with Margaret Jarvis
Join Margaret Jarvis for the day and learn the various intricacies of painting in 'Pen and Wash'
This medium is also be known as 'Watercolour & Ink'. This day will touch on colour mixing and using watercolours and it combines the subtle variable nature of the watercolour wash with finer detail picked out in black ink pen, allowing the artist different effects in shading and textures. The type of ink pens used - its water solubility and also stippling intensity and textures employed can create a vast range of effects.
The December workshop will be the same introduction to the day but students can paint their own optyionally themed Christmas subjects such as holly, baubles, snowdrops and christmas trees etc. Matgaret can easily show you how!
Your enquiry will be sent directly to Quirky Workshops Art, Craft and Heritage Skill Courses. Please fill in as much detail as you can.