Needlework

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/woodwork-set-of-steps-8/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/woodwork-set-of-steps-8/) ⋆⋆⋆ This timeless classic is taken from our favourite 1910 vintage woodwork book. It is a brand new project for our Carpentry for Beginners courses. Take home a fabulously useful set of steps, beautifully crafted with ‘Through tenons’ and ‘shoulder’ joints. Measurements are: 53cm H x 50cm W and 55cm D when open. Using a mixture of traditional hand tools and modern drills and saws, experienced craftsman Len Conway will guide and inspire you as he teaches age-old techniques in carpentry. As you begin learning how to make traditional wood joints in seasoned redwood, you will learn how to use and care for chisels, saws, planes and marking gauges. Len is an experienced carpenter and teacher. He conveys his skilful practical experience with light-hearted humour. Learners will work on a variety of exercises – designed to incorporate simple to advanced joints and tools that build confidence and independence. Over 5 specified days, we will cover many aspects of traditional carpentry tuition. There will be lots of practical exercises in each session while making a small set of steps that you will take home. **We will get familiar with some tools of the trade:** * Introducing basic tools. Equipping a toolbox for home carpentry. * Timber selection/marking out and cutting. Cutting accurately with a hand saw * Using a plane, different types of planes. Sharpening tips and practice. * Using a chisel and its uses. Sharpening tips and practice. **You will use planes, chisels and marking tools:** * Simple joints and why we use them. * Half joints, lap joints. Practice using chisels and planes. * Bridle joints and a mortise and tenon **You will make a simple project to take home:** It’s fast-paced but with the support of Len, you will complete your own project to make a small set of steps. * Work from selected pine and measure, mark and cut pieces. * Choose and make joints, assemble and secure with adhesive or screws. * Sand and smooth to a stage where your project is ready for staining or waxing and taken home with pride. All personal protection, the use of tools and basic materials are included. **This course is suitable for beginners**

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/clothes-making-altering-workshop-6-weeks/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/clothes-making-altering-workshop-6-weeks/) **⋆⋆⋆** Do you want to jump into making your own clothes but have never used a pattern? Do you wish to copy a beloved piece of clothing? Would you like to learn how to adjust your own pattern to fit just you? Learn how to take body measurements, read and alter a commercial pattern to fit, lay out and cut fabric and construct a finished garment to a high standard using one of our Janome 525s or Bernina 1008 series sewing machines. During the sessions of this small group of learners you will gain confidence and improve any sewing skills you already have. If you have never used a machine, we can guide you through making a simple garment from a purchased pattern. Bring your own pattern or use one of our small selection. If you have sewing experience but want to start creating your own patterns, you can learn how to create a bespoke piece of clothing. You can also bring a piece of clothing to alter or fix. We supply the basics and the calico you will use to make a ‘toile’ (an inexpensive mock up) to save you ruining your chosen final fabric. Along the way, talented tutor and seamstress will teach you lots of techniques and tips to ramp up your sewing passion. This is a perfect class if you have been teaching yourself so far, or if your last project was made a long time ago at school. **Suitable for:** Suitable for beginners, enjoyable for those with experience. A good level of English and basic math skills are useful. **Next start date:** Check our website for more dates: [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/clothes-making-altering/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/clothes-making-altering/)

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-woodwork-basic-wood-joints-74/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-woodwork-basic-wood-joints-74/) ⋆⋆⋆ A beginner's course that goes straight to the heart of woodworking. This five-week evening course will focus on timeless variations of wood joints that can be used for an endless amount of woodwork projects. Develop your skills with a saw, chisel and plane so that you can measure and mark out your work, cut, fit and glue joints accurately, ensuring your woodwork is strong, durable and darn good-looking. Learn these classic wood joints while you hone your making ability, and set free your ideas for furniture, box-making and all things fabulous. During the course, you will learn the uses and advantages of each joint as you construct a framework of sample joints. This project is a classic learning method. The **half-lap joint** can be used to make frames for pictures, perimeter door frames for panel or glass doors, dust dividers in cabinets and in many other situations. Because the half-lap does not add any thickness to the pieces of wood being joined, there are virtually no limitations for using it. The **mitred half** lap is an elegant yet strong corner joint, with its diagonal cut constructed with an internal half lap, The **tee halving** is a versatile joint which is often used in internal cabinet frames and simple framing and bracing. The **half dovetail** is a very strong type of joint because of the way the ‘tails’ and ‘pins’ are shaped. This shape makes it difficult to pull the joint apart and virtually impossible when glue is added. This type of joint is used in box constructions such as draws, jewellery boxes, cabinets and other pieces of furniture where strength is required. All use of tools and materials included. Perfect for beginners.

