The Fay Maxwell Studio Workshop Fay Maxwell runs workshops from her studio in Frensham, Farnham, Surrey, or will travel to your venue as required. Her work has been featured on a number of occasions in Workbox, as well as Needlecraft and she has exhibited throughout the UK. Her commissions are to Spain, Ireland, the USA and the UK. Fay has achieved the highest academic qualifications with City & Guilds and Wincester College of Art (Southampton University). Her workshops include: "Alice and Julia": a talk describing the making of two-dimensional Edwardian figures from historical research to designing and final surface stitching. "Out of the Shadows": a talk and workshop to learn the joy of traditional shadow stitching and experiment with modern ideas which include slashing, burning and layering. "How to Design": a one day workshop to expand your horizons, beginning with design and forget forever the fear "I can't draw"! Travel on from the source to the creation of a variety of textured surfaces using different techniques. "Miniature Stumpwork": a one day ideas and practical workshop on creating stump work heads and other designs which can be turned into your own cards, pictures, etc. "Embroidery with Style" is planned for individual tuition or small groups of up to six people and is based on Seasonal Embroidery or can be for some special occasion. For further details contact Fay Maxwell, 3 Gorse Cottages, Shortfield Common, Frensham, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 3AZ. Telephone 01252 794432, and see her shadow work feature in "Out and About" in this issue.

Knitting and Crochet Guild Study Days The Knitting and Crochet Guild is continuing its programme of successful study days around the country. At a cost of £15.00 (£20.00 non members), these Study days offer very good value. In the near future you can choose from the following: Let's Synchronise Our Swatches" - Peterborough, 23rd September. Hurry if you want to book this and enjoy a day with tutor Tessa Watts-Russell. "Autumn Leaves Crochet" - Bradford, 7th October, with Barbara Mann. "Damask and Brocade Knitting" - Victoria and Albert Museum, London, November (date to be fixed), with Judith Dore. "And from Square to Eternity" - Colne, 2nd December, with Pat Ashforth and Steve Plummer. For further details or to book contact Study Days co-ordinator, The Knitting and Crochet Guild, P. O. Box HH1, Leeds, LS8 2YB.

Courses at Alston Hall The standard of tuition at this residential college at Longridge, near Preston was featured in the October/November 1998 issue of Workbox and the college remains a centre of excellent tuition in the North of England, offering a very wide choice of courses including many for textile enthusiasts. The college occupies a grand building that itself inspires and the grounds are an oasis of calm for quiet reflection. Among the courses in the coming autumn and winter brochure are the following: Dressmaking Day courses on a variety of aspects of this practical craft at the reasonable cost of £20 will take place on 10th November, 15th December, 2nd February, 23rd February and 16th March. In addition there are residential courses: 25th - 30th March, Designaknit it! - Computer aided knitwear with Diane Bennett. 19th - 21st January, Make and Fit a Tailored Skirt with Janet Moville. 6th - 8th April, Make and Fit a Blouse or Dress with Janet Moville. Embroidery and Textile Art A selection of day courses at only £19.00 each, looking at innovative techniques that include: "Brooches with Attitude" (hot glue, transfer foil, beads and velvet) - 18th October. "In a Grid Formation" (materials from copper wire to painted rug canvas, to make a small panel) - 22nd November. "Felted Stitches" (wool stitches worked into a sandwich of unfelted wool tops overlaid with cold water soluble material and felted to inlay the stitching) - 28th March. Embroidery 23rd - 25th February, Arabian Nights: using vibrant colours, metallics and other exotic threads. Maeve Greenwood tutors on the theme of the Arabian Nights fables. 30th March - 1st April, "Constructed Fabric Covered Boxes'': prize winning tutor Marge Quinn caters for both beginners and advanced students. Workbox Editor Victor Briggs recommends this course for the quality of the tuition and the relaxed atmosphere Marge Quinn generates. 13th - 15th October, "Traditional Goldwork" with Tuesday Anketell. 21st - 23rd March, "Hardanger Embroidery" with Ruby Stenton. These are just some of the courses on offer. For a brochure containing the College's complete programme contact: Alston Hall Residential College, Alston Lane, Longridge, Preston, PR3 3BP. Telephone: 01772 784661. E-mail: alston.hall@ed.lancscc.gov.uk Website: http://www.alstonhall.u-net.com

Anita Faithfull Textile Courses in Suffolk Anita Faithfull makes her courses suitable for people of all abilities. A day course usually costs only £25.00 and the choice is very broad, covering some exciting aspects of textiles. Some of the subjects offered by Anita in her one day programme: Painting on Silk. Not only traditional and exact painting but a study of innovations including aspects of work with gutta. Vibrant Velvets - Dévoré, Dyeing and Decoration. Gilded Textured Surfaces for Embroidery. A whole range of materials and effects are created - Create the Midas touch, as Anita says, but with brilliant colours and metallics. Painting on Silk and Velvet with Steam Fix Dyes. Stitch and Slash. Stumpwork dragonfly with Lesley Everton as tutor. For further details contact Anita Faithfull, Fen Way, Fen Walk, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 4AS. Telephone 01394 380882.

