Stories: Our retreat Tutor- Darren Ball talks to us about his retreat, textiles and more
There is something deeply moving about the way textiles can hold memory. Helen often thinks of a quilt from her own past — stitched from men’s clothing, carrying stories in every seam — and it is this tenderness, this quiet narrative power, that draws her so strongly to the work of Darren Ball.
Darren’s appliqué and free embroidery pieces are known for their sensitivity: layered fabrics, soft imagery, and the sense that each piece carries a story beneath its surface. His practice celebrates the small, cherished fragments of life — a familiar place, a shared moment, a treasured object — and gives them new life through cloth. This same sensitivity informs his teaching, where he gently helps guests uncover the memories and ideas meaningful to them, supporting each person’s creative voice.
We are delighted to welcome Darren to Court House Farm in August 2026 for a retreat rooted in slow making, thoughtful creativity, and personal storytelling. The farm’s historic buildings and peaceful rural setting provide a natural home for work that asks guests to pause, reflect, and create with intention.
Here, Darren shares more about what guests can expect.
Exploring ideas through making
Darren offers close guidance while encouraging guests to follow their own instincts and develop their own ideas.
“During their retreat guests will be able to explore their own ideas whilst working with me. I’ll be there to help and guide them towards successfully creating their piece. I will suggest how their fabrics can be used and give guidance on all the technical aspects of making. Working through the making with the guests one to one to gain a thorough understanding will enable them to continue and to build on these skills after the retreat.”
What guests take away
A sense of creativity, connection, and inspiration lies at the heart of the retreat.
“I hope that the guests will leave the retreat with some wonderful memories of making, enjoying the company of new friends and relishing the beautiful and unique surroundings. Artistically I hope that they’ll feel confident, curious and inspired to explore their use of appliqué and free embroidery further in their own way.”
A teaching philosophy rooted in individuality
Darren believes in drawing out each participant’s unique visual language, creating a space where everyone’s work can look entirely different.
“My style of teaching is to try and draw individual and different work from each guest. I am happiest when everyone is working in their own way to achieve unique results. I am always delighted to see the variety of results achieved from different uses of the same technique. I’ll be guiding and advising so that the techniques work successfully but the guests will decide how to apply that knowledge.”
Why Court House Farm?
The setting plays a key role, offering beauty, quietness, and time — the essential ingredients for reflective textile work.
“Court House Farm is a beautiful environment in which to work. It has all the beauty and character of age. It has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere which is really conducive to creating and musing on ideas. The retreat will offer the luxury of time to explore personal ideas and memories and to develop them through discussion. There is also time to enjoy the ambiance, hopefully alfresco dining and local produce. I always cook at home but I am really looking forward to sampling Kirstie’s food. I am really interested to see the way in which the warmth of atmosphere and shared creativity can feed into the pieces produced.”
For anyone on the fence
His advice is simple and encouraging:
“Take the plunge. Meeting new people and focusing on your creativity can only be good. Enjoy a little time away from everyday pressures to relish the timeless surroundings and the benefit of creating your own work with other like-minded people around you.”
What excites him most
Darren loves seeing the beginning sparks of ideas that guests bring with them — the origins of their stories.
“I am most excited to see the starting points of the guest’s ideas. They can be so broad, anything that has a made and left a particular impression or memory on them. This could be a loved home, a meal shared or treasured gifts. Memories could be of individuals, places or events. I love to see the diversity of responses and the surprise of how they are interpreted.”
What to bring
Below is Darren’s full, unedited text, now supported with a smoother narrative bridge so all his details sit naturally together.
The retreat encourages guests to bring small items, fragments, or materials connected to the memory or story they wish to explore. These meaningful pieces often become the starting point of the work.
“I hope that guests will bring with them any ephemera that could be included in their piece. Anything that is relevant to the memory that they are capturing. It could be small pieces of fabrics, buttons, ribbons, wrappers or beads. Small scraps of lace or net can be used to create tone in the embroidery. If there are larger things at home that can’t be brought they could take photos to draw and stitch from. Everything centres around the capturing of the idea, recording or bringing anything that will evoke it.”
Alongside personal materials, Darren also shares a clear list of practical tools and equipment that will help guests work confidently throughout the retreat:
“If it is appropriate guests should bring their own sewing machine and any tools and equipment that they like to use. Their own basic sewing kit will enable them to work confidently. Small, sharp embroidery scissors for fine cutting, needles to sew threads to the back of work and sewing threads to work with. These could be for both hand and machine to use in the work.”
What guests will learn
Darren will guide guests through his approaches to appliqué and free embroidery, offering demonstrations, reassurance, and one-to-one support.
“On the retreat I will demonstrate my own approaches to the techniques of appliqué and free embroidery and how I use them creatively to create my pieces. It would be useful if guests have tried to free embroider on their sewing machines to know that the machines are capable of it. Students should not be nervous of drawing ability as we will use tracing paper for appliqué and stitch templates, editing detail to produce more graphic and stylized imagery. The personal significance of the imagery is most important in creating the piece. Hopefully in combination with the individual choices of materials and fabrics that are embroidered. I will discuss one to one with the guests how their ideas might be achieved using the techniques. Guests will choose the simplicity or complexity of their approach to the making. Guests can make smaller pieces which could be combined to produce a larger outcome. I will advise on the size of work. I would suggest working towards a finished outcome so that guests feel that the skills gained can be explored further after the retreat.”
Workshop considerations
“We will need to consider the materials that will be supplied. How this has been covered in previous workshops. The basics will be fabric as a base for work, bondaweb, tracing paper and white tissue paper. Black machine sewing thread. Key equipment will be the machines with the necessary feet for embroidery and small sharp scissors for cutting the applique fabric.
A printer for printing imagery that may be on a phone or stick or changing the scale of imagery.”
A retreat held gently by place and memory
With Darren’s care and attention, and with Court House Farm’s history and surroundings, this retreat invites guests into something special: slow living, deep creativity, and the rediscovery of personal stories through cloth. Participants are warmly encouraged to immerse themselves not only in their own creative unfolding, but also in the shared journey of the group—finding connection, insight, delight and friendship in the collective exploration.
For anyone drawn to textiles, narrative, or simply having a special time for yourself for a few days, August 2026 promises to be a beautiful time to join us—an opportunity for meaningful, joyful, and deeply nourishing personal and communal discovery.