Christmas Mistletoe sprig or wreath - Purr & Wag It, Tabletop Workshops
Description
Fixed dates don’t suit? Looking for a private workshop? For this one my home studio will accommodate 10 max. If your group is larger, I can travel to you, but please message me via the 'message the tutor' button as such workshops are priced differently. Get Christmas off to a sustainable start making a sprig or wreath of my covetable Everlasting Mistletoe. No previous experience is necessary. Sprig: You'll learn how to create the branches from floristry wire and 100% wool and cut the leaf shapes from the 100% wool felt provided. Then you'll attach the berries and leaves by hand stitching and add a final flourish with a piece of red organza ribbon. NB: As you will be cutting your leaves during the workshop you may not stitch all of these or the berries to your sprig within the session. However, you'll take home sufficient materials to do so in your own time. Wreath: For this you'll first cover a metal ring with floristry crepe. Then you’ll cut your mistletoe leaves, again using 100% wool machine formed felt. Next I’ll show you how to bring the components together to form the wreath. Lastly you will use red organza ribbon to form a bow and hanger as a final flourish. Both these workshops include quite a lot of cutting. For the best results you will also need to be able to apply tension to your materials at various stages of the process. If you have a hand condition, e.g. weakness, numbness, or arthritis you may find binding the wire tautly for the sprig or wrapping the leaves for the wreath tricky. Lastly the stitch work is likely to take a little longer. I can help you, but these workshops may not be the ones for you. Whether you opt for the sprig or the wreath they’re much a case of straight forward once you know how. NB: the last of the pictures shows a massive bunch and not a sprig. You'll need to buy extra materials and cement what you've learned in your own home if you too want such a generous display. Of course, you'd be very welcome to come back to Purr & Wag It HQ for a further Tabletop Workshop to make some more with me after eating a bit more cake! Allergies to cats or indeed wool? Please note I have 3 cats (they’ll be elsewhere in the house during the workshops). I do have antihistamines but this may mean my workshops may not be for you. This workshop needs a minimum of three people to run.
What's included in the price?
Everything - all materials, equipment and instruction sheet. Not forgetting teas, coffee and biscuits, plus because it's Christmas, clementines and dates. (If I’m travelling to you please sort your own refreshments.) NB: Extra materials can be purchased at the end of the workshop by those wishing to make sufficient sprigs for a large bunch of mistletoe or further sprigs for friends/family.
Duration
3 hours
Cancellation policy
Medium - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 4 weeks before the course starts
Maker
Heather Fiona Martin is a graduate of Goldsmiths College, University of London. She is an experienced felt maker who for over a decade has worked in educational and community settings. In addition to her community work she runs Purr & Wag It, fine art felted portraits. Heather holds an enhanced DBS certificate for children and vulnerable adults.
Suitable for
- Adults
- Seniors
- Teenagers
- UK Holiday
- Stag dos
- Public transport
- Intermediate level
- Daytime (weekdays)
- Fairs, festivals & exhibitions
- Romantic
- Advanced/pro level
- Evenings
- Hen dos
- Engagement, birthdays & anniversaries
- Weekends
- Christmas
- Suitable for beginners
- Tutor can travel
- Corporate days out & team building
- Suitable for all abilities
FAQs
The workshops run from Heather's home studio. It takes place on the ground floor of the house with flat access and a downstairs toilet. However, Stories Mews is an unmade up road. If you are a wheelchair user please contact me so I can arrange to help.
From Denmark Hill Station use the main exit (Champion Hill and buses) and turn left out of the station. Walk up the hill past the George Canning pub on Grove Lane. Stories Road is the next left, (at the post box), take this and then first left onto the Mews.
By bus a 176, 185 and 40 all pass within metres of the house; alight at Champion Grove stop.
Or if East Dulwich station is easier get one of the above buses up Dog Kennel Hill, again alight at Champion Grove stop.
There is no parking on Stories Mews, however parking is free on the surrounding roads after 6.30pm during the week and all day at the weekend.
If you’re cycling let me know so I can make room for your bike in my garage.
I have been working with felt with people of all ages with many differing abilities for many years now. It’s a simple process (once you know how) but elements of felt making are quite vigorous and very hands-on. If you have arthritis in your hands you may find parts of the process challenging. That being said it’s not stopped anybody before and I am very happy to help you with vigorous parts of the process.
Merino wool tops and pre-felt come in many colours and qualities. I like to think I provide some of the best and I will share my sources with you after you've attended a workshop. At in person workshops a very wide selection of different colours and shades are available.
I buy all my wool tops from suppliers who certify it is Non-Mulesed. Mulesing is the removal of strips of wool-bearing skin from around the breech (buttocks) of a sheep to prevent the parasitic infection flystrike (myiasis). It is illegal in the UK.
It has also been dyed to Oeko-Tex Standard 100: meaning the finished dyed wool has been tested for harmful substances and found harmless for human health.
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It's the felting business of Heather Fiona Martin and was borne out of a wet felted pet portrait painting of a beloved Bearded Collie. Tabletop Workshops is simply the teaching arm of the business.
Heather is a graduate of Goldsmiths College, University of London. She is an experienced felt maker who for over two decades has worked in educational and community settings. Heather holds an enhanced DBS certificate for children and vulnerable adults.
Heather has been making felt with people of all ages with many differing abilities for many years now. It’s a simple process (once you know how) but elements of felt making are quite vigorous and very hands on. If you have arthritis or a similar condition in your hands you may find parts of the process challenging. That being said it’s not stopped anybody before and Heather is very happy to help you with vigorous parts of the process.
Heather's home studio is on an unmade road a little under ten minutes walk from Denmark Hill station with trains running into Victoria Station, Kings Cross (Thames Link line) and London Overground. Or East Dulwich station running into London Bridge is ten to fifteen minutes walk (up hill) away too. A 176, 185, 40 and 484 bus all pass within metres of the house. Alight at Champion Grove.
Once you have booked I will send you a link to "How to Find Us" showing the best route on foot from Denmark Hill.
I recommend loose layered clothing. Working the fibres into felt takes a bit of elbow grease so you may find you want to take your top layer off!
An apron is not necessary but if you prefer to wear one when making then please do bring it along.
There is no parking on Stories Mews itself.
However parking is free on the surrounding roads (eg Grove Lane, Grove Park and Camberwell Grove) after 6.30pm during the week and all day at the weekend.
If you’re cycling let me know the Friday before the workshop so I can make room for your bike in the garage.
This varies a little depending on the type of workshop for:
Public 2D and 3D wet felting: I like to keep the groups small, so a maximum of 4. This provides you with plenty of time for one on one tuition.
Private 2D and 3D wet felting: Still small but I'm happy to accommodate up to 6 if everybody knows each other.
Prefelt collage, up to 6, because participants need less one on one tuition and use less room.
Christmas: Usually up to 10, because these workshops make use of crib sheets and everybody is making pretty much the same thing.
With all my workshops because of last minute cancellations you may end up with a private one on one workshop for the apublic group price.
If you're looking for something for larger numbers of participants I'm usually a) able to come to you and b) tailor something to fit in with your timetable and themes.
