18 - 22 November 2024
A FREE 5-day online retreat for textile artists and enthusiasts of all levels!
Discover new techniques that inspire you to slow down & embrace mindful stitching, whilst letting your inner artist shine
(even if you think you dont have enough time, skill or talent!)
Get your FREE ticket to the Making Zen Online Retreat
WATCH THIS VIDEO TO LEARN MORE
What is Making Zen?
Community, connection, creativity...
Making Zen is a five day online retreat that gathers 20 professional textile artists to lead free workshops that will help you learn new skills and embrace the power of zen with slow intentional stitching whilst getting inspired by a community of creators just like you.
Join us and reconnect with your inner artist
18-22 November 2024!
"I have participated in every Making Zen Retreat,
and at each one I have learned about new artists, new techniques, and new ways to develop my own style to tell my stories. I am grateful for the inspiration and for the invitation to slow down and enjoy the power of slow, intentional stitching.
Thanks to Kate, the Zen Stitching Team, and all the talented instructors who shared their skill and resources."
- Mary Elizabeth O'Toole
Get inspired
With 20 artists over five days, you'll learn new methods you can use to get creative and find that exquisite feeling of Zen.
01.
Get Out of That Creative Rut
The Making Zen Online Retreat offers a wide variety of workshops, allowing you to try new ideas and techniques. Open yourself up to be inspired!
02.
Make Some 'Me Time'
We all know and feel the benefits of sitting down and creating, and this Online Retreat provides the incentive to make some well deserved 'Me Time.'
03.
Learn New Techniques
With over 20 workshops to choose from, you'll learn new methods and mediums to work with, with gentle step by step guidance as you create beautiful and meaningful art with joy.
The Artist's Workshops
NOW FOR THE PART YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR...
Here's the line up of amazing artists and their workshops to truely inspire you.
Embroidery for Beginners: Embroidering Flowers
Manon Klerks
In this workshop you will learn 4 basic embroidery stitches, and together we will make a beautiful embroidery project: flowers.
Found Shapes Patchwork
Rebekah Johnston
In this workshop you'll learn to trust your instincts and embrace the unpredictability of working with found shapes. Rebekah will guide you through her process of creating a simple minimal composition.
Macrame 3D Rose Pattern
String Theories Fiber Design
Learn all of the steps to create a three-dimensional rose made entirely out of macrame knots.
Beginner-friendly and perfect to add to larger macrame projects!
ABC Sprinkle Sampler
Rebecca Ringquist
Embroider a bright and colourful alphabet that evokes imagery of your favourite soft serve spot. Almost sweet enough to eat!
Calico Cottages
Paula MacGregor
In this workshop you'll learn how to make a cute little slow stitched cottage that we will then build up into a gorgeous interactive book. There are examples of 18 different little cottages to inspire your creations.
Removable Hand Stitched Notebook Cover
Brooke Henry
Create a removable cover for a notebook using scrap fabrics and intuitive hand-stitching.
Intuitive Naturescape "Amethyst Glow"
Darcy Hunter
Darcy will take you through her process to create a small textile naturescape using a wide range of textiles and handstitching. This class will give you the confidence to experiment in creating your own original designs.
Fun and Functional Fabric Books: Part 2
Kiala Givehand
Join Kiala for a bare bones walkthrough of one of her favorite bookbinding techniques translated into a soft, flexible, and handstitched fabric book. You'll want to make several of these and watch your collection grow.
Beginner Paper Cut: Cracked Egg Tutorial
Amy Maricle
Learn the art of paper cut with a cracked egg tutorial. You'll be amazed at what you can create with this beautiful art form.
Drawing and Stitching Curves of Pursuit
Clarissa Grandi
Learn to create these stunning curved designs which emerge, as if by magic, from a series of straight lines.
Hand stitch these elegant patterns onto watercolour paper or card – they’ll be beautiful enough to frame.
Playful Mixed Media & Stitched Floral
Cindy Gilstrap
Come explore combining fabric, paint, and stitches to create a playful mixed media floral. I will also show you how I add these floral pieces to my art journal pages creating fun art books that are full of bright colors and texture.
Stitch A Botanical Journal Cover
Kasia Jacquot
Embroider a beautiful botanical design and sew it into an A5 journal cover. An easy weekend project for any level.
Embellish & Mend: Broderie Anglaise for Creative Repairs
Agy Lee
Transform holes and worn spots in your clothing into beautiful, decorative statements while mastering the delicate eyelet technique, the foundations of broderie anglaise.
Bumble Bee Textile Collage Using Recycled Materials
Laura Edgar
Using the Bumble Bee as inspiration, we will create textile art collages using recycled fabrics and hand embroidery- using fabric and stitch as paint and pencil.
Stitched Words
Amanda Trought
Learn this fantastic and fun way to embellish your slow stitched words for your creative projects.
Wet Feltmaking Project
Clare Bullock
Learn how to make beautiful traditional hand made wet felt from Merino fibres with Clare Bullock.
Rug Hooking
Deanne Fitzpatrick
Learn how to hook and create a small landscape rug. We will explore the history and tradition of rug hooking, look at contemporary ideas for rug hooking, over coming common mistakes and lastly, take a tour of my beautiful studio.
Couch Stitching Mug Rug
Karen Lewis
Learn what couch stitching is and different ways to use it while incorporating this mindful technique into making cute mug rugs.
Braided Woven Cuff
Ellie Fisher
Unwind with weaving! This woven bracelet tutorial is an excellent project for both experienced and beginner weavers.
Whiskers & Stitches: Sashiko-Inspired Cat Coasters
Kate Ward
No one knows Zen like a cat! Inspired by Zen Stitching's Chief Feline Officer, Keiko, these "purrfect" coasters feature sweet Sashiko-style stitches on the belly.
Meet your host
Hi, I'm Kate!
I'm a textile artist with a love of travelling and the esoteric. I believe everything has the potential to become a new creative project, and because of this my house is literally scattered with these ideas.
Im passionate about helping artists and makers discover the power of textile art as a way to finding your inner artist and develop mindfulness practices.
Through my Sashiko Stitch Club I help folks explore the transformative potential of textile art to unlock their creativity and cultivate mindfulness with monthly stitches, stitch-along projects, guest artists and Im excited to share that with you too through the Making Zen online retreat.
My goal is to empower you and give you permission to get creative, helping you to CRAFT a life you love.
At Making Zen we'll guide you to a deeper connection with your creativity through mindful textile arts
OVER 5 DAYS OUR EXPERT INSTRUCTORS WILL HELP NURTURE YOU CREATIVE JOURNEY,
TEACHING YOU NEW TECHNIQUES AND OFFERING MINDFUL PRACTICES
THAT INSPIRE PERSONAL AND ARTISTIC GROWTH.
"Making Zen is not to be missed!
Whatever your level of expertise - from beginner to expert, you will learn a lot & be inspired to try all sorts of new techniques & projects. Kate Ward is exceptional at pulling together a terrific group of teachers to spur us onwards! Thank you Kate!"
- Kim Saxe
Reconnect with your inner artist...
Say "YES!" to your creative self
During the online retreat, we will help you...
🖤 Discover a carefully curated range of artists to explore
🖤 Try new techniques that can bring new ideas to your current work
🖤 Practice your skills with gentle guidance in the comfort of your home
🖤 Explore tips and resources to help you improve different aspects of your craft
🖤 Find calm in the creative process, bringing a feeling of Zen and peace of mind
A Retreat Specially for Creatives
You've wasted too much time going down rabbit holes on Pinterest gathering ideas that you want to make, but you end up overwhelmed with too many ideas and you dont know where to start or you dont have enough time or knowledge to create them.
Making Zen was created specifically for creative individuals like you who want to nurture their creativity, deepen their mindfulness practice, and explore the world of textile arts in a meaningful way.
Every workshop and presentation is thoughtfully designed for hand stitchers and makers, making the experience far more impactful and actionable.
While creating something truly meaningful requires dedication, we’re here to ensure you walk away from this summit with inspiring techniques, creative insights, and a solid action plan to fuel your artistic journey in the months ahead.
GET YOUR FREE TICKET
"A carefully curated range of artists sharing new
techniques in a friendly and approachable manner. I’ve learned a tremendous amount from the artists profiled in a very short amount of time and I’ve made some fantastic mini-projects that I hope to expand into larger ones.
It was a great opportunity to be exposed to such a diverse group of artists and to learn from all of them at such a bargain price. I will definitely join again."
- Lori Coulston
As you can see from that incredible lineup you are *not* going to want to miss this!
GET YOUR FREE TICKET
"My second Zen retreat and I can't wait for the next!
I'm in awe of the quality of presenters.
Thank you Kate for making this retreat so enjoyable."
It was a great opportunity to be exposed to such a diverse group of artists and to learn from all of them at such a bargain price. I will definitely join again."
- Sharon Walker
Let's fill your creative cup!
- Carve out time to nurture your creativity with a like-minded community
- Workshops cover a wide range of topics, so there's something for everyone to love
- Detailed, step-by-step workshops gently guide you through new techniques and processes
- Presentations from professional textile artists mean that even if the broader topic doesn't interest you, there is always something helpful to take away
- Learn to play and create without fear in the online format; it's like inviting the artists into the comfort of your own creative space
Join us for the Making Zen Online Retreat today!
GET YOUR FREE TICKET
"Thank you so much for the amazing Zen Online Retreat.
The timing was perfect for me and helped me deal with a stressful week. It provided me with so many ideas and encouraged me to make everyday. Thank you, I can’t wait to watch everything available on the [VIP] Pass and find pockets of creativity everyday."
- Rachel Irving
Thank you for your support!
A percentage of the profits from Making Zen are donated to Care International, a global confederation working to fight poverty and social injustice in the world, with a specific focus on the empowerment of women and girls.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is this whole thing happening?
How long will the videos be available?
Will all the speakers get my email address?
Are the presentations live?
Is this Retreat on Facebook?
Are you still accepting speakers?
Are the videos captioned or transcribed?
I still have questions!
I've changed my mind, can I get a refund?
Creativity is within your reach. Really.
With five days of caring, step-by-step guidance from professional artists with so many skills and techniques to share, you'll come away from Making Zen full of fresh ideas and renewed inspiration.
GET YOUR FREE TICKET