Workshops

I teach natural colour and seasonal craft workshops in the Yorkshire area. I focus on technique and process encouraging open-hearted and intuitive making. Below are photographs from my past workshops and events. New workshops will appear on my website when they go live and you can be first to hear about them by signing up to my newsletter.

Introduction to Natural Dyeing

Saturday 13th March 2027, 10am - 4pm, Hopewell Studios, Knaresborough

Join me for a day of discovery into the world of natural dyeing on textiles in this hands-on introductory workshop. Together, we will explore how everyday ingredients from the kitchen, garden and surrounding landscape can be transformed into beautiful, lasting dyes. You will also be introduced to a selection of traditional dye plants and their historical uses.

Find out how different fibres respond to natural dyes and gain practical experience in preparing textiles through mordanting to help colours bind and last. We will also experiment with simple modifiers to shift and expand your colour palette, revealing the alchemy behind natural dyeing.

By the end of the session, each participant will take home a collection of their own dyed samples, along with the foundational knowledge and confidence to begin their own natural dye practice at home,

Book

Wild Ink Making

Thursday 21st January 2027, 10am - 1pm, Hopewell Studios, Knaresborough

Create colourful natural inks from foraged plants and trees. In this winter class we will be using materials such as bark, galls, cones and winter berries. Together we'll explore the ink-making process step-by-step, followed by sampling, mark-making, and creative play on paper.

Making inks from natural and botanical locally sourced materials a relaxing and mindful process. This winter workshop will demonstrate how to create a dark and wintery colour palette and how to shift these colours using readily available modifiers.

This is followed by creative exploration and experimentation with a variety of papers and mark making tools. Wild ink making is a beautiful practice that reminds us to slow down and connect with our local landscape.

Book

Introduction to Natural Dyeing

Saturday 27th June 2026 10am - 4pm

Expired

Join me at Hopewell Studios in Knaresborough for a day of discovery into the world of natural dyeing on textiles in this hands-on introductory workshop. Together, we will explore how everyday ingredients from the kitchen, garden and surrounding landscape can be transformed into beautiful, lasting dyes. Alongside these accessible sources, you will also be introduced to a selection of traditional dye plants and their historical uses.

Gain practical experience in preparing textiles through mordanting to help colours bind and last. We will also experiment with simple modifiers to shift and expand your colour palette, revealing the alchemy behind natural dyeing.

By the end of the session, each participant will take home a collection of their own dyed samples, along with the foundational knowledge and confidence to begin their own natural dye practice at home.

Group of five women standing outdoors in front of a large leafy tree, holding what appears to be tie-dyed cloth bags, smiling, dressed casually, with sunlight filtering through leaves.

People working with various fabric swatches at a table, with colorful fabric samples labeled with tags, in a workshop setting.

Two large stainless steel stock pots on electric stoves on a cluttered wooden workbench covered with newspapers in a workshop or garage with wooden cabinets and various tools and papers.

Two women are pouring dark purple dye through a cloth filter into a purple bucket outside, near a black wooden gate and stone wall, surrounded by grass and weeds.

Two women hanging colorful cloths on a clothes drying rack outdoors, next to a stone and wood wall.

Two women working at a table covered with fabric swatches arranged by color, along with scissors, pens, and small labeled papers. The room has a brick wall background, shelves with various items, and a whiteboard.

Swatches of fabric in various colors with small handwritten notes attached, arranged on a white sheet on a dark work surface, with sewing supplies and other materials in the background.

A white clothing rack with three shelves holding fabric samples and swatches in red, orange, yellow, and dark colors, secured with wooden clothespins, in a room with a wooden cabinet and concrete floor.

A large stainless steel pot with multiple dyeing socks in colored liquids, with a thermometer inserted into the water, placed on a table in a workshop or dyeing studio.

People working in a kitchen, some wearing aprons and gloves, preparing food. The man in the center is holding a bunch of orange, string-like material over boiling pots, possibly yarn or food ingredients. The workspace has a rustic brick wall and a co

Table with fabric swatches, yarn, and notes, in a creative workspace.

Colorful tie-dye fabric pieces laid out on a dark surface, including a large orange piece, a smaller purple piece with yellow yarn, and a beige piece at the top.

Various pieces of fabric and yarns in different colors and textures laid out on a gray surface.

Women making homemade pasta, with one woman pulling a long strip of pasta from a pot and another stirring a pot of hot oil or water, on a table covered with newspapers.

