Mandy Shaw, Jenny Jackson and Lisa Lam – The Sew much fun sewing retreat Buxted Park Hotel 5th-7th September 2026

The Sew much fun Sewing retreat – 2026 with Mandy Shaw, Jenny Jackson and Lisa Lam –  Buxted Park Hotel 5th-7th September 2026

Welcome to another Luxury Sewing Retreat 2026. We’re delighted to invite you to a truly special creative escape at the stunning Buxted Park Hotel, set in the heart of the beautiful Sussex countryside. This luxurious two-day sewing retreat will take place from 5th–7th September 2026, offering the perfect balance of creativity, learning, and relaxation in elegant surroundings.

There is an option to stay the night before to settle in before the retreat starts and relax (4th September)

This retreat is designed for sewists of all abilities, from enthusiastic beginners to experienced makers looking to refine their skills and explore new techniques. Over the three days, you’ll enjoy expert-led workshops, personalised guidance, and plenty of hands-on sewing time in a friendly, supportive environment.

Our full retreat packages contain everything you need — food, materials, accommodation, and even use of a sewing machine if required. All you need to do is bring yourself, relax, learn, and enjoy a luxury weekend full of fun, friendship, and expert guidance.

We also offer non-residential places for those who live locally or don’t require accommodation. This option allows you to fully participate in the workshops, enjoy all the creative experiences, and benefit from expert guidance, while simply coming along each day.

You’re welcome to arrive on 4th September for an optional pre-retreat stay (£160), including breakfast — a chance to settle in, unwind, and ease into the experience at your own pace.

We are bringing you some of the sewing world’s most experienced and loved tutors, each bringing their own specialist expertise and teaching style.

Fully accessible hotel — wheelchair friendly and suitable for disabled guests.

Your Amazing Tutors 

Your weekend will be guided by our exceptional tutors:

Mandy Shaw 

Mandy Shaw is one of Britain’s most talented and respected sewing and quilt designers with a worldwide reputation for her work. Passionate about sewing and quilting for as long as she can remember Mandy started her business, Dandelion Designs, in 2004 as a way of making a little money whilst brining up her young kids at home. Little did she know what it would grow into.

As well as being a prolific designer, Mandy loves to teach and demonstrate and (when allowed) will regularly attend shows like Festival of Quilts in the UK and Quilt Market in the USA. She is the author of over 12 bestselling books including Stitch with Love, Simply Redwork and The Christmas Table. In total her books have sold over 150,000 copies worldwide and have been publishing in six different languages.

A great collector of things, Mandy draws inspiration from vintage books and paraphernalia. Her desire is for everything she designs to tell a story and be meaningful and over the years, she has developed a unique folk art style all of her own and is drawn to a red and white colour palette for which she has become famous!

Mandy runs Dandelion Designs from the bottom of her garden in a wooden chalet built for her by her husband Phil specially to house her business and her workshop.

Workshop info

Jenny Jackson 

Jenny Jackson is a textile designer and sewing educator with a passion for all things bright, beautifully stitched and leopard print, of course.

She specialises in English Paper Piecing (EPP), a calming hand-sewing technique, and Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP), its more technical machine-sewn counterpart. Viewers may recognise Jenny from Sewing Street TV, where she regularly demonstrates both techniques with plenty of laughter and the occasional live-TV stumble.

Jenny is the founder of The Stores Sewing Studio in West Sussex, a light-filled studio running alongside her home. Here, she teaches hands-on workshops and hosts guest designers from across the sewing community. Classes are known for their relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and are always well stocked with creativity, conversation, coffee, tea and cake.

She studied Fashion and Textile Design at the University of Brighton, specialising in knitwear (four years of knitting well spent). After graduating, Jenny became a mum and began sewing from home, where she discovered English Paper Piecing. From there, things quickly gathered momentum, leading to pattern design, television work, and the publication of her book, English Paper Piecing Workshop.

When she’s not sewing, Jenny can be found spending time with her son Dylan, her crazy cockerpoo Dave, and enthusiastically daydreaming about renovating her house.

Workshop info

This workshop is suitable for beginners as well as those who may have tried FPP before but found it challenging. Jenny is known for her clear, step-by-step teaching style and will support you throughout the workshop, ensuring you feel confident and relaxed as you learn.

You will cover the fundamentals of Foundation Paper Piecing, including:

• Understanding FPP patterns and templates
• Fabric placement and sewing order
• Accurate stitching and trimming techniques
• Tips for avoiding common mistakes

Once you have completed your Foundation Paper Pieced block, you will then turn it into a fun project to take home with you, perfect as a reminder of your new skills and a great starting point for future FPP projects.

By the end of the workshop, you will leave with a project, a solid understanding of the technique, and the confidence to continue Foundation Paper Piecing at home.

Lisa Lam 

With a measuring tape draped like a stripy boa and a cackle that be heard in the next county, Lisa has spent over two decades perfecting the art of bag making and sharing her enthusiasm with the sewing community.   Known as the “Queen of Bagmaking,” she has transformed bag making from a niche hobby into a mainstream sewing category—all while occasionally sewing her own sleeve to a tote bag (usually live on TV)

As a long-standing guest designer on Sewing Street TV, Lisa is the undisputed master of “professionalism-meets-chaos”. While she possesses the technical wizardry to turn a scrap of fabric into desirable arm-candy, she is just as likely to stitch a handle on backward or get herself into a muddle on live television ( ‘zip pull-gate’ will haunt her for the rest of her days)

Lisa’s credentials are as sturdy as a leather bag strap.  A stitcher since age 8, a London College of Fashion graduate, and author of two best-selling bag books (with a new title out in mid 2026), she has taught hundreds of thousands of makers how to conquer “zipper-phobia”.  Her bag designs are the ultimate “Goldilocks” of the sewing world: desirable enough to make your friends jealous, yet achievable enough that you won’t throw your sewing machine out the window.

She currently lives in Brighton with her husband and daughter, and a collection of D-rings that she’s pretty sure are breeding in the dark.

Workshop info

The Saddle Stitch Bag Workshop with Lisa Lam

Ever wonder how those high-end leather bags get that perfect, signature stitch?

Join us for a hands-on, fun workshop where you’ll craft your very own Professional Saddle Stitch Bag. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned saddle stitcher, you’ll walk away with a new bag that doesn’t just look “homemade”—it looks like it belongs in a luxury bag boutique. By the time you have completed the class, Lisa promises you’ll be saddle stitch addict, or she will eat her bag! The class will feature a brand new bag design.

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Included in the Retreat – Residential Stay – £899

• Two days accomodation
• Two days of expert-led sewing workshops
• 2 night stay at the beautiful  luxury Buxted Park Hotel in the Sussex Countryside
• 3 – A la Carte Dinner evenings in a private dining room
• 2 course buffet lunch each day
• All materials and sewing supplies included in the price (unless otherwise noted)
• Inspiration packs, guides, patterns, notions, and fabric selections
• A friendly, inclusive environment suitable for all levels
• Unlimited Refreshemnts all day including tea, coffee, soft drinks, cakes and savouries
• Fully accessible venue
• 24 Hour access to Sewing Rooms
• Price: £899

Included in the Retreat – Non-Residential Stay £549

• Two days of expert-led sewing workshops
• 2 course buffet lunch each day
• All materials and sewing supplies included in the price (unless otherwise noted).
• Inspiration packs, guides, patterns, notions, and fabric selections
• A friendly, inclusive environment suitable for all levels
• 24 Hour access to Sewing Rooms
• Unlimited Refreshments all day including tea, coffee, soft drinks, cakes and savouries
• Fully accessible venue
• Price: £549

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What You’ll Love and Learn

Across the retreat, you will develop skills in:

• Understanding FPP patterns and templates – JJ
• Fabric placement and sewing order – JJ
• Accurate stitching and trimming techniques – JJ
• Tips for avoiding common mistakes – JJ
• The “Magic” of the Saddle Stitch: Learn the traditional hand-stitching technique used by top brands. Lisa shares her tips and tricks on sewing beautiful saddle stitches – LL
• Gorgeous Results, Guaranteed: All pieces are pre-cut, the sew holes are pre-punched, and there is no guess-work involved. Your finished bag will look fab, just like the bag “in the picture”- LL
• A Relaxing Experience: There is something deeply satisfying (and incredibly addictive) about the rhythm of leatherwork. It’s the ultimate creative escape (and perfect for crafting, chatting, and giggling!) – LL
• Everything is Provided: Just bring yourself (plus tape measure and scissors). No sewing machine needed! Your kit includes instruction booklet, pre-cut faux leather pieces, specialized needles, waxed thread, and all the hardware needed to complete your new gorgeous bag – LL

Retreat Outcomes

• By the end of the weekend, participants will leave with:
• A completed garment or textile project from each tutor — 3 gorgeous projects to be proud of
• Skill-building sampler pieces and technique sheets
• Increased confidence in sewing, fitting, and creative design
• Personalised guidance from expert tutors
• A sense of connection, creativity, and relaxation
• A very full belly from all the delicious food
• New friendships and a lasting sense of achievement

*Sewing Machines can be provided at your request but you are more than welcome to bring your own*

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What past guests say:

“Great tutors, lovely hotel, delicious food. It was wonderful to have the evening meal in the cloisters to socialise. Everyone was very friendly, and I really enjoyed the quiz.”

“Highly recommend the Craft Retreats. Beautifully organised and the hotel, staff and instructors were faultless. It was a brilliant couple of days with excellent tuition, and I’ve truly made friends for life.”

‘’I really enjoyed the retreat, I made some lovely friends and best of all I didn’t go home with any UFOs! I’m looking forward to doing it all again’’

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Payment & Booking Information

To secure your place, a £300 non-refundable deposit is required.
The final balance is due 10 weeks before the retreat start date.

Bank Transfer Option: (If paying by bank transfer, please email enquiries@artandcraftretreats.co.uk to confirm payment has been sent. We will reply with confirmation.)

Please use the following account:

Account Name: Arts and Crafts Retreats LTD

Sort Code: 04-00-03

Account Number: 04487572

Reference: Your Name

PayPal Option

Deposits can also be paid via PayPal:

To pay your deposit via PayPal click here

New for 2026 – Payment Plans
If you’d like to pay for the retreat using a payment plan, we can offer monthly payments via bank transfer. Simply email us and we’ll be happy to arrange this for you (enquiries@artandcraftretreats.co.uk)

Enquiries / Further Information

If you have any questions or require any further information, please feel free to contact us at enquiries@artandcraftretreats.co.uk, or visit our website www.artandcraftretreats.co.uk for details on all future retreats and featured tutors.

The Art and Craft Retreats Team

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**Terms and Conditions**

To secure your place, a £300 non-refundable deposit is required. The final balance is due 10 weeks before the retreat. Cancellations after the final payment are non-refundable. Payment plans can be arranged if needed.

*A full list of T+C’s are available on our website*

“We advise all guests to purchase adequate travel insurance at the time of booking. This will ensure you are covered in the event of illness, unexpected travel issues, or the need to cancel.”