Beautiful Big Wool Cables, Tutor - Martin Storey, Date - 9th and 10th November 2013, Location - The Charleston Trust, Lewes, E Sussex, UK

Quilting Retreat in Assisi

with Karin Hellaby
Mon 16 – Mon 23 September 2013. Ref 13009

£1545 per person (twin share) Single supplement: £200. Deposit £200

Travel to Assisi, birthplace of St Francis, for an indulgent week’s quilting  at a top-class hotel. Offering the perfect combination of exclusive sessions with Karin within a friendly group, and the chance to explore this stunning medieval hill-top town, this trip is a real treat.

With eight quilting sessions in total, you’ll have plenty of time to improve your technique and make new friends. Taking the designs on the pillars in the basilica as inspiration, Karin will teach a pieced patchwork project worked in diagonal rows that can be made up into a table runner or larger piece.
Then there’s Assisi itself to explore. Small and easy to get around on foot, this iconic town harbours a horde of treasures from the famous multi-level basilica with the tomb of the saint, to the Rocca Maggiore fort and busy Piazza del Comune – all waiting to be discovered.

For more information click here to view the Arena website

Quilting and the Colours of the Fall in Eastern Canada

Sat 5 – Sun 13 October 2013. Ref 13011

£2595 per person (twin share) Single supplement: £470. Deposit: £350

Get right inside the Canadian quilting scene and see some truly spectacular sights on this fantastic trip to a very special part of North America. With a series of workshops led by local quilting groups, time spent in two of Canada’s most beautiful cities and a host of other sightseeing besides, this holiday is a winner on all fronts – all at that magical time of year when the foliage is turning to rich hues of red, yellow, orange and gold.

This is a holiday of true quilting sisterhood, when not only will you travel with fellow quilters, you’ll meet other quilters everywhere you go! There are six different workshops with local groups and guilds to enjoy, and together these present the perfect chance to compare styles, learn new techniques and make new friends. There are also visits to quilt shops, meaning you’ll get a truly comprehensive insight into quilting Canadian style.

Then there’s the sightseeing: the delights of Montreal, the charm of Québec City, and in between nature on a grand scale including unspoilt forests, mountains, lakes and waterfalls. With the hillsides a blaze of autumn colour, you’ll see sights you’ll never forget.

For more information click here to view the Arena website

Tokyo International great Quilt Festival & the Best of Japan

BREAKING NEWS

KARIN HELLABY WILL ACCOMPANY THIS HOLIDAY TO THE lAND OF THE RISING SUN.

Sat 19 – Thurs 31 January 2013. Ref 13003

£4395 per person (twin share). Single supplement: £685. Deposit: £400

The land of the Rising Sun, a fascinating fusion of old and new: a mix of the ultra modern and an ancient culture, where soaring sky scrapers sit side-by side with historic pagodas and deep-rooted beliefs. Not forgetting that Japan has a long history of textiles excellence – which could make this the trip of a lifetime for quilters and embroidery aficionados alike.

Starting out at Tokyo’s Great Quilt Festival, this holiday embraces the very best that Japan has to offer in terms of textiles and sights. You’ll be astonished by the finesse demonstrated in the work of some of Japan’s finest quilters at the Festival. You’ll also have the chance to see the technique of Yuzon silk dyeing, watch how ‘Nishijin-ori’ textiles are produced, have a go at Shibori fabric dyeing and visit a craft store. Then there’s Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima and Mount Fuji to explore – all via Bullet Train. With their shrines, geishas and neon blaze,Tokyo and Kyoto encapsulate both Japan’s ancient history andits modern face as a major economy. Mount Fuji is typical of the country’s physical beauty, and Hiroshima is never to be forgotten. Likewise, this trip will stay in your memory forever.

For more information click here to visit the Arena website

Quilting in Wales

with Karin Hellaby
Mon 3 – Fri 7 June 2013 Ref: 13002

£749 per person (twin share) Single supplement: £150
Deposit: £100

Get to know all about the fascinating tradition of Welsh quilting during this lovely break based in one of beautiful West Wales’ finest hotels, and take advantage of the considerable knowledge of two experts – Karin Hellaby and Jen Jones. Also take part in quilting classes, view some fine Welsh quilts and textiles, and spend a day in the pretty coastal resort of Aberystwyth.

