Forest Lodge Sewing & Dressmaking Retreat with Jane from Haberdasherdo and Joan from Sew with Nelly Bea
Dates: Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th April 2026
Venue: Forest Lodge Hotel, The Lodge, Pikes Hill, Lyndhurst, SO43 7AS
We are so excited to bring you our first ever SEWING & DRESSMAKING RETREAT set in the beautiful, relaxing surroundings of the New Forest. Sometimes it is so lovely to be able to sewing without interruption and not have to worry about food or putting your work away! This retreat offers you the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed weekend of sewing with plenty of support as and when you need it. Bring along a project of your choosing and join us for a fun-filled, sewing-packed weekend where there will be optional masterclasses, expert support, refreshments and yummy lunches to keep you sustained throughout your two days of sewing.
Jane and Joan will be available to help you get set up and ready to sew at the start of the retreat and on-hand throughout the two days with support and guidance for your sewing projects. Each day Joan will be offering an optional masterclass and on Sunday morning Jane will be talking you through some of the best and most handy gadgets available to improve your sewing techniques.
The room we will be using is large and bright with plenty of natural light and will be dedicated to our use throughout the weekend (you can leave your sewing project out safely overnight.) You will have a large table for your use but please bring your own sewing machine and equipment. There will be a cutting area, ironing and overlocker stations set up for communal use throughout the weekend. There are toilets and classroom facilities adjoining the sewing area.
Each day you will be welcomed with teas, coffees and pastries and served a delicious buffet style lunch. A selection of drinks and snacks will be available throughout the day to keep you topped up.
Each participant will receive an “orientation call” beforehand so we can get a feel for what kind of project that you’re going to be working on and if you have any questions before the weekend.
There is the option to add an overnight stay to your package, for those travelling from further afield. You will be given a booking code to book directly with Forest Lodge Hotel. Alternatively, there are many other options in the locale.
The hotel is in the heart of the New Forest, within two minutes’ you can be in open forest and a ten-minute walk will take you to the bustling Lyndhurst town centre, filled with independent shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs.
Schedule:
Day 1
9-10am: Arrival with welcome refreshments
10am Set up & sew
12.30 Lunch
1.15 -1.45pm “Making Fabric Choices” lecture presented by Joan
4.30pm Finish
Day 2
9.30am Arrival with welcome refreshments
10am Favourite Gadgets & Gizmos presented by Jane
Continue sewing
12.30 Lunch
1.15 -1.45 “Beyond Overlocking” presentation and demonstration presented by Joan
4.15 Awards and Goodie bags
4.30 Finish
What to Bring
Your project including fabric, pattern and any haberdashery you will need to complete your project, such as thread, interfacing, etc.
Your sewing machine and general sewing equipment – pins, scissors, unpickers!
Glasses!!
Sealed cup to avoid spillages
What we will supply
Some basic, general sewing tools will be available in case you forget something! A small ‘shop’ will be available and Jane can always take orders for shop items to bring on Sunday morning
There are a few machines available on a first come first served basis but please check availability and book a machine in advance if you need one
Ironing boards, irons, pressing clothes and hams
Overlockers with neutral colour threads
Changing area so you can try on your makes in private
Goodie bag
What to expect
- You don’t need to be an expert
Our retreat is designed for people who can work independently so as long as you know the basics and know how to use your sewing machine and can follow a basic pattern, you’ll get lots from attending this retreat. Joan and Jane are there to help with the tricky bits but helping and learning from others is also a key part of coming on a retreat.
- No set projects
We’re aiming at a relaxed and informal feel with no busy timetable to follow – just a chance to make whatever you want to make, chat, learn, share ideas, tips and challenges. When else do you get the chance to marvel at someone’s zip insertion, commiserate with someone unpicking a seam or chat endlessly about your favourite pattern without fear or favour?!
Meet Your Tutors:
I’m Joan Ellis, I am the founder of Sew with Nelly Bea and I have been sewing for as long as I can remember, I made my first dress (with help) when I was about six and just haven’t stopped. I am a qualified pattern cutter working in the clothing and textiles industries for about twenty years before I retrained as a teacher and then taught in secondary schools for about fifteen years before setting up Sew with Nelly Bea about eight years ago. I just love sewing and particularly enjoy pattern cutting and fitting, I find it so exciting that there is always a new challenge and something new to learn, dressmaking never fails to keep me on my toes!
I am really looking forward to this retreat and working with you to enjoy a relaxed weekend of sewing and create a successful project, learning some new skills along the way.
I’m Jane, owner of Haberdasherdo store in Southbourne Grove, Bournemouth, selling all things sewing, knitting and crochet. My sewing journey started when I was about 8 years old and wanted to be like my older teenage sisters, sewing their own clothes and wedding dresses. I still have a pair of flamboyant dungarees that I made back then – it was the 1970s! As a teenager I used to copy the designs in Chelsea Girl and Miss Selfridge to make my own version, and I have made wedding and bridesmaid dresses for friends. Nowadays it’s sewing for inspiration for the shop and testing out stock patterns or sometimes just for myself!
Being in the shop every day means thinking on your toes to find solutions to problems or coming up with ideas ~ from deciphering pattern instructions or working out the best way to repair or alter something to ideas for fancy dress costumes.
Sewing is such a rewarding hobby and I’m looking forward to seeing some wonderful projects coming together, helping and learning with you along the way.
Terms & Conditions
- Prices are per person. One-day: £130 (Saturday or Sunday); Both days: £240
- A 25% deposit is payable at time of booking, with the balance due on 18th February 2026. Please note that the deposit is non-refundable. If full payment has not been received by 18th February 2026 we reserve the right to reallocate your place.
- The retreat price includes:
- Welcome refreshments
- Buffet lunch
- Refreshments served throughout each day
- Free parking
- Free Wifi throughout the hotel
- Goodie bag
- Age restrictions: The general courses and workshops are for adults (age 18+). Ages 14+ will be welcome with a full paying adult but please do speak with us before booking.
- Accommodation is not included. If you’d like to stay at the hotel, you can book with the hotel independently. You will be sent a preferential rate booking code in your confirmation email upon booking the retreat. There are also other hotels and guest houses in the area to suit all budgets.
- Refunds & Cancellations: If you change your mind, or are unable to attend for any reason, please let us know, in writing, as soon as possible. If your place can be filled by someone else on our waiting list, we will give you a full refund less a £10 administrative charge. However, if your place cannot be filled by someone else then we regret that no refund will be possible. We are not responsible for travel or weather disruption.
- In the very unlikely event that we have to cancel the retreat you will receive a full refund.