**The London Network Presents: Exclusive Weekly Business Networking Event** Are you a business owner, entrepreneur, or tech professional looking to make valuable connections? Join **The London Network**'s recurring networking event, designed for leaders and innovators across industries. Whether you're a CEO, executive, finance expert, IT professional, or an aspiring entrepreneur, this is your opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals and forge meaningful business relationships. 📍 **Location:** Meet us at Sycamore Covent Garden, 66 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5BX, a stylish and modern bar in the heart of London, just a short walk from Liverpool Street Station. Enjoy a stylish atmosphere and dynamic setting, perfect for mingling and great conversations. 🕒 **Schedule** * **6:00 pm – 6:30 pm**: Meet & Greet * **6:30 pm – 9:00 pm**: Informal networking over drinks (complimentary alcoholic welcome drink included) 👔 **Dress Code**: Business smart casual. ### **Why Attend?** * **Build Connections**: Network with business owners, executives, investors, and professionals across London and beyond. * **Unlock Opportunities**: Establish relationships that can lead to new business partnerships, collaborations, or investment. * **Stay Ahead**: Gain insights into the latest trends and innovations in business, finance, and entrepreneurship. This event is perfect for anyone seeking to expand their professional circle, grow their business, or gain fresh perspectives from a dynamic mix of professionals. **Limited to 30 spots!** Register today and hit **Follow** for updates on future weekly events. 📸 **Event Photography:** Please note that photos and videos may be taken for promotional purposes. [Event media by CineEye, a London-based video production and photography provider](https://www.cineeye.co.uk/ "https://www.cineeye.co.uk/"). **Location Details**: Sycamore Bar Covent Garden inside Middle Eight Hotel, London 🚉 Just a 3-minute walk from Holborn Station. **Note**: Proof of ID required for alcoholic beverages. 18+ only. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your business network in a relaxed, engaging setting! **Sign up now** and start building connections that last.

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/upholstery-bring-your-own-chair-wednesday-eve-21/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/upholstery-bring-your-own-chair-wednesday-eve-21/) **⋆⋆⋆** KEY PROJECT: RE-UPHOLSTERING YOUR OWN CHAIR. Suitable for beginners and fun for advanced learners. This workshop is led by Krasmira Nikolova, an experienced upholsterer. We provide the use of all upholstery tools and equipment including compressed air staple guns. Basic upholstery materials that you require for your project will be moderately charged on a pay-as-you-use basis and will be dependent on each chair’s requirements. We can advise you on the purchase of your top fabric and we have a lovely library of fabric samples to help make up your mind. The Goodlife Centre sells all the basic tools and materials for use on projects worked on at home. This is a fantastic chance to up-cycle and personalise a family piece you have at home or a junk shop find and a great way to immerse yourself into the wonderful world of upholstery. The course is suitable for both beginners and those who have a basic knowledge but little experience who wish to extend their expertise. **Choosing a suitable chair** If you are a newcomer to upholstery, there are a couple of pointers to help you choose a chair to work on. Choose something that has one or two flat planes – a seat and a back – as curves and arms are more complex and take longer to achieve. If you are a complete beginner, you could bring something more simple such as an upholstered footstool. More experienced upholsters can bring more complex pieces. Your chair can be traditionally built or modern, but be aware that some modern pieces have been constructed using machinery and are difficult to recreate by hand. [Click here for a detailed PDF of suitable chairs.](https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2r8UvbQtaH5RTVKUjlBdkhDX3c/view?usp=sharing) **Please email info@thegoodlifecentre.co.uk with a photo of your chair prior to the course so we can answer any suitability questions and advise if your chair is suitable**. We have very limited storage at the centre, so we can only store smaller pieces during the course. Please make sure the total dimensions are less than 1000mm high by 750mm wide, with a depth of 750mm. The use of tools and machinery is included. All materials will be charged at nominal rates. Some materials will not be kept in stock but can be ordered. Approved projects can be stored at the centre. We cannot offer additional time to work on your project outside of workshop times.