Two women preparing herbal or floral arrangements with jars containing flowers and dried herbs on a table.

A person holding a black cylindrical object wrapped in yellow and purple cloth, with the cloth tied with a yellow string. The background shows a workspace with yellow bags and blurred shelves.

A tall spool of rainbow-colored thread placed in a plastic container filled with water. Scissors and a roll of string are on the table nearby, with a workshop or crafting area visible in the background.

A man sitting on a park bench holding a long strip of raw meat with a wrinkled appearance. The man has short, blond hair, is wearing a white t-shirt, black shorts, and gray sneakers. There are scissors, a pair of glasses, and wires on his lap, with g

Various pieces of fabric, yarn, and garments are spread on a gray surface, with some yarns tangled together and some pieces folded or crumpled.

Wild Ink Making

Saturday 20th June 2026 10am - 1pm

Expired

Create your own unique and colourful botanical inks using a range of natural materials including leaves, berries, roots, and flowers. Together we'll explore the ink-making process step-by-step, followed by sampling, mark-making, and creative play on paper.

All materials & light refreshments included

This will take place in a small group at Rooted Wings, a nature-based education setting near Otley.

Watercolor artworks of abstract spiral and circular designs, with various colors including brown, purple, yellow, and green, laid out on a cluttered table with jars of water, brushes, and painting supplies.

A wooden table with various fresh herbs, blueberries, kitchen tools, and containers for a cooking or herbal preparation process.

Watercolor painting on paper featuring the words 'I am' and 'soda al L' with colorful blobs and abstract shapes in purple, green, and pink, placed on a wooden surface.

People are participating in a chocolate tasting or comparison event. They are heating and sampling chocolates, with small tasting spoons and samples on display.

A colorful spiral watercolor painting on paper, with a glass of water and a pen on a wooden surface.

A person painting watercolor on paper at a wooden table, with various paint colors, brushes, and containers nearby. The person is partially visible, wearing a floral shirt or apron.

A watercolor palette with various color samples, watercolor paint swatches on a sheet of paper labeled with plant names, and art supplies on a wooden table.

Two women cooking food on a stovetop in a kitchen with wooden walls, with various cooking utensils and containers on a blue tablecloth covering the table.

People engaged in watercolor painting and color mixing at a table with art supplies, sketches, and a work-in-progress watercolor piece.

Community Flax Planting

Tuesday 21st April 2026 1pm - 3pm

Expired

Join me for a free community gathering of connection, remembering and spring rebirth as we sow flax seeds at The Acorn gardens. This beautiful plant has been grown by our ancestors for thousands of years and is interwoven in our human story for food, clothing, utility and decoration.

We can’t wait to watch her long stems grow and tiny blue flowers swaying in the summer breeze again. We hope to hold a flax harvest celebration and craft later in the year around the Earth festival of Lughnasadh.

A group of women standing outdoors on a sunny day, smiling, with trees and a blue sky in the background. One woman is holding a bundle of sticks or branches.

Three women sit outdoors on a grassy field under a blue sky with clouds, practicing basket weaving with natural materials.

Two people sitting on grass outdoors, one woman wearing a colorful sweater and a teal-patterned shawl, the other person with long hair and a brown jacket, holding a piece of string or plant. The background shows green grass and some small yellow flow

Three women sitting outdoors in a grassy field, engaging in a craft activity with string or yarn. They are dressed in casual, layered clothing suitable for spring or fall, with one woman wearing a black headscarf, glasses, and a bright pink fleece ja

People sitting on chairs outdoors on a grassy field, knitting or weaving with natural materials, with a wooden tray and glass teapot in the foreground.

Multiple hands with bracelets and rings joined together in a circle outdoors on grass, with camping supplies and a beverage nearby.

A group of people sitting outdoors on chairs and blankets in a grassy field under a blue sky with clouds. They appear to be engaged in a group activity or discussion, with various items spread out on the ground.

Group of women and children planting or tending to a garden in a yard with a wooden shed, dressed in casual clothing.

Person crouching and planting seeds in a garden bed with four women standing nearby, outbuilding in the background, clear sunny sky.

A woman and a girl planting or tending to a garden bed outdoors, with a brick wall and wooden shed in the background.

A woman kneeling on her right knee in a garden, smiling, with freshly tilled soil in front of her and a stone house and wooden building in the background.