Quilting has been part of Welsh culture since the late 18th century and soon developed its own trademark style. Early quilts were roughly made from home-spun woolen blankets but gradually printed fabrics became more affordable and quilting took off – especially the Welsh flannel quilts with their bold colours and geometric shapes,akin to the Amish style. Our group will be taking over the whole of this luxurious country house hotel for this holiday, transforming it into a real quilters’ haven.

Jen Jones

Jen Jones has been buying, selling and collecting Welsh Quilts for more than thirty years. Over that time, she has acquired a deep knowledge and understanding of the art and craft of Welsh quilt making. Her remarkable collection of antique Welsh quilts has been exhibited in countries all round the world and now has a permanent home in Lampeter. Jen also runs her own shop in Llanybydder and has a constantly changing stock of over a thousand hand-made quilts and blankets mostly made between 1820 and 1939.

For more information click here to view the Arena website

Knitting Retreat in the Parador of Carmona

with Jane Crowfoot
Sun 22 – Fri 27 September 2013. Ref 13008

£1399 per person (twin share) Single supplement: £235 Deposit: £200

If you have a passion for both knitting and beautiful places, then this is the holiday for you. ‘Retreat’ to the stunning Hotel Alcazar del Rey don Pedro in Carmona, one of Andalucia’s famous ‘white towns’, for a sequence of enriching workshops with Jane Crowfoot in this exquisite Parador.

With parts dating back to the 12th century, this Moorish fortress-turned hotel oozes atmosphere and commands stunning views over the surrounding plains. It provides the perfect surroundings in which to enjoy your knitting, while its sunny terraces, shaded courtyards and lovely gardens are the ideal place to unwind and chat with new friends. During her workshops Jane will draw on your creativity and teach the basics of knitting design. Taking inspiration from everything around you, you’ll create swatches which you can base your own design on, or turn into a cushion or bag project.

You’ll learn how to create or adapt a pattern, plus cable and textured stitches, intarsia and Fair Isle, and bead work. And Jane will be there to help you every step of the way.

Complimentary Rowan Kit

All knitters will receive a kit for a project using Rowan yarns that will be unique and designed especially for the tour, so it will be a ‘one off’ exclusive design by Jane . It will contain all the yarns, beads etc you will need and has a retail value of over £20.

It does not include needles as most people prefer to use their own.

For more information click here to view the Arena website

Knitting Retreat in Assisi

with Debbie Abrahams
Mon 10 – Mon 17 June 2013. Ref 13014

£1545 per person (twin share) Single supplement: £200

Travel to Assisi, birthplace of St Francis, for an indulgent week’s knitting at a top-class hotel. Offering the perfect combination of exclusive sessions with Debbie within a friendly group, and the chance to explore this stunning medieval hill-top town, this trip is a real treat.

With eight knitting sessions in total, you’ll have plenty of time to improve your technique and make new friends. Taking the designs on the pillars in the basilica as inspiration, Debbie is planning a unique project focussing on the colour knitting techniques of intarsia combined with beads, including how to get beads onto yarn, joining in new colours and maintaining even tension.

Then there’s Assisi itself to explore. Small and easy to get around on foot, this iconic town harbours a horde of treasures from the famous multi-level basilica with the tomb of the saint, to the Rocca Maggiore fort and busy Piazza del Comune – all waiting to be discovered.

Complimentary Rowan Kit

All knitters will receive a kit for a project using Rowan yarns that will be unique and designed especially for the tour, so it will be a ‘one off’ exclusive design by Debbie . It will contain all the yarns, beads etc you will need and has a retail value of over £20.

It does not include needles as most people prefer to use their own.

For more information click here to visit the Arena website

Knitting Cruise along the River Douro

with Jane Crowfoot
Wednesday 2 to Mon 7 October 2013. Ref 13010

The prices are:
£1,399 per person (twin share) and the single supplement is £299 per person.