Paula, one of our regular models, returns! Link to Paula's Instagram [@artmodelpaula](https://www.instagram.com/artmodelpaula/) The session is held in the TRA Community Hall, Ground Floor, Simla House, Weston Street, SE1 3RL. All abilities are welcome to draw and meet likeminded people. Two hours of active dynamic poses from 2 to 25 minutes. £12.00 for the session. The group is run on a drop-in basis. Pay on the night. Cash or card. Artists are advised to bring their own materials although a small amount will be available for emergency use. I think that is everything but message me if you have any queries. Kind regards, Cliff

We’d like to invite you to the final Wytchery, before we take a break for the summer. This one will therefore be a bit special and we will be combining the things that we’ve learned over the past year into a big summer ritual and celebration. This session is intended for those who have previously attended the Wytchery. Don't worry if you haven't, as you can always join us in September. We started the Wytchery in June 2022 hoping that we could give people an experience of what it might be like to work in a group and you have all made it so much more magical than we could ever have expected. Thank you so much for coming with us, participating, contributing and creating the wonderful experience that is the Wytchery. **We are asking for a fee of £10 (+booking fee) to cover Treadwell’s overheads as well as the cost of any supplies. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early as we start promptly at 7pm.** The Wytchery is an inclusive programme of workshops for solitary witches with little or no experience working with a group. Witches can drop in and out and will gain hands-on experience raising power, working magic, trance, spells, talismans and magical tools and using these in group work. Expect to get involved –moving, making or meditating. Expect to meet people, to learn and to contribute. You will walk away with new skills – and often with something for your own practice. Note that we are not making money from the Wytchery, we hope for it to be a purely social endeavour. Our workshops are aimed at witches who have not had much, if any, experience of working within a coven or a magical working group – or even working on your own, if you are new to the craft. If you have some experience but would like to hone your skills, you would also be most welcome to join us. We find we learn new things all the time, even after years of magical practice.

This is a smaller version of our usual StitchUp meetings, hosted in my studio in Bloomsbury. Made for a smaller group in a more quiet setting. Tea and water, biscuits will be provided. **Welcome to StitchUp** – a welcoming social group that embraces individuals of all skill levels, providing a shared space for crafting in a social setting. **Bring your current project**, whether it's knitting, quilting, embroidery, or any other textile craft. Work on your project or piece while having a chat with us. Some people knit, some people mend or just join the conversations. If you are starting new, I’m sure we can give you tips, but generally this is not a class or workshop and you will have to bring your own materials.

We are an informal and friendly group who meet in one of the studios at the Cockpit Theatre to develop our skills and confidence in a relaxed environment. We will go through a few exercises and try out some: improvisation, script work, duologues or monologues, with participants optionally bringing their own material or pieces to work on together. The exercises and things we work on differ from week to week. Beginners are welcome. The workshop is led by Mark Ramsay, a trained actor with almost 30 years of film and stage experience with occasional assistance from a guest facilitator. Venue: The Cockpit Theatre, Marylebone, Gateforth St, London NW8 8EH, Studio 2 (Upstairs) **Time: 17:00 to 19:30** Cost: £7 for the room hire, payable at the venue in cash **If no longer attending please update RSVP**

**CUDDLE WORKSHOP** **The UK's Longest Running Cuddle Event - 16 years!** **with Anna Shekory (Fortes)** Cuddle Workshops are bursting with fun, connection, deep relaxation, nervous system support, laughter and healing. We include playful light exercises to help everyone relax, boundary and consent practice, some real heart warming exercises and our famously popular Cuddle Pods (where you get to receive your own cuddle wishes from your small group). Whether you're a nervous beginner or a cuddle connoisseur, come and join us! This is a prebook only event. You're welcome to book through Meetup or pay directly using PayPal (without additional booking fees) - just use the email address anna@CuddleWorkshop.co.uk and state the workshop date. \*Please email us first if you do this to ensure there are spaces and so that you get booked in\* Concessions are available on request. www.cuddleworkshop.co.uk **\*\*\*You'll get an email a few days before the workshop with directions and details of what to bring/wear etc. Please contact Anna if you don't receive it\*\*\*** Please note: The number of people indicated as 'attending' on Meetup will not reflect the true number attending. We generally have between 25 - 30 people, with a roughly equal gender split, and workshops are confidential and will never be photographed or filmed.

This hands-on textile jewellery making workshop in London is an introduction to the pearl-setting technique, through the creation of a finished multi-strand textile bracelet!No previous embroidery or jewellery-making experience is required. This workshop is suitable for complete beginners, textile enthusiasts, fashion students, and anyone interested in handmade accessories with a historical reference.**What to expect:** * Make your own bracelet using beads, cotton cords, and hand-stitching. * The design is inspired by historical textile jewellery and medieval accessories, but the final piece is made to be worn now -- with summer dresses, linen, denim, or holiday outfits. * You’ll choose from a selection of materials provided on the day and complete your bracelet during the workshop. * Learn fun new jewellery making skills in a relaxed, supportive environment. By the end of the workshop, you'll leave wearing your very own handcrafted bracelet and the skills to explore textile jewellery-making further.