A woman in a black jacket, blue jeans, and striped socks is planting or working in a garden with green plants in front of a stone house on a sunny day.

A person with gray hair, wearing a dark jacket and gray pants, is squatting and planting seeds in a garden bed next to a house, with green plants nearby and a clear blue sky above.

A woman sitting on a colorful blanket in a garden, holding a small box, with various gardening and picnic items around her, including a glass teapot with tea in a wooden tray on grass, on a sunny day.

A garden with freshly tilled soil ready for planting. Several rows of soil are visible, with a small bush or shrub and some green plants along the edge. In the background, there's a raised bed enclosed with a wooden fence, and a sign with the word 'W

A woman with long blonde hair, wearing a dark jacket and a white shirt, sitting outdoors on a sunny day, smiling and adjusting an earring, with greenery and a stone wall in the background.

Winter Inks

Thursday 12th February 2026 10am - 1pm

Expired

Whether you're an artist, a nature-lover, or simply curious, this workshop invites you to slow down, reconnect with the landscape around you and explore the art of creating wild inks from plant-based materials. This winter session focuses on using bark, cones, roots, catkins, winter berries and even petals. Taking place at Hopewell Farm Studios in Knaresborough.

Winter Spiral Weave & Cacao

Tuesday 27th January 2026 1pm - 3:30pm

Expired

Join me at The Acorn Retreat in Nidderdale for a gentle mid-winter gathering with warming cacao, meditation and creativity.

Co-facilitated with Katie Kavanagh we will bring in the symbology of the spiral as we emerge from the centre of winter before awakening to spring.

Crafting looms onto a willow frame, we will each create a spiral weave with natural materials, fibres and threads for a magical and restorative afternoon.

Felted Funghi Samhain Craft

Friday 24th October 2025 1pm - 3pm

Expired

Mushroom season is upon us as the days draw in. Join Lou for a fun and relaxing craft session creating our own needle felted fungi with a beautiful selection of colourful wool tops and fibres. This takes place at the beautiful Acorn Retreat in Nidderdale and is served with a nourishing witchy brew.

Lughnasadh Harvest & Craft

Friday 1st August 2025 10am - 12pm

Expired

Celebrate the festival of Lughnasadh at The Acorn Retreat with our flax harvest and craft event. Lou will be showing us how to make corn dollies and together we will gather the flax that has been growing at the Acorn. This event marks the season of abundance and is rooted in past traditions, story and creativity, set in beautiful gardens. We would love you to celebrate with us - bare feet, drums and rattles are welcome!

The event is £20 person and there are eight spaces available. We are hoping for fine weather but please dress suitably and bring sun cream if needed. Refreshments included.

Weaving for Wellness

Tuesday 20th May 2025 9:30am - 12:30pm

Expired

A relaxing morning of craft, weaving beautiful threads and fibres on a hand loom to make our own unique wall hangings. Our weaves will be full of spring colour and incorporate natural yarns and fibres to represent the season.

Weaving is a tactile and mindful practice that invites us to slow down and be present. We will weave beautiful pieces that are full of meaning and intention, choosing our colours and intuitive patterns. It is awe-inspiring to remember that this ancient craft was practiced by our ancestors and even those not so long ago! It will be a lovely morning full of connection and creativity.

Please arrive in good time for a 9:30am start. Lou will provide the weaving equipment and craft materials. Refreshments included. Six places available.

Slow Stitching

Saturday 1st March 2025 1pm - 3:30pm

Expired

An afternoon of calming slow stitch inspired by nature. Create your own unique hand stitched piece of artwork using botanically dyed cloth and fabric remnants.

This workshop is for beginners and those familiar with a needle and thread. The practice focuses on the soothing rhythm of stitch and the colourful arrangement of fabrics designed for relaxation and mindfulness rather than technique. You do not need any experience with stitch.

The workshop will take place at FreshAir&'s tranquil studio in Nidderdale. Your ticket includes the two hour fully guided workshop and a drink from the Nourish Station. Book now to join us for a magical afternoon of nature and stitch.

Woodland Wellness for Women

Eight gatherings in 2024

Expired

Throughout 2024, I facilitated a Woodland Wellness group for women in my local community, gathering on the ancient Earth Festivals for nature immersion, stories and wildcrafting. This inspired me to take a Forest School Leadership Qualification in 2025 which supports my creative practice and teaching.