Learn the beautiful art of Seminole patchwork to make your own unique cushion.

In this one-day workshop, you will learn how to sew numerous Seminole patterns (often descriptively named as ‘fire’, ‘rain', ‘man on horse’) in your own chosen colours, and experience the joy of this innovative style of patchwork. With the finished bands, Clemency will walk you through the step-by-step process of creating a cherished cushion to have for years to come.

The Seminole tribe - a group formed of disparate Native Americans in Florida following the destructive arrival of European colonists - developed this striking and clever technique of patchwork to make use of available scraps of fabric for their clothing. It is distinctive in how it creates intricate and colourful geometric patterns that are first sewn into bands, and then sewn together to form fabric.

MEET YOUR TUTOR

Clemency Calkin works between Stroud and her studio in Bristol. She is an artist working predominantly with textiles, creating patchwork paintings that combine traditional sewing techniques with bright colour palettes. Her works are a celebration of the many possibilities of cloth, elevating what has often been seen as a ‘domestic craft’ into fine art.

Through her creative process of translating feelings into colours and uncertainties into patterns, Clemency is able to process her experience of a complex world. She hopes to create tactile art that brings joy - to the viewer as well as the space it sits in.