Following our critically acclaimed productions of OTHELLO, MACBETH and TWELFTH NIGHT the Acting gymnasium's Saturday workshop returns to Theatre Deli on Saturday 28th March with a new imagining of Shakepeare's CORIOLANUS. Plenty of superb roles available!! Set in a post-apocalyptic landscape, Coriolanus, a fierce and proud Roman general, earns fame after defeating Rome’s enemies, especially at Corioli. Despite his military success, he despises the common people and refuses to flatter them for political gain. Urged to seek public office, his arrogance alienates citizens, leading to his banishment. In anger, he allies with his former enemy Aufidius and marches against Rome. As destruction looms, his mother, Volumnia, pleads with him to spare the city. Moved by her words, he relents, choosing honor over revenge. His decision saves Rome but seals his fate, as he is killed for betraying his allies in return. [Email:actinggymnasium@gmail.com](mailto:Email%3Aactinggymnasium@gmail.com) \- if you'd like to get involved\.

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-traditional-upholstery-evening-38/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-traditional-upholstery-evening-38/) ⋆⋆⋆ **KEY PROJECT: TRADITIONALLY STITCHED AND SEWN EDGED FOOTSTOOL** *All of our upholstery classes are for absolute beginners. It doesn’t matter which one you choose to take first. Each technique that is offered is part of all the processes that every upholsterer has to learn.* 6-week workshop. Thursday nights. 6:30pm – 9pm. A perfect course for a beginner. Jumpstart your knowledge of traditional upholstery skills and methods. Over six Thursday evenings, experienced upholsterers will guide you through the wonderful world of upholstery and help you build a fabulous footstool using traditional methods. You can leave your project at the centre in between classes. Before the advent of foam in the middle of the twentieth century, the only way to make wooden seats more comfortable was to build up layers using available materials. Our small fabric footstool (above) is built from layers of woven webbing, hessian, vegetable fibre, animal hair and calico and is sewn with specialist needles and stitches. Although this method is more labour-intensive than the modern method of using foam, it is much longer lasting and preferred in more expensive pieces of furniture. This is the method used in many traditional chair seats, so once learned, you can apply this method to your own projects. We provide everything for the workshop, from the wood frame to the set of natural beech wood legs that are included for you to paint or stain as you wish. Choose from our selection of top fabrics, or bring your own. You will need about a metre of fabric and you will not need it until the final class. The use of all tools and materials is included. We also have a selection of specialist upholstery tools and all the materials that we use in our workshops for sale at the Goodlife Centre for you to continue your new hobby at home. Beginners welcome. This course is run on a Thursday evening over 6 consecutive weeks. 6:30pm – 9:00pm

Celebrate our beautiful lakes with a punch needle craft! Learn how to make fiber art alongside a lecture on how to promote clean and sustainable waterways from Fairfax Water's Susan Miller. Celebrate our beautiful lakes with a punch needle craft! Learn how to make fiber art alongside a lecture on how to promote clean and sustainable waterways from Fairfax Water's Susan Miller. This program is part of the Libraries Love Lakes series made possible through a grant from Fairfax Water. RSVPing on Meetup does not register you with Prince William Public Libraries. To register, please [click here](https://pwcgov.libnet.info/event/16527411).

Attendance is $35 (cash, credit/debit card, or ApplePay - paid at the door), which includes water/soda/coffee, bread, choice of a plated lunch entrée, and a dessert assortment. Parking is also validated in the Reston Station garages (3 hours of validation). Join one of Northern Virginia's most successful business networking groups (part of BNI). Open to the public and is typically attended by business owners, business developers, and entrepreneurs. Meetings are typically attended by 30-40 members and guests. \*\*\*PLEASE RSVP here: [REGISTER HERE](https://square.link/u/0WvC6Eir) \*\*\*If you do not register on the BNI website, there may not be a seat available for you.

🔥 **Wood Burning: Craft Your Own Personalized Wooden Spoons** 🔥Ignite your creativity and personalize your kitchenware! 👉**Registration** is **Online Only** at: https://portal.nova-labs.org/event-6697653 ***(No drop-ins accepted.)*** 🕒**When:** Sunday, **14 Jun 2026**, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM 📍**Where:** Nova Labs, 3850 Jermantown Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030 **Details:** Join us for a hands-on