The cabins are on Main Deck and the supplement for upgrading to Upper Deck is £110 per person.
The deposit is: £200

Escape the onset of Autumn in the UK and join Jane Crowfoot on this lovely lazy cruise along the Douro river in Portugal, famed for its dramatic landscapes and steep valley sides strewn with vineyards. This is the heart of port wine country and it’s still warm here in October; you’ll enjoy a series of exclusive workshops led by Jane as your boat glides past some truly beautiful scenery.

You’re also free to bring a non-knitting friend or other-half on this cruise. That’s because we’ve arranged a special itinerary for anyone you’d like to bring along who is immune to the lure of yarn and needles. So while you pursue your favourite hobby in peace, the non knitters will get to see all this stunning region’s best sites before rejoining the boat for dinner.

There’s plenty to enjoy on board MS Fernao De Magalhaes too, with its sun deck, pool, lounge, library and friendly staff. Plus there’s evening entertainment, including a gala dinner-dance, Spanish night and folk evening. So whatever you want to do: knit, see the sights, or simply relax in the sun and watch the scenery drift past, this holiday has something for you.

Complimentary Rowan Kit

All knitters will receive a kit for a project using Rowan yarns that will be unique and designed especially for the tour, so it will be a ‘one off’ exclusive design by Jane . It will contain all the yarns, beads etc you will need and has a retail value of over £20.

It does not include needles as most people prefer to use their own.

For more information click here to view the Arena website

Quilting Short Break in East Anglia including a visit to Quilters Haven

with Karin Hellaby
Thurs 15 – Sun 18 November 2012. Ref 12018

£399 per person (twin share) Single supplement: £60.
Deposit £100

Enjoy sightseeing and huge skies in England’s most easterly reaches, and quilt with Karin Hellaby on her beloved home patch during this long weekend based in a traditional hotel in a quaint Edwardian resort on the Suffolk coast.

Also visit the medieval city of Norwich to discover its rich textiles history and enjoy talks by two of east Anglia’s big quilting names.

At Karin’s Wickham Market shop and teaching centre you’ll quilt using a complementary kit and enjoy a ’show and tell’ session. You’ll also get a fascinating insight into 500 years of textiles fashion, style and technology at the Norwich Costume and Textile Study Centre, have time to trade ideas with your fellow quilters, and enjoy hearing about the quilting exploits of Lynne Edwards and Pippa Moss.
 

In between there are opportunities to enjoy the delights of the four-star Ufford Park Hotel and Spa; explore the medieval delights of Norwich; discover delightful Woodbridge on the river Deben; visit renowned Snape Maltings; and stroll past the fishermen’s boats and huts at Aldeburgh, perhaps pausing to buy fresh fish and chips. All in all, a quilter’s delight.

For more information click here to view the Arena website.

Northern Lights Quilting Cruises

Northbound on board MS Nordnorge with Sally White
16th – 24th March 2013 Ref: 13020

From £1895 per person. Deposit: £350

To download the brochure click here

Join us for one of these fabulous cruises into the Arctic Circle in the company of your chosen quilting expert – Karin Hellaby or Sally White. Each group will follow its own bespoke teaching programme on board a traditional Hurtigruten ship as the majestic Norwegian coastal scenery slips past, bearing promise of a glimpse of the mystical Northern Lights.

From craggy fjords to wide seas, island chains and picturesque fishing settlements, the ship ventures deep into remote territory where the birds and the waves rule supreme. Along the way you will have the chance to explore some of the ship’s 34 ports of call, including Art Nouveau Ålesund and cultural Trondheim, with quilt shop visits plus tours of the start and finish ports of Bergen and Kirkenes also on the agenda.

Another tantalising prospect is that of spotting the Northern Lights during one of their most active times of the year. Never the same twice, this dazzling natural phenomenon transforms the night sky into a kaleidoscope of colour, filling it at incredible speed with great arcs and ghostly wisps of green, yellow, red and violet – promising quilters a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

For more information click here to view the Arena website