5 - 10 July 2026 - Slow Stitching Retreat - Ali Ferguson
Cloth Stories
Retreat Details
Dates: 5 - 10 July 2026
Duration: 6 days/ 5 nights
Tutor: Ali Ferguson
Hosts: Helen, Mick & CHF team (Victoria, Kirstie, Sophie, Paris)
Venue: Court House Farm, Portishead BS20 6PU, UK
Experience level: Suitable for all levels
Small group for focused tuition and connection
Includes
5 nights’ accommodation, all meals and refreshments, expert tuition, inspiring talks, studio time, activities, and local visitsCost
From £1990 + vat residential (see full pricing below)£990 + vat Non-residential option available (see below)
About the Retreat
‘Cloth Stories’ is about connection—to materials, memories and each other. Ali Ferguson invites you into a gentle world of personal memories, hand-stitching, and storytelling. Over five days of slow making, you’ll work on up to three soulful textile projects that celebrate home and the people who shape our lives.
Whether you’re an experienced maker or a complete beginner, this retreat is a space to slow down, connect, and create from the heart. You’ll be gently guided through a thoughtful making process, with a deep appreciation for materials, story, and time. Expect a nourishing balance of quiet focus, shared conversations, and creative joy in a truly special setting.
Costs & Booking
Residential (5 nights, all inclusive)
Arrival: 2pm, Sunday 5 July for afternoon tea and gather at 3pm for introduction & studio session with Ali
Farewell: 11.30am, Friday 10 July 2026
£2,550 + vat — Own ensuite room in the historic Manor
once our allocation of rooms are filled in the manor we use our Court Lodge accommodation (Victorian house just at end of drive) All rooms are ensuite£2,350 + vat — Own room, shared bathroom (2 sharing)
£1,990 + vat — Shared twin room (price per guest- booked together)
Reserve with a £500 non-refundable deposit - see our terms & conditions for details
we welcome non-participating guests to join us with a paying guest - price for room & food will be quoted on request
For those with further to travel we offer additional nights without catering - price quoted on request
Non- residential option Join us with a 6- day pass - see below
Costs & booking- continued
Non-Residential — 6-Day Studio Pass
For those creatives who live locally and can travel to us daily we offer a 6-day pass. On-site parking available.
Read more here >>
Venue: Court House Farm, Portishead BS20 6PU, UK
Cost: £990 + vat
Arrival: 2pm, Sunday 5 July 2026
Daily workshops: 9.30am – 4.30pm + talks 6-9 July
Farewell: 11.30am, Friday 10 July 2026 - we would welcome you to join us for some time to reflect on the experience, share the work created and say farewells
Includes: all tuition & workshops, studio access, and lunches (excludes accommodation, bar and evening meal).
Reserve with a non-refundable deposit - see our terms & conditions for details
What’s Included
5 nights' accommodation in our Tudor and Medieval manor or Court Lodge accommodation
Breakfast, seasonal, chef-prepared lunch & dinner with selected wines, Refreshments throughout the day
All tuition and materials for Ali’s workshops
A talk by art historian
Daily optional mindfulness / gentle yoga sessions
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 gardens, local high street, marina and nearby estuary walks
Small group size to ensure personal attention and connection
testimonial from past guest
“My name is Anat and I am from Jerusalem Israel I like doing embroidery and other textile arts. I would like to recommend “Court House Farm” in Portishead, West England for its art retreats. It takes place in a charming historic house, with gardens and wonderful flowers. The lovely couple that lives there provide excellent embroidery workshops, comfortable vintage style accommodations, and gourmet meals. It’s the perfect place to immerse yourself in embroidery while enjoying the beauty of the estate. During my stay there I had the opportunity to participate in two amazing workshops. The first one led by the accomplished textile artist Mandy Pattullo. I so much liked the place that I came back for another workshop hosted by the lovely artist Ali Ferguson. In both retreats I enjoyed doing art and met nice people. We also had some visits to places nearby and had a lecture by an art historian. All in all these were delightful retreat experiences that both enhanced my skills and provided me memorable moments. If I have the opportunity I will definitely go back.”
Creative Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival & Introductions
Settle into your room and join us for afternoon tea. Meet Ali and fellow guests, and ease into the retreat with an introduction to Ali’s process and creative approach.
Day 2 – Wonky Patchwork Portraits
Ali will guide you in starting your first project - creating a small hand stitched patchwork piece inspired by old log cabin quilts, family memories and handwritten words. At the heart of your collage will be a personal family photograph, or your own special words printed onto fabric.
Day 3 – Cloth Stories
We’ll play around with ideas by working small today. Ali will share her relaxed approach to creating a gorgeously scrappy cloth collage on a linen background, using words, motifs and meaningful materials. You’ll create your own fabric by printing personal text onto calico with an inkjet printer. Ali will offer individual guidance as well as group demonstrations throughout the day.
Day 4 – Cloth Stories
We’ll continue developing our collage ideas by either starting a new larger piece or by continuing working small to create a beautifully tactile cloth book with a simple story collage on each page. Either way, your pieces will be inspired by your own personal stories and memories of home and the people who are special to you. Ali will show you ways of adding personal words and memories and will work with you individually throughout the day.
Day 5 – Studio Time, Reflections & Sharing
We’ll continue working on our personal projects throughout the day with a gentle show-and-tell session at the end of the afternoon to celebrate what’s been created.
Day 6 – Farewell Breakfast & Departures
One last breakfast together before you say goodbye to new friends.
You won’t finish all your projects during the retreat—but you’ll leave with a small collection of deeply personal pieces that you feel excited by, connected to, and inspired to keep working on at home.
The retreat will be a celebration of slow hand-stitching. Don’t worry if you’re not an experienced stitcher—Ali will show you everything you need to know.
You won’t finish everything during the retreat—hand stitching is slow! But you’ll leave with a small collection of deeply personal pieces that you feel excited by, connected to, and inspired to keep working on at home. Ali believes that slow stitching should be just that: a thoughtful process added to day by day, where the joy of creating is as meaningful as the finished work itself.
About Ali Ferguson
Ali is a textile artist, tutor and author working from her quirky studio which sits at the bottom of her garden in a small village just outside Edinburgh.
Her nostalgic textile work takes inspiration from home & family life, past & present. She stitches stories of ordinary people and everyday things using handwritten words, vintage materials, personal motifs and a whole lot of heart.
A natural and nurturing teacher, Ali creates a calm, inclusive space where creativity unfolds slowly and meaningfully. Whether you’re layering old fabrics or hand-stitching family memories, she encourages you to work with heart, not perfection. Her retreats are a celebration of slow making, connection, and the stories that live not only in our memories but also in the materials we choose.
Ali is the author of ‘Cloth Stories – Exploring domestic life in textile art’ published by Batsford in 2024.
Love the sound of this retreat but can’t make the date? We would love to ask you to register your interest in a future retreat with Ali so we can let you know when this might take place in the future