Indigo Niche will be holding a series of four-day quilting and sashiko retreats at Tamborine Mountain in 2022. The retreats will cover a range of techniques to help you to start or improve your skill level, hosted by four highly qualified and renowned tutors who are leaders in their fields of expertise. Relax, quilt and create in the stunning, picturesque surrounds of Tamborine Mountain.
Retreat 1: March 21 – 25, 2022
- Quilt As You Go, Free Motion, Sashiko/Boro
- Tutors: Pauline Rogers & Sue Howie
(The March Retreat now SOLD OUT.)
Retreat 2: May 16 – May 20, 2022
- Foundation Piecing, Sashiko/Boro
- Tutors: Hiroe Mogi & Sue Howie
May Retreat Full Details HERE.
Retreat 3: July 18 – July 22, 2022
- Hand Applique, Fabric Painting, Sashiko/Boro
- With: Cathy Schibrowski & Sue Howie
July Retreat Full Details HERE.
The Venue: Eagle Heights Mountain Resort
Eagle Heights Mountain Resort sits high on Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterland. This is a beautiful venue to spend 4 days doing what you like to do, particularly in the Autumn-Winter months—relaxing, learning, making new friends, and of course, quilting. Take in the fresh air of this beautiful venue and put lockdown behind you. Why not stay a couple of extra days to relax and unwind? The perfect crafter’s getaway.
The Retreats
Retreat 1: March 21st – March 25th (Tuesday – Friday).
March Retreat is now full.
Themes: Quilt As You Go, Free Motion, Sashiko & Boro
Teacher 1: Pauline Rogers 
Pauline Rogers has been quilting for well over 40 years and teaching for most of that period around Australia and other parts of the world, and is the owner of Pauline’s Quilters World.
One of the most common challenges in these years teaching has been the amount of people who struggle to learn Free Motion Quilting, especially on large quilts on a small domestic sewing machine.
Pauline has devised some great techniques in the latter part of her career to help those who struggle with these challenges.
Pauline is delighted to be engaged teaching these techniques in her two one day classes at the unique retreat.
Not only will Pauline be teaching her ‘K-I-S-S Quilting’ techniques, she will also be teaching some very different ways of joining blocks together in her ‘Quilt As You Go’ (QAYG) techniques.
Pauline Workshop 1: Back-to-Back ‘Quilt As You Go’ technique.
Pauline will take students on a journey of discovery, demonstrating how simple quilting can be on single blocks with feed dogs up and sewing on a line to create stunning results.
Students will be taught how to join the blocks together using her Back-to-Back QAYG (Quilt As You Go) technique with some amazing sashing options.
Pauline Workshop 2: Between-the-Block ‘Quilt As You Go’ technique
Students will learn Pauline’s K-I-S-S (Keep It Simple) way of Free Motion Quilting with feed dogs down on single blocks.
Free Motion quilting can be very simple once students get to know the basics of the K-I-S-S way to quilt.
Students will also be taught how to join blocks together using Pauline’s Between-the-Block QAYG technique. A lot of different sashings will also be taught in this class that are different to Class 1.
Teacher 2: Suzanne Howie 
Sue is a textile artist involved in the design, teaching and sharing of the Japanese techniques of Sashiko and Boro. Sue is fascinated by the narrative potential of sashiko stitching and its application to Australian Indigenous art concepts.
Sashiko itself developed from humble beginnings, at a time when Japanese peasant women practised a patching technique call ‘boro’,
Sashiko has evolved into a more refined art-form today, with more structure and refined stitch lengths. In addition to established traditional designs, this art-form allows the individual to express their creativity with designs of their own. Sue enjoys how such a simple technique can offer so much freedom of expression.
Sue Howie Two Day Workshop: Create A Sashiko-Boro Table Runner
Over two days, students will create their own gorgeous sashiko-boro table runner, learning the fundamentals of sashiko and Boro-inspired textiles along the way.
You’ll learn both techniques and go home with a beautiful table runner, as well as completing a couple of other smaller projects in these two days.
More information for the March Retreat here.
Retreat 2. – May 16th – 20th May 2022. (Tuesday – Friday)
Themes: Foundation Piecing, Sashiko-Boro
Teacher 1: Hiroe Mogi
Hiroe has been teaching Foundation Piecing and English Paper Piecing for many years. Working mainly with contemporary Japanese fabrics, her quilts are simply stunning.
Hiroe was born in Japan and has lived in Australia for the last 25 years. She is an importer and wholesaler of Japanese Fabrics having started her business HM Textiles approximately 20 years ago. During this time she has made many quilts to demonstrate the use of the Japanese fabrics she imports.
In the last 15 years she has become well known worldwide for her artistry producing Pre-Printed Sashiko Designs onto fabric.
Hiroe Mogi Workshop: Foundation Piecing
You’ll be going home with the foundation of Hiroe’s gorgeous quilt Hana-bi (‘fireworks’)—master the art of Foundation Piecing using one of Hiroe’s beautiful quilt patterns—Hana-bi or Autumn Leaves—as a guide.
Teacher 2: Suzanne Howie
Sue is a textile artist involved in the design, teaching and sharing of the Japanese techniques of Sashiko and Boro. Sue is fascinated by the narrative potential of sashiko stitching and its application to Australian Indigenous art concepts.
