2755 Recreational courses

If you have ever struggled to wrestle a quilt under your sewing machine, then this is the workshop for you! Come along and consider 3 ways of joining your blocks that allow you to quilt each block separately, prior to final assembly of your quilt. This is perfect for beginners and can be used to make a double-sided quilt.

Brand new for 2021, Live online quilting course via Zoom, for total beginners.

Crewel embroidery, also known as Jacobean embroidery, has been practiced for centuries and remains a beautiful and practical craft used to adorn clothing, bags, boxes and much more.

Journals and scrapbooks have always been a great way to record events, memories or just to develop ideas and interests. 

This fun 1 day workshop will really get you started with your free machine embroidery, with great results from the start!

This pretty quilt has been designed with total beginner’s in mind. The design is quick and simple to make, with minimum fabric cutting (you wont be cutting lots of small pieces all day!). This one day workshop includes: How to cut your fabrics accurately How to piece accurately with a perfect 1/4″ seam Assembling your quilt top together Layering up the quilt, wadding and backing How to achieve simple quilting Making and attaching your quilt binding

A perfect follow-on course for those who have already completed an introductory darkroom printing course, or who have a reasonable level of B&W darkroom printing experience. Please bring B&W negatives (35mm or medium format) that relate to each other in some way (subject matter, tonal range, environment etc.) as we will be making a number of prints that can be read as a series. Please note: This course only covers the printing of images and participants should therefore bring previously processed negatives and if you have one, a printed contact sheet along to the session. All other materials (including a range of papers) will be provided. Class sizes are currently limited to 4 participants to enable social distancing throughout the course. Morning Presentation and analysis of what makes a successful series of photographs, and how the final print can be crafted to accentuate the photographer’s artistic intent Reading the negative and pre-visualising the print Re-cap of darkroom skills – including overview of single filter printing, test strips and making a work print Learning how to split-filter print Afternoon Making a printing plan Using fibre based paper Plenty of practical darkroom time to work on your images and gain confidence in the new skills and processes Finishing your prints   Courses are subject to minimum enrolment. Please register early, within five days of the start date, to reduce the likelihood of course cancellation. Please read our cancellation policy before booking. Students, anyone over the age of 65, and those in receipt of any form of benefits can claim the concessionary price, offering a 10% discount on the full course price. Valid proof of eligibility must be produced on the first day of the course. Please use the code CONCESSION when prompted at checkout. Stills uses ILFORD PHOTO chemicals on this course that can potentially pose a risk to pregnant and breast feeding women and asthmatics. We take every care to ensure good working practices and adequate ventilation in our darkrooms. If you feel you may be adversely affected, please visit the Health and Safety section of Ilford’s website for further information. General Guidance Notes for Pregnant and Breast Feeding Women and Asthmatics: From a risk assessment standpoint, provided all necessary control measures (such as good working practices, adequate ventilation, and the use of appropriate PPE) are in place then pregnant and breastfeeding women should be able to continue to work safely with photochemical products.Inhalation is the main route by which fumes and gases enter the body, making good ventilation a high priority. Exposure to irritant chemicals that would not affect most people may provoke an asthma attack in a person who already has asthma. For example, low levels of the gas sulphur dioxide can be produced by some ILFORD PHOTO processes. Most individuals would be unaffected but asthmatics may suffer adverse affects. ILFORD PHOTO products include no known human carcinogens, and no substances to which phrase R46 (May cause heritable genetic damage) or R64 (May cause harm to breastfed babies) applies. Most ILFORD PHOTO developers use hydroquinone, and their classification therefore includes R40 (Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect) and R68 (Possible risk of irreversible effects). Some ILFORD PHOTO chemicals use boric acid or borates. These substances are classified as toxic for reproduction. As a result, the classification of some of the powder developers includes R60 (May impair fertility) and R61 (May cause harm to the unborn child).

Come join our in house artists as they lead you through making your very own little gnome, in your own design. Book in for another session in our normal shop hours to paint your gnome up!

Unleash your creativity with our Beginner On-Demand Copper Clay Enamel Jewellery Course, where you'll learn to craft stunning, colourful pieces using torch-fired techniques. Guided by an experienced tutor, this course introduces you to the fundamentals of working with copper clay and vibrant enamel powders. Through clear, step-by-step video tutorials, you’ll discover how to shape, fire, and enamel your own unique jewellery creations, blending rich colours with the warm tones of copper. Perfect for beginners, this course provides all the skills and inspiration that you will need.

Learn to sketch the clouds and the sky using watercolour and pencil with the Cloud Appreciation Society.