1518 Courses

If you want to bag-make with genuine leather but are nervous of trying it, this weekend is ideal for you. It will give you the confidence to make your own leather bags at home and you’ll make some fab friends along the way! VERY IMPORTANT! Before booking, please check that your machine can cope with sewing at least 6 layers of faux leather or vinyl. Flat sewing is fine – if the machine can do that, we can manage lumps and bumps! **This retreat is a little different from many others in that making a bag isn’t the point of the weekend, although you will indeed make one. The focus is on learning new transferable techniques and skills that you will be able to use on so many bags you make in the future. We have our own ‘Retreat Suite’ of rooms, including a spacious, light and airy sewing room which is equipped with a display screen so everyone can easily see demonstrations from a working viewpoint. We also have our own bathroom and kitchen facilities. If you wish, you are free to continue work after dinner and until as late (or early!) as you like. You will need to bring your own sewing machine, fabric scissors and any other favourite sewing tools, but everything else is provided. We’ll have a good selection of fabrics, vinyls and leather for you to browse and purchase if you wish, at retreat-only prices.  Come and join us in the exclusive Facebook group Bag Makers Retreat at https://www.facebook.com/groups/bagmakersretreat/ for all the latest retreat info, chat, gossip and more, plus a chance to meet other like-minded folks.  If you have dietary requirements, please tell me before you book, so I can be sure we can meet your needs. All meal main courses are included in the retreat fee, as are Saturday and Sunday lunches and breakfasts. Starters, desserts and drinks with meals are not included but the meals are so huge you probably won’t want starters and desserts anyway!! Tea and coffee is available whenever you need, but you do have to make it yourself!  If you’d like to stay an extra night or two, maybe to arrive on Thursday or leave on Monday if you have a long drive, let me know and I’ll check availability with our host. If you’d prefer to travel by train, we are happy to ferry you to and from the station, just ask. Please aim to arrive no later than 2pm as we have a lot of pattern cutting and fabric choosing to get through on Friday! Friday The fun starts here as you arrive at your weekend home-from-home – a beautifully refurbished, 4-star 18th century coaching inn with all the comforts you would expect. You’ll have time to settle into your own delightfully comfortable en-suite room which has all the anticipated little luxuries, before an introductory get-together with me and your companions in the sewing room at 2pm. You’ll be given your own copy of the bag pattern, which is very beginner- and strong domestic machine-friendly (see note in bold at the top of the page), but which will incorporate a lot of features and techniques that are also in much more complex designs, making this an excellent springboard to any leather or other bag you want to make. Then you can wallow in the plentiful stash of leathers and fabrics to choose from. All the leather, fabrics, interfacing, stabiliser, threads and bag hardware you need are supplied. As soon as you’re ready, you can start preparing and cutting out your pattern and some of the bag pieces so we can hit the ground running in the morning. After a superbly-cooked and substantial evening meal at around 6pm or so, you are welcome to continue working in the sewing room or to simply relax and chat there before bed. Saturday After an excellent breakfast, we can really start work learning some new skills and beginning work on construction. You’ll work at your own pace from around 9am with no pressure – I want your weekend to be fun and not stressful! We will walk through the techniques together and I will be there the whole time to answer questions and troubleshoot any tricky bits. You’ll also have the chance to try sewing with faux leather , if you haven’t already, and we’ll explore ways and techniques to use and apply rivets.  Refreshments are freely available all day and you can take a break whenever you wish. A light lunch (with homemade cake!!) is also provided and we’ll have a short break in the middle of the day. The rest of the day will be similar to Friday – sewing, dinner at 6ish and more sewing if you wish to before bed. Do feel free to have a walk or just sit outside for a breather if the weather is kind. Sunday How can it be Sunday already?? Breakfast over, we’ll get back to work. You will need to allow a few minutes to pack and check out of your room, as it has to be made ready for Monday’s guests. Apart from that, it’s uninterrupted sewing (with refreshments and lunch breaks!) until your bag is finished. We’ll be heading off for a lightish lunch at 12.30pm or so. We have the sewing room for the rest of the day. If you don’t quite get done, there’s absolutely no need to worry as you’ll easily be able to complete your bag at home. If you finish earlier feel free to head home whenever you’re ready. Amongst loads of other hints and tips, you’ll learn – Choosing and handling leather How to make professional quality rolled handles Creating and applying custom bag feet How to create a zipped pocket the pro way How to use edge paint and get a professional finish with it Sewing the bag together and topstitching Reducing bulk with leather A sneaky way of getting your bag right-sides-out without ugly seams! An easy way to add a zipper pull without tools Working with different types of rivet machine and loads more. You’ll have an exclusive pattern, created just for the Retreats, which includes comprehensive mini-tutorials and full instructions. And I hope you have a lot of fun and make new friends while you learn!!  I never abandon my students at the end of the course so if you get stuck on anything at home, you are welcome to give me a shout on Messenger and we’ll sort out your problem together. The not-so-small print Book your place using the simple booking system below – just click on your choice of dates and go from there. The full price is £465.00. The deposit of £65 is non-refundable if you cancel but can, however, be credited towards a future retreat booked within the next 6 months. It is completely refundable if I or the venue cancel. The booking page only shows the Friday, but the course is running until Sunday. The balance of £400.00 is payable by approx 6 weeks before the retreat date and payment instructions will be sent to you in good time. Cancellations 4 weeks or less before the retreat date can only be refunded if someone on the waiting list can come instead. If you book, pay and attend without pre-checking that your machine can sew the required thicknesses, as detailed in the note at the top of the page, I’m afraid no refunds will be given if it proves that your machine can’t cope during the Retreat. I may have a machine available to lend, but can’t promise one. *Don’t worry that your booking confirmation may be headed Unicorn Studios – it’s just the site that I’ve run my booking system from for years… it’s not a scam!! *

What is a Japanese Head spa? Japanese head spa is another term for scalp treatment. Generally, you can expect some variation of treatment to detoxify the scalp, and massage to stimulate circulation and relieve tension. Course Content: History of Japanese head spa culture and theory Importance of scalp health including anatomy of the scalp Benefits of head spa Head spa techniques Products and Tools Acupressure points and massage techniques for relaxation- Consultation forms Contraindications and precautions Aftercare Hair and scalp conditions Hair types Essential Oils Scalp analysis Microcurrent, high frequency and oxygen treatment(only if the scalp analysis machine is purchased from us) Cancer patients, scalp conditions Step-by-step on how to offer Japanese head spa treatment Tools: scalp oil, brush, scalp brush, guasha tools, tunning fork, scalp claw, guasha comb, shampoo, conditioner, aromatherapy... Head spa sink and scalp analyser: please visit our "Shop product section" for details. Certificate You will receive an accredited end-of-course completion certificate. How does in-person training work? Once you place your order, you can access your course content online. We will message you with some training dates to arrange your practical day. We teach Monday to Saturday so we always have many dates to choose from. You will have access to training material online and have to study the content and complete the theoretical part of training before your practical assignment. You will then come to our venue in Leyton E10 6RA where we will spend 2-4 hours learning and practising the Japanese head spa. Training Options: Training Course only: Home study + 2-3 hours practical assignment Training Course + sink: Home study + 3-4 hours practical assignment Training Course +sink+skin analysis machine: Home study +3-4 hours practical assignment Will I require a model? Yes, usually you will be required to bring 1 model. Is it a group course? Our Japanese Head spa Training is 1:1 course, however, if you have more friends, family member or employes that want to join on the same day that is absolutely possible. Are there video tutorials? Yes, you will have links to YouTube and training videos to watch the treatment being performed so you can refer back to it after the course. Are there any pre requisites? The course is available for complete begginers and advanced professionals.

During this 1 day Intermediate level InDesign course you will explore powerful layout and typographical controls, working with layers, creating multipage documents, using clipping paths and preparing for print. This course is ideal for anybody who already uses InDesign and wishes to progress to a professional level. Comprehensive colour management, typography and advanced graphics and effects are also covered.

What does a 4 Day Learn to Plaster course consist of? This is by far the most popular course designed to cover all aspects of a plastering job. It’s all about learning technique and stages. There’s no paperwork, there are no classrooms, no exams; it’s plastering, plastering and more plastering. On this course we also cover boarding up, it only takes a small portion of the time but is very important as it allows you to learn plastering on both existing walls and new board. This is a course outline and although we cover lots of other things, our experienced trainer will be able to help you with any aspects that might be specific to your personal circumstances.

The Alhambra Palace complex is home to some of the finest examples of Islamic Geometric Pattern in the world. During this three-day course we will learn how to construct a number of these patterns - ranging from the simple to highly sophisticated - using the traditional geometer's tools of compass and straightedge. This course will be led in a gentle, easy to follow, step-by-step manner, suitable for both beginners and experienced alike.

This one-day course will focus on the construction of some beautiful Moroccan geometric patterns using the traditional geometers' tools of compass and straightedge. Daniel Docherty will lead the class in a gently guided, step-by-step manner suitable for both beginners and experienced alike.

Unity 3d face to face training customised and bespoke.

Vray face to face training customised and bespoke.

Ongoing weekly machine patchwork quilt course. This exclusive design from Fat Quarter Quilting is being taught by Janine

Microsoft® Project White Belt® 2016 This workshop serves as an introduction to the interface and features of Microsoft® Project. This workshop serves as an introduction to the interface and features of Microsoft® Project. It is kept up to date with the framework outlined by Project Management Institute's A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). This course will be led by an IIL-certified instructor who will outline the benefits of Microsoft Project, provide tips on using various features and common shortcuts, recommend guidelines, and discuss the application of scheduling concepts to manage project work. What you Will Learn You'll learn how to: Define key scheduling concepts and terms Effectively navigate the user interface and interpret common views Configure essential elements of a new schedule Enter and modify a task list Set dependencies between tasks Create a basic resource list and generate assignments Format targeted areas of the Gantt Chart view Prepare the schedule for printing Getting Started Introductions Course objectives Course outline Navigating the User Interface and Views The ribbon The Quick Access Toolbar General and display options Major elements on the Project screen The Gantt chart, calendar, and network diagram views The help Setting up a New Schedule New schedules from blank, templates or other files The project starting date and forward scheduling The project standard calendar and exception days Entering, Modifying, and Outlining Task Data Task entering options and edition Unscheduled tasks Duration estimates for a single task or multiple tasks Tasks organization Multi-level outline Notes to detail tasks Creating Dependencies by Setting Links The critical path Critical path calculation in Project Dynamic schedules and dependencies Link tasks in Project Displaying the critical path Entering and Assigning Resources Resource planning Resource list Resource assignments Formatting Gantt Chart View Format options for text and Gantt charts Print options