Short courses at West Dean College Dexterity, colour and design sense are just some of the ingredients necessary to produce a good textile. At West Dean, the short courses have evolved over decades. Embroidery courses embrace crewelwork, Elizabethan blackwork, stumpwork, free appliqué, hand and machine embroidery in a modern manner. Painting, printing and dyeing are more art-related courses, some of which are taught in experimental ways. Constructed textiles are another feature in the programme. For tapestry weaving enthusiasts, students work on small frame looms. Rag rug making by various methods is featured and for those interested in passementerie there is a special tassel-making course. In lacemaking you can study bobbin lace techniques and needle lace. In knitting, unusual courses will appeal to those working by hand and with an interest in dyes. Catering for the great demand for courses in the south of England, West Dean runs a comprehensive programme covering all aspects of textile study. Here we give examples of some of the short courses available from this residential college comprised within a very fine and stately country house in an incomparable setting. 17th - 19th November: Hand embroidery - creative goldwork, with Shelley Cox of the RSN. 28th - 31st January: Twiddling, fiddling and tinkering with texture, with Jennie Rayment. 10th - 13th December: Hand Embroidery - traditional canvaswork, with Margaret Roberts-West. 26th - 28th January: Machine Embroidery - making the most of your sewing machine, with Valerie Campbell-Harding. 18th - 23rd February: Experimental Stitched Textiles, with Jae Maries. 17th - 19th November: Dévoré and Double-Dyeing on Velvet, with Jane Venables. 4th - 6th May: Batik Exploration in Design and Technique, with Noel Dyrenforth. This is a small sample of the many and varied short courses. For further details contact: The College Office, West Dean College, West Dean, Chichester, PO18 0QZ. Telephone 01243 811301. Fax 01243 811343.

North Downs Lacemakers 30th September is the date of the North Downs Lacemakers' Lace Day, to be held at Yateley Centre, School Lane, Yateley, Hants, from 10.30am to 4.00pm. The speaker will be Stephen Pearce. Tickets are £4.50 (£4.00 members), Young Lacemakers £1.50. SAE to Heather Clements, 37 Macdonald Road, Lightwater, Surrey, GU18 5XY. Cheques to North Downs Lacemakers, please.

A wide choice at Stoke Climsland, Cornwall Rosemarie Smith has for many years taught textile subjects including City & Guild Embroidery, Tapestry Weaving, Felt Making, Hand Knitting and other interesting and challenging disciplines. Rosemarie is an examiner and external verifier for City & Guilds, as well as a very experienced designer, lecturer and business woman. At The Old School, Stoke Climsland, near Callington, Cornwall, Rosemarie is running: Mixed Textile Course City & Guilds 7802 Skills Certificates in Embroidery, Tapestry Weaving, Felt Making and Hand Knitting. City & Guilds 7900 Certificates in Embroidery and Design; Hand Knitting. Business Skills for Arts and Craft Workers. The City & Guilds Courses start from September 2000 but Rosemarie's distance learning can be started any time. In addition to these courses, Rosemarie runs a number of embroidery workshops: Exploring Colour and Stitch, Creative Shadow Work with Fabric, Manipulative Techniques plus many others, Wool workshops cover beginners' knitting, felting, box making, tapestry weaving and others. There are also Fabric Design Workshops to tempt you. For further details contact Rosemarie Smith, 2 Kersbrook Cross, Bray Shop, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 8QW. Telephone/Fax: 01566 782907. Email: swift.consultants.ltd@bizonline.co.uk

Weaving in Oswestry Spinning, weaving and dyeing with natural materials are all taught at The Old Vicarage near Oswestry, Shropshire. Stay for a day or longer and learn or improve these skills. For details of these and many other courses in arts and crafts contact Pam Johnson, The Old Vicarage, Llansilin, Oswestry, Shropshire. Telephone 01691 791345. E-mail: pam@vicarage-guests.co.uk Website: vicarage-guests.co.uk/crafts Adult Education at Farnham The Fareham Adult Education Centre in Wickham Road, Fareham, PO16 7DA, runs Patchwork and Quiltingfor City & Guilds starting at the end of September with tutor Margaret Marks. The course runs 30 weeks and the fee is £65 (£32.50 for under 18s). Also at Fareham are bobbin lace classes on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday afternoons. In addition, the Adult Education centre runs throughout the year a number of interesting and exciting Saturday workshops covering all aspects of textile and needlework. For further details of all these contact Fareham College - 01329 280709. Fax 01329 826915.

Jan TregidgoIn the August/September 2000 issue we featured Jan's unusual embroidery classes at the University of Portsmouth. Jan is continuing her Creative Textile Class, as well as Bobbin Lace Workshops on Wednesday mornings and evenings. For further details of these or any other courses contact Jan on 02392 362635 or e-mail:jan@tregidgos.freeserve.co.uk Swindon College

Jeanette Parker's Embroidery/Stitched textiles classes for 2000 - 2001 include a fascinating variety of subjects: Cathedral Window Patchwork, Japanese and Indian Quilting, Florentine, or "Bargello", Canvas Work, Embroidery with a Contemporary Twist and Indian Mirror (Shisha) Embroidery, among many taught at Swindon, Marlborough and Wootton Bassett. Jeanette's courses are mostly of ten weeks' duration, with some one day courses on Saturdays. Choose either the traditional courses, or try something a little "different" to broaden your skills, by contacting Jeanette Parker, Little Orchard, 192 High Street, Burbage, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 3AB. Telephone 01672 810576.