Sue Howie Workshop: Sashiko-Boro Techniques
Each day, students be taught a variety of techniques for creating and manipulating designs, as well as the fundamentals of boro textiles: Manipulate pre-printed, wash-away fabrics to create your own unique sashiko designs; Use Niche Sashiko Templates to create and stitch your own sashiko designs; Embellish a sewing notions pouch with lovely boro-inspired textiles.
More information for the May Retreat here.
Retreat 3. – July 18th – July 22nd. (Tuesday – Friday)
Themes: hand appliqué, fabric painting, sashiko-boro
Teacher 1: Cathy Schibrowski
Cathy is an award winning quilter and designer who will share her expertise in quilting techniques, hand applique and fabric painting.Cathy’s expertise in these techniques is unsurpassed.
Cathy Schibrowski lives in Childers on a family run cattle property. This is where her studio Swandale Quilting is located, so no traffic jams for her. Art has always been a big part of Cathy’s life in all different mediums. Textiles have been an obsession since the early 80s, watercolour coming a close second. Cathy’s quilts have won numerous awards including Best of Show across Australia and Best Machine Quilting.
Longarm quilting has been a busy profession since graduating from a domestic machine 17 years ago. Designing for herself and others including Indigo Niche has also been very rewarding. Teaching and helping others to realise their goals is the biggest reward so far and she’s not finished yet. Cathy is also an accomplished applique and hand stitcher. Her work is outstanding and has also won awards. Her accomplishments as a machine quilter, appliquer, artist and designer is the perfect fit for a fun couple of days to learn her craft.
4 Day Workshop: Cathy Schibrowski & Sue Howie
Cathy and Sue will be running a combined workshop project together, encompassing sashiko, applique, embroidery and fabric painting. Cathy will also be hosting a smaller workshop involving machine quilting, applique, fabric painting and quilt design design from Cathy.
Teacher 2: Suzanne Howie
Sue is a textile artist involved in the design, teaching and sharing of the Japanese techniques of Sashiko and Boro. Sue is fascinated by the narrative potential of sashiko stitching and its application to Australian Indigenous art concepts.
4 Day Workshop: Cathy Schibrowski & Sue Howie
Cathy and Sue will be running a combined workshop project together, encompassing sashiko, applique, embroidery and fabric painting. Sue will also be running a small sashiko-boro workshop.
More information for the July Retreat here.
Daily teaching times: 9.00 a.m. – 4.30 p.m. (Night time sewing available on request.)
Class Requirements
- Sewing Machine – please bring your own, OR one can be provided on request for a small hire fee for the retreat.
- Cutting Mat.
- Rotary Cutter
- Sharp Scissors.
- Sewing Needles – Sashiko – Applique – Sewing Needles
- Straight Pins
- Glue Pens
- Ceramic Pencils
- Fabric glue (Roxanne or similar)
- Cutting Ruler
A requirements pack can be provided for the items you might like to purchase for your workshops. Each retreat will have a “POP-UP SHOP” to offer lots of goodies whilst on your retreat.
Retreat Cost Inclusions*
- Shared accommodation. (Limited single accommodation may be arranged at an additional cost)
- Welcome dinner on the Monday evening, including two-course meal and wine
- Daily morning and afternoon tea
- All day: juice, chilled water, tea and coffee
- Daily continental breakfast and lunch
- All tutoring and project kits for sessions
Pricing
- $1850.00 for Shared Accommodation
- $2200.00 for Single Accommodation
Payment Time Frames
- Deposit of $800 on booking
- Second Payment. $500.00 3 months prior to retreat
- Final Payment: 1 month prior to retreat
Cancellation Policy
- Up to 120 days prior – $400 Deposit amount (Administration fee)
- 120 – 31 days prior – 50% of Retreat Cost
- Less than 30 days prior – 75% of Retreat Cost
If borders are closed due to Covid, you’ll be offered a full refund if you do not wish to transfer to another date.
Bookings
- Email sue@indigoniche.com to secure your spot in your preferred retreat.
- Phone 0418 157817
Venue Location
Tamborine Mountain can be accessed from either the Gold Coast or Brisbane.
* Not Included:
- Dinner each evening. (May be arranged from the Venue or surrounding restaurants)
- Alcohol
- Transfers
- Travel insurance.
6 Comments
Sue I’m interested in the retreat with English paper piecing.
Just a question is there a kit price available or it included in the price
Hi Bev. Thank you for your interest in the Tamborine Mountain Retreat – Kits for both workshops – The paper piecing will be a kit – the Boro and Sashiko will be a kit. – both are included in the pricing for the retreat. Still working on the kit for Sashiko and Boro for this particular retreat – want it to be a little special for the participants of the retreat – not something I’ve offered to the general public before. I will have to have something unique to each retreat for Sashiko and Boro. Please let me know if you want any further information. Cheers Sue
Hi Sue
Im interested in the may paper piecing retreat
Hi Tanya if you’d like to give me a call on 0418 157817 I can give you any further information you might wish to know about the Retreat. Thank you for your interest. – Sue
Hi Sue & fellow artisans,
I am interested in your July workshops dates, are they to be weekend or through the week and costs.
I am new to the area and would love to look at attending, I have been in the NT for last 5 years working however prior to this I was a member of the embroiders guild in Melbourne and haven’t been able to be motivated due to work restraints but now I’m retired cheers Sandy K
Hello Sandra – Hope you are enjoying your retirement. The July workshop/retreat is from Monday pm to Friday pm. – No weekends involved with this retreat. It’s being held at beautiful Tamborine Mountain – magnificent winter weather – please let me know if I can help with any further queries you might have.
Cheers. Sue H