Appliqué & Embroidery Retreat 17th - 22nd July 2026
Embroidery & Applique retreat
with Darren ball
Friday 17th - Wed 22nd July 2026
Court house farm and gardens, Portishead, uk
Summary:
Embroidery Retreat with Darren Ball
Dates: Friday 17th - 22nd July 2026
Location: Court House Farm, Portishead, Somerset, UK
Includes
5 nights’ accommodation, all meals and refreshments, expert tuition from Darren, inspiring talks, activities, and local visits
Cost From £1950 (see full pricing below)
Non-residential option available for locals see below
about the retreat
Step into a world where memory, fabric, and stitch intertwine. Over six inspiring days at Court House Farm in Somerset, join acclaimed textile artist Darren Ball to explore how your personal memories—whether quiet moments or vivid snapshots—can be transformed into richly layered textile art.
Working with appliqué and free machine embroidery, you’ll learn how to turn photographs, treasured fabrics, and everyday imagery into expressive, textured compositions. Darren’s warm, encouraging approach makes this retreat ideal for both beginners and experienced stitchers.
A special guest will join us during the week, bringing a curated collection of vintage fabrics and haberdashery—fragments of the past ready to be stitched into something new. You’ll be invited to browse and gather pieces that speak to your story, adding unexpected textures and hidden histories to your work.
Through playful experimentation and expert guidance, you’ll build confidence with embroidery techniques, develop your own creative voice, and complete a finished piece that tells your story in thread. Whether you’re reconnecting with your creativity or looking to refine your practice, this immersive textile retreat offers a joyful, supportive space to stitch your memories to life.
Cost & Booking Details
Residential (5 nights full board + retreat):
£2550 – Own room with ensuite in historic manors
£2350 – Own room with shared bathroom
£2150– Shared room (two people booking together)
£2150 - own room with ensuite in Victorian court lodge (just over the road)
Booking deposit: £500- online, see link below
Balance due 6 weeks before the retreat
Final Payment by bank transfer or PayPal (PayPal fee applies)
Cancellation policy: All fees are non-refundable once paid. In the unlikely event that we cancel, all payments will be refunded or alternative dates offered. Terms and Conditions
Coming from abroad?
We’re happy to help you plan a stress-free arrival or extended stay. Just get in touch to discuss options for arriving a day early or staying a little longer.
Want to bring a non-participating partner along? Contact us for availability and pricing.
Non-Residential Places
A small number of non-residential spaces are available for local guests who wish to attend the retreat without staying on-site.
More information available here >>>
Day attendee fee: £990 - limited spaces coming soon
This includes:
All tuition and materials with Ali
Refreshments and chef-prepared lunches
(excludes evening meals, wine and Bed & Breakfast)
Deposit: £250 (non-refundable)
The balance will be due 6 weeks prior to the retreat. Payments can be made by PayPal or Bank Transfer( although we do charge for the Pay pal fees).
What’s Included
5 nights' accommodation in our Tudor and Medieval manor houses
All meals: seasonal, chef-prepared breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea & dinner with selected wines
All tuition and materials for Darren’s workshop
A talk by art historian
Daily optional mindfulness / gentle yoga sessions
Flower picking and arranging in our gardens
A visit from a French textile trader with a curated collection for purchase
Excursions to Clevedon Pier or Brunel’s Suspension Bridge
Time to explore the local high street, marina and nearby estuary walks
Small group size to ensure personal attention and connection
Creative Itinerary
Day 1: Arrivals & Introductions
Settle into the peaceful surroundings of Court House Farm and meet your fellow retreat guests.
Darren will introduce the retreat with a presentation of his richly layered embroideries, offering insight into his creative process.
A relaxed group discussion will outline how the workshop will unfold, followed by a gentle creative activity to begin exploring imagery and ideas for appliqué and free embroidery.
Day 2: Inspiration, Exploration & Play
We’ll gather as a group to share personal inspirations and talk through possible starting points for your own stitched stories.
Darren will demonstrate key appliqué and free embroidery techniques, encouraging experimentation and playful discovery.
Throughout the day, you’ll begin developing your ideas with guidance and encouragement.
A special visit from a vintage textiles seller may spark further inspiration, offering the chance to find unique fabrics and trimmings for your piece.
Days 3 & 4: Development & Studio Time
Now fully immersed in your project, you’ll spend focused time bringing your ideas to life.
Darren will support you as you compose and develop your individual piece, offering one-to-one guidance and suggestions for deepening and refining your work.
Techniques such as satin stitch, hand embroidery, and embellishment will be explored to add richness and detail to your creation.
Day 5: Completing & Sharing Your Work
With your final composition coming together, today is about adding the finishing touches and celebrating your progress.
There will be time to photograph your work and share your piece in an informal group show-and-tell, reflecting on the creative journey you've each taken.
Day 6: Reflections & Goodbyes
A final gathering to reflect on your creative discoveries, share insights, and say warm goodbyes before departing Court House Farm.
A Little About Court House Farm
Court House Farm is a cluster of historic farm buildings and a medieval and Tudor manor, nestled in a remarkably secluded setting with beautiful country gardens—hidden just off the high street in the coastal town of Portishead, Somerset. While no longer a working farm, it’s a creative haven—rich in history and full of charm.
Our flower gardens, outbuildings, and lovingly restored interiors offer a peaceful and inspiring location for creative retreats. You’ll have access to the Cow Shed—a light-filled, seasonal art studio converted from one of the original farm buildings is perfect for making, stitching, and gathering.
There’s time, too, to explore the gardens, browse independent shops, walk along the coast to watch the sunset, or visit nearby Clevedon with its much-loved Victorian pier.
About Darren Ball
Darren Ball is a textile artist known for his playful, narrative embroideries created using applique, free machine embroidery, and vintage fabrics. Drawing inspiration from 1930s–60s ‘Stitch craft’ magazines and domestic textiles from his childhood, Darren transforms found fabrics—like handkerchiefs—into intimate stitched stories. His work is entirely handmade on a domestic sewing machine, blending traditional craft with contemporary imagination. Darren has exhibited widely and is a member of the Society of Designer Craftsmen and the Makers Guild in Cardiff.
Love the sound of this retreat but can’t make the date? We ask you to register your interest in a future retreat with Darren