LeisureCourses.net – short courses & residential study breaks in great locations

This improvers course will recap the basic stitches that underpin all crochet work - as well colour changing - increasing and decreasing - working in the round - creating a lacy border - and reading more complex crochet patterns. You will also have a go at textured stitches and colour work through fans - chevrons - bobbles - puffs - popcorns and waffles.

This course will provide you with an in depth insight in to the world of hat making. We will use traditional millinery techniques to create modern felt cloches that are suitable for both a trip into town or an elegant winter wedding. We will also cover many different trimming techniques including working with sinamay fabric and felting flowers with merino wool.

This is a course that will introduce you to sketching winter scenes. You will be shown how to draw and sketch with black ink pen and how to combine this with painting with a watercolour wash.

Dorset and singleton buttons are two ancient British thrift crafts. Originally - they were made on a disc cut from the horn of Dorset sheep - which was covered with needle-worked thread. Singleton buttons can be made from pretty fabrics and use up little scraps effectively. Cheap as chips to make and incredibly beautiful - once you start you can

Applying melted wax to silk is a lovely way to design patterns - be they pictorial or abstract - and great fun for those who don

An opportunity to design and create a beautiful piece of Blackwork using very simple stitches and only one colour of thread to produce a stunning tonal piece of embroidery.

Venturing into 3D in stone is not an impossible task - when you have a highly experienced tutor used to working with both absolute beginners and experienced artists.

Come and learn how to paint a winter landscape.

An opportunity to learn three different techniques and make at least three brooches.

Do you love the look and feel of Turquoise - Moonstone and Rose Quartz? Add the lustre of freshwater pearls and you have an amazing combination. You will learn lots of traditional jewellery making techniques with a contemporary twist so you can incorporate a range of semi-precious stones with freshwater pearls into pendants - necklaces - bracelets and earrings. You will design and create several beautiful pieces of jewellery. This is a fun and relaxing course with plenty of time…

Paper cutting is THE craft of the moment - seen everywhere on posters - book jackets and crockery. And now you can master the basics of this highly rewarding - low cost craft and amaze your friends.

Using a loom for bead weaving is like having an extra hand to hold on to your work! This course will cover how to create lovely woven bracelets and pendants using seed beads - but with the added texture of yarns. The key technique of how to finish a woven piece will also be covered - along with how to add decorative edging and clasps.

Learn the art of needle felting and make three dimensional characters from your favourite storybooks. Design the clothing and accessories that will enhance the miniature figures and give them the special features that make them recognisable. You can make the characters from your favourite book or invent your own.

Working with coloured fleece fibres that will be laid out over a template - you will learn felting techniques to create a beautiful seamless item - which you can decorate with pre-felts and other fibres. Also learn to make straps - flowers and felted beads to add as decoration to your work.

This is embroidery brought right up to date - combining traditional stitches with simple appliqu

A relaxing course creating a unique picture using silk ribbons and embroidery threads to create a beautiful poppy field. Using photos and ribbon embroidery samples for inspiration - as well as tutor demonstrations - it will be wonderful to see various scenes come to life. A course for beginners and the experienced embroiderer alike.

Enjoy the pleasure of painting spring flowers that sing with colour. Learn to mix fresh translucent colour - perfect the ability to create good washes - grasp the skills of wet-and-wet - painting subtle background colours and other interesting techniques - which will form part of the painting process. Your individual paintings can be carefully observed - drawn and painted or experimental and exciting. Demonstration and individual guidance will be given to all students. Suitable for all levels.

Have you been on a silk painting course at Denman before? Or do you have some knowledge of the technique used in this wonderful craft? Try this follow on course and extend your skills repertoire.

Come and be inspired by the flowers and colours of spring and enjoy making floral designs for your home. Lets shake of the winter blues and enjoy the emerging spring flowers.

Building upon the skills and techniques learnt during Watercolours for Beginners - students will extend their expertise by creating mood - atmosphere and depth in their paintings.

Come to Denman and be inspired by a weekend of workshops covering a whole range of topics such as singing - crochet - sewing and watercolours. This is the perfect opportunity to experience a selection of taster classes in the stunning environs of Denman - with its beautiful Georgian manor house and seventeen acres of grounds. You

On this course you will make some lovely pieces of silk paper - do a little free machine embroidery on them and turn them into stunning cards. Samples will be shown and techniques clearly demonstrated allowing everyone to make their own personalised creations. Suitable for complete beginners on a sewing machine.

Design and create a stunning embroidered sampler that incorporates lots of things that are special to you.

If you have attended Beading for Beginners and Beyond at Denman - or elsewhere - and would like to learn more techniques and stitches - attending this course will extend your knowledge.

Make your own unique desirable recycled creations. Give new life to an old favourite piece of clothing that would other wise be discarded. Reworking an old design can make it a new contemporary favourite. Shorten - lengthen - make bigger - smaller - embellish or completely redesign a garment or outfit. Let your imagination go and have fun while learning all the techniques to redesign your whole wardrobe.

Quilled designs inspired by spring flowers and colours will be the theme of this course. Designs will suitable for those with some knowledge of the craft. So come and roll - pinch - crimp and shape strips of paper into beautiful unique designs.

An enjoyable residential course where you will discover simple basket making techniques while you create unique willow creatures using different colours of willow.

This course covers traditional jewellery techniques such as saw piercing - soldering and polishing to enable you to produce beautiful finished pieces of jewellery.

This course aims to give students the opportunity to combine the traditional techniques of hand embroidery and beadwork and to encourage students to experiment with new techniques and develop individual ideas.

An enjoyable Day School where you will discover simple basket making techniques while you create unique willow creatures using different colours of willow.

A relaxing course creating beautiful Fuchsias! Fuchsias come in a great range of colours and sizes - from the small common red and purple flower to the beautiful cream and pale pink blooms that look just like a ballerina

During this course you will be guided in the process of making your own beautiful wedding bouquet using the little known fabric sinamay. The tutor for this course is a professional milliner. Sinamay is a beautiful hand woven natural fibre that lends itself perfectly to flower making and is ideal for making a wedding bouquet that will become a treasured keepsake.

This Workshop involves working from the unclothed/nude figure which often seems a daunting prospect for both advanced artists as well as beginners. Some experience in drawing would be an advantage and a receptivity to many of the ideas underpinning the teaching of this subject would be an advantage on this Course - since Figurative Art Making expects much certainty in the way it is represented. This is an exciting and interactive workshop using a superb professional Model - delivered with…

A real opportunity to learn the hows and whys of watercolour painting! We will tackle colour and textures. Plenty of demonstrations - personal care and attention.

This exciting course is designed to start an interest in making beautiful - personal cards. There is something very special about receiving a card created just for you and there are simple techniques to personalise and embellish cards that make them totally unique to the creator. There will be unusual embellishments to make with copper and foils to give a little touch of bling!

Create some cut outs to celebrate Easter. Bunnies - eggs and flowers make for perfect papercutting images. Do bring along your own inspirational pictures to get your creative juices going!

Come and enjoy silk painting and choose to make a picture or cushion cover - or even a scarf using luminous silk dyes. Its easier than you think!

Come and enjoy a new and stimulating approach to floral design. New ideas - techniques and skills will be explored in a friendly and fun environment.

An introduction to stained glass of all sorts of colours and textures. Make your own stained glass panel or mirror using traditional stained glass techniques.

Modular knitting is an addictive method of creating knitted fabric. The course will introduce knitters to the delights of knitting single and multiple freeform modules. All with no sewing up!

Learn some techniques from an English 17th century form of raised and padded embroidery. Bring your embroidery to life with a 21st century design using the cottage garden as your inspiration. All levels of experience are welcome.

A wardrobe classic - smart or casual - make a classic top in a natural fabric - personalized with your choice of contrast for the applique. The sleeveless or T shape top has a simple construction which you can personalize with your choice of applique at the neck - sleeve or bottom edge. The patterns and the main fabric will be provided by the tutor. Scraps of silk and cotton suitable for the applique will be available for your use…

During this two day course you will learn how to make a block, then a pattern, followed by making up the skirt on day two. A very useful course for students who would like to learn how to make a pattern to fit themselves in order to create their own designs which will fit correctly. All-comers welcome but please note you will need basic sewing knowledge, including the ability to use your own sewing machine, which you will need to…

Create the feel of the Carnival with Carmen, a colourful, fun cloth doll. Learn contemporary cloth doll making techniques to create this bright, bold, fun character and add frills and fruit to complete this exuberant character doll.

Spend an enjoyable weekend making a beautiful piece of art in the vibrant medium of stained glass using ‘Tiffany’ copper foiling.