Wednesday 23 March 2016

..... spring into colour......

We've learnt over the years that creativity doesn't always follow an obvious route, and having just come to the end of yet another fabulous, week long Silver Yoga workshop here we're all feeling renewed, recharged and ready to spread our creative wings!

As luck would have it, the weather was mostly glorious, allowing us a few sessions on the terrace overlooking the fabulous surrounding countryside, and we were able to stretch and extend and discover our inner strengths after the long wet winter months.  There is another Silver Yoga week planned for the middle of June so if you are interested in discovering (or rediscovering) the joy of yoga, with intelligent and creative morning classes based on Hatha and Iyengar disciplines, book now as we like to keep classes small and personal.. Our Yoga expert, Liz Bolton, carefully designs each session for mixed levels, offering modifications for beginners, and greater levels of challenge for advanced students, always  with an emphasis  on safety, awareness, intelligence and ability. Residential guests can enjoy fresh mornings walking in the countryside followed by yoga, and afternoons free to lounge about the pool, visit local markets or explore a classic French village.  For prices contact Lizi directly.

For us, Spring's softness and simplicity and pastel colours always suggest northern Europe, more specifically Scandinavia.  If you are similarly smitten, then you won't want to miss our first event of the season, aKnitting Masterclass with Åsa Soderman.  Asa combines her quintessentially Scandinavian colour palette with a lifetime of knitting knowledge to produce her stylishly beautiful designs. With only a few weeks to go now and to give you a taste of what's in store over this Weekend Workshop we have chosen one of her shawl patterns, together with some fabulous yarn - of your choice -from a favourite hand-dyed yarn supplier, Dye For Yarns, as a free gift if you book within the next week (Wednesday, 30th March).  



  

With  Easter weekend upon us we were tickled pink by the possibilities of these delightful, non-fattening Easter eggs for all the family (tutorial on We Are Scout).  It surely wouldn't take long to decorate individual Easter bunny vases filled with tiny flowers for each place setting .... using the eggs themselves to serve up a delicious frittata with spring vegetables?


We're getting news trickling in from some of those lucky people who made it to this year's Edinburgh Yarn Festival by all accounts a roaring success.  Asa Soderman, (see above) was there of course giving classes, as was another favourite knitter of ours, Kate Davies who now has an on-line store selling her (moderately complicated) but entirely gorgeous fairisle inspired patterns and wools.  Shame we couldn't make the Festival this year, but we have it ear-marked for 2017.

Kate Davies and Ellen Mason in their own home knits
To continue the seasonal note, it's not to late to join us for Julie Arkell's workshop, Birds on a Table, at the beginning of June as another place has recently become available.  If you can step in we're extending our offer of a 10% discount but you'll probably need to contact us quickly as places are picked up quickly for this very popular teacher and event. 
   
You may have noticed the new logo for Les Soeurs Anglaises, designed by multi-talented calligrapher/graphic designer, Anja Savic, better known as "The Letterist" Anja generally works on commission - business cards, wedding invitations, book covers, websites and so on - but you can find some cards with her favourite quotes for sale at her web shop.  If you don't need her services just at the moment, we recommend you file her name away somewhere safe for the future.  She's a joy to work with, bubbling with creativity and happy to discuss any project!


Have a happy, hoppy Easter!

Katie  Susie  Carol
xxx

Saturday 5 March 2016

... march deals…...



Julie Arkell - ONLY TWO SPACES LEFT!

Julie will be returning to Les Soeurs Anglaises from the 1st to the 7th of June 2016 to lead another of her immensely popular workshops here, this year entitled, "Birds on a Nature Table". Participants will be encouraged to bring nature books, a favourite shell, dried flowers as well as any other nature find they love, all of which will be used to populate their unique nature table.

Julie Arkell is one of the UK's best recognized contemporary folk artists working in papier-maché and mixed media. She combines these with stitch, knit, ephemera, and vintage fabric and papier maché to produce her own distinctly personal and sophisticated "creatures". Everything is produced by hand using knitted adornments, curious accessories, ribbons and found objects. The results are magically creative and appealing.  Her work has been exhibited at the Crafts Council of Great Britain and the Contemporary Applied Arts, and is collected in the UK, USA, Japan and Australia. Her 2 bestselling books,"Home" & "Away" are published by the Ruthin Craft Centre.
We have only two spaces left so book now to avoid disappointment! We're offering 10% off if you sign up by March 10th!

Fiona Rutherford (31 Aug - 6 Sep) 15% OFF!

Tapestry weaving has a rich historical tradition of storytelling. It is a craft that takes time and Fiona's workshop with us, Tapestry Weaving, is about learning, playing, and exploring your creativity at your own pace. Over the course of the five day workshop participants will be helped to discover their own personal tapestry "story", returning home with a little woven magic with a taste of France.

You will be using lightweight wood frame looms and a vibrant range of Fiona’s Swedish cotton and linen yarns to weave beautiful colours and shapes on a small scale. Whether you are new to tapestry weaving or you want to take time to expand your ideas and weaving technique further in a creative environment, Fiona will guide you through the steps of how to create a tapestry, mounted and ready to take home.

Sign up with a friend and you both get 15% OFF!

Åsa Tricosa (30th April - 1st May 2016) 15% OFF!

Swedish born Asa Soderman is widely celebrated as a problem-solving knitter and designer, and over this 2 day Masterclass (her first for us and this part of France), she will be demonstrating how to tailor beautifully crafted, top-down garments using the ziggurat technique, with special attention to all those details that make for an expertly finished garment. Participants will consider intricately constructed pockets, advanced hems with unusual pickup techniques, stitch patterns and quirky design details.  They will be guided through the process of incorporating bust darts, waist and sleeve shapings as well as  the clever use of colour - in fact, the weekend will be packed with inspirational knitting techniques.
Book by 10th March and get 15% OFF