Bargello: The joy of watching a new creative obsession begin
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been introducing people to Bargello embroidery through a series of creative workshops across Manchester and the North West, and I've really noticed this craft truly absorbs people.
A Drop-In Bargello Workshop In Blackburn
The first session was a drop-in workshop in Blackburn as part of Spot On Lancashire’s town-wide arts programme. Held in a coffee shop, the session welcomed people of all ages throughout the day. Younger participants made colourful Bargello badges, while adults had the option to stay longer and create card wallets using tapestry yarn and bold geometric patterns.
One participant, Laura, had originally discovered my work through a previous embroidery workshop during the Festival of Making. She spotted this class on Instagram and decided to come along and do something for herself.
A Mindful Evening Workshop in Manchester
The second workshop had a completely different atmosphere. An evening class at Anaconda Cut in Manchester, where residents came straight from work looking for a mindful way to switch off for the evening. As the session went on, a real sense of calm and comfort settled over the room as everyone settled into the rhythm of the stitches and started experimenting with their own patterns and colour combinations.
Why Bargello Works So Well for Beginners
Most people across both workshops were completely new to embroidery, but Bargello has this brilliant way of making people feel creative very quickly. Because it’s built around repetition and structure, people don’t feel overwhelmed by a blank page. The grid material we use as a base becomes a framework to play within, and often that’s exactly what gives people the confidence to start making their own creative decisions.
It was so lovely to see this play out in real time, but even lovelier to receive messages from people after the classes!
One participant messaged me the next day to show me she’d finished her wallet at home after becoming completely absorbed in the process. Another had gone even further, spending the following day teaching herself how to make a Bargello clutch bag because the workshop had inspired her to keep experimenting.
The Best Part of Teaching Creative Workshops
Honestly, I think that slightly obsessive feeling of wanting to keep making is one of my favourite things to witness as a workshop facilitator.
I love that these mindful creative workshops aren’t just about teaching a technique. They create space for people to slow down, switch off, and reconnect with their creativity in a way that feels approachable and enjoyable, even for complete beginners.
The best workshops are the ones where you can tell people have become genuinely absorbed in what they’re doing. Where, for a couple of hours, they forget everything they arrived carrying with them and simply focus on making something with their hands.
Whether I’m delivering embroidery workshops in Manchester, drop-in creative sessions for arts organisations, or mindful workshops for corporate and community groups, that feeling is always what I hope people take away.
If you'd like to find out more about the Bargello Workshops I offer, you can look them up in my Workshop Brochure, or drop me an email hoopandfred@gmail.com to chat about what kind of class might work for your office, community group, or private event!