Creative workshops at Cwmoernant Farm, Carmarthen
creative workshops where the emphasis is on learning new skills in a relaxed, friendly setting.
We look forward to sharing a warm farmhouse welcome, great food and inspiring surroundings
with new friends whilst we help you explore your creative abilities.
Bread Baskets Weekend
May 16/17 (feel free to arrive Friday evening if wished)
Come and spend the weekend learning how to make willow baskets, bake bread
in a wood fired oven and making new friends.
Our tutor Helen will spend Saturday showing you how to make a basket,
providing all materials needed for you to complete a finished article. To allow
quality time she has limited the participants to 10 people and the fee for the
basket part of the weekend is £20 per head.
Local Baker Debs will be making bread using the outdoor brick bread oven and
offering the opportunity to join her. Make your own bread and have it stone
baked to take home. The bread that Debs bakes will be eaten with the evening
meal.
Helen our gardener will be sharing her knowledge of herbs.
Try your hand at making your own pizzas for a shared lunch on Sunday before
the afternoon finish of 4pm. Offering a chance to finish your weaving if you did
not complete it the day before and to enjoy the living willow project at the farm
along with looking at other ideas for weaving.
Cost for accommodation and main meals for the weekend £35 per head.
(So, if you wish to do both the basketry course and bread, herbs,
accommodation and food, the total cost is £55)
Woolcraft Wales Weekend
Fri 14th June(evening arrival )- Sunday 16th 2009
Woolcraft Wales and its guests will be hosting a weekend at the farm showing
various wool crafts skills.
Local shearer Euan will be demonstrating shearing and sharing his knowledge
on caring for sheep on the saturday.
For further information visit www.woolcraftwales.co.uk
Cost for weekend with camping accommodation and food £80
Fibre Retreats
4/5 July 2009 and 8/9 August 2009
Come and spend two days at our smallholding immersing yourself in the textile
arts you want to concentrate on. Bring your current project or wheel to work on,
but also feel free to dip into our relaxed, informal sessions.
Book accommodation to suit yourself, either on site (we have a range of
comfortable, affordable options from camping, barn accommodation, caravan or
stugar with prices starting at just £6 per night) or stay locally in historic
Carmarthen. The weekend fee covers hearty farmhouse food (Saturday lunch
and dinner and Sunday breakfast and lunch), plenty of tea, coffee, tisanes and
homemade cake, basic fibres, dyes and other supplies and use of the
smallholding's fibre equipment, textile library and buildings.
The weekend emphasis is on giving yourself time and space to progress your
own work, in relaxed, friendly surroundings, making new friends as you go. Our
informal sessions are likely to include:
Preparing a fleece
Introduction to natural dyes (madder, weld and indigo are planned)
Introduction to peglooming
Dropspinning
Help with your wheel or first steps with a wheel
Use of a drum carder
How to use a lucet to make useful cords
Basic knitting or crochet skills
We often have a small swapshop or bring and buy table for participants wanting
to trade or sell any surplus items, so please feel free to bring anything you wish
to include.
Places for these fibre retreats are limited and early booking is recommended to
avoid disappointment.
Cost £50 per person plus accommodation as required, in the first instance
email to register your interest and we will send back a booking form detailing
accommodation options. On completion of this and confirmation of your booking,
a non refundable £10 is required with the balance payable a week before the
event.
Fairy Weekend
23/24 August
A magical family weekend full of creativity and imagination. Create wonderful
fairy accessories and wands, or maybe make a hat for the gnome in your life
with pointy hat artist Sally, explore our fairy dell and taste the yummiest fairy
banquet ever. Stories shared by experienced storytellers are a major feature of
the weekend:
Storyteller Luci used to be a Primary school teacher and now visits
schools to tell tales. She tells stories from the Barefoot Book, collections of
authentic tales handed down through generations.
Helen Mellin, professional heritage actress and story teller brings Welsh folk
takes and myths of the Tylwyth teg to life. Share stories from the Mabinogion
and join her harvesting wild flowers to create our very own Bloddeuwedd. Hear
the myth of the physicians of Myddfi, and tales of Welsh kings.
These myths and legends stir our souls both young and wise! Come share the
magic of princesses and crones, frogs and faeries, knights, hermits and heroes.
Long may the stories be told. Long may there be ears to listen!
Cost and details tbc, please let us know if you would like to be kept updated
Please note, all little gnomes and fairies must be accompanied by their
responsible adult whilst enjoying the activities. A range of camping and barn
accommodation is available, or you may wish to explore local B&B options.
Beekeeping at Cwmoernant Farm
The Carmarthenshire Beekeepers Association meet at the farm throughout the
year on various Sunday afternoons for practical beekeeping skillsharing and will
be demonstrating from making a hive to collecting the Honey at the end of the
season. For further details of the Association ,becoming a member and the
meeting dates contact www.carmarthenshirebeekeepers.org.uk.
Clay Wednesdays
From May 6th
Alison has worked as a Ceramicist making tiles while being creative with clay in
other forms for many years. Penny lives at the farm and wants to Play with
Clay....
If you have always wanted to play or make something with clay but didn’t want to
do a course Then Wednesdays 10-12noon starting May 6 2009 is The Day for
you.
We can offer you an opportunity to create a piece of art over the weeks with
advice and equipment needed , including Kiln Time in an Inspiring environment .
Tea/coffee provided.
Kiln time and clay etc priced per item.
We do have a kick wheel for the strong and hardy!
Cost £5 per session
A fun workshop as the year turns, work with natural or dyed wool fibres and tuition from
Pointy Hat maker Sally Pointer to create your very own unique and highly wearable
handmade felt pointy hat, perhaps with secret inside pockets or embellishments that
reflect your personality. A cheerful, intensive one day class with a sustaining seasonal
lunch and all materials and tuition included in the price.
Cost: £50 per day, if you wish to stay for two days and develop your skills further, a
second day discount can be arranged.
Custom Courses: Looking for something specific? Why not let us know what you would
like to learn, and we may be able to custom design a course for you subject to sufficient
interest. Our 2009 calendar is still being developed, so don't be shy, let us know what you
would like to see offered.
Email us to book a course or enquire further