Guest TutorGUESTTUTOR

‘A Frozen World’ With Nigel Cheney *New 2026

£145

An opportunity to work with Nigel Cheney creating a wall panel or smaller series of pieces in your chosen stitch method – hand/machine..or both!

Description

The theme for this workshop encompasses all that is beautiful in cold, harsh, icy landscapes and the creatures that inhabit them. From polar bears and penguins to the textures and shapes of ice flows, Nigel has produced a unique series of artworks for this workshop.

Those familiar with his work will notice this workshop differs in that the digitally printed fabrics will be on sheers and silks. Layering, transparency and contrast of surface textures will inspire unique fabric, stitched collages. These will be a collaboration that incorporates both digitally printed images of Nigel’s original drawings with fabrics from your own ‘stash’.

 I love cloth and fibre. 

Embracing their tactile qualities and the memories imbued in the cloth I stitch onto. 

From who has worn it or how and where it was made I am intrigued by the haptic nature of cloth and textile, tactile memory. The compositions I make are a conversation between the original digitally printed panels I produce and the cloth that I layer, piece and patch around them.’

On this two day, intensive workshop participants will be introduced to techniques in fabric collage and detailed ‘Slow Stitch’ of illustrated elements. Emphasis will be placed on colour, composition and using stitch to ‘draw’ in thread.

Inspired by the array of examples of different approaches to hand stitch and fabric collage that you will be shown, this workshop will allow you to gain the confidence to assemble your own collage of fabrics and bring them to a cohesive surface through stitch. It will also include the development of charming stitched motifs to apply onto a ground. 

Nigel uses a broad palette of textile techniques in his work and assures you that this workshop can be undertaken entirely in machine or hand stitch, or indeed any combination.

Everyone will be able to choose from a selection of original printed fabrics (unique to this workshop) that have been created from Nigel’s hand-drawn illustrations priced from £5. Developing your own individual compositions you will be encouraged to introduce other textile elements that ensure your own unique response to the challenges of this workshop. The techniques shown are inspired by cultural and ethnic textile philosophies, where the life story of the cloth is inextricably linked with its new purpose. Hopefully this workshop will help us all to consider using existing fabrics in our practice as well as our constant love of buying new !

Student Requirements:

Fabric– This is a chance to integrate your own vintage fragments, scraps from charity shop finds or even your unfinished samples /fabric prints/eco dyeing from previous workshops into a composition so it is important that you bring a wide selection of these.

Equipment– basic sewing kit, needles, scissors, pins etc.

The workshop can be undertaken by hand or machine, so obviously you will need to bring the machine, sewing kit, etc that are relevant to you.

Threads whatever hand or machine threads you want to work with. This can range from viscose machine embroidery thread to basic sewing cotton, stranded, Perle or chunkier threads to couch down. It is your chance to control the colour palette you want to work with. Iridescent, shiny threads can contrast with matt yarns, though obviously do think about the atmosphere off the frozen world you want to depict and colour related to specific creatures you want to stitch.

Nigel will bring a collection of his own work to inspire you, and even some drawings and prints available to buy.

For more of Nigel’s work visit https://www.nigelcheney.com

Social Media:

Instagram @nigelcheney

Facebook www.facebook.com/nigel.cheney/

Additional information

Dates:

2nd and 3rd July 2026

Times:

10am- 4pm

Artist Bio:

Nigel Cheney is an embroiderer born and living in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. Drawing is central to his work. His practice is divided between textile art and producing one off designed pieces. His art work is often large in scale, whilst his brand ‘DROOL’ (deliberately random objects of loveliness) produces decorative textile products for interiors and fashion accessories that combine digital print with hand and machine stitch. 

His work has been exhibited widely throughout Europe and has won numerous awards and is in a number of International collections. Most recently he was a finalist in both the Fine Art Textile Awards at the Festival of Quilts 2020 and Hand and Lock 2022.

He held the position of University Lecturer in Embroidered Textiles at National College of Art and Design, Ireland for over 24 years before returning to live in his native Harborough in 2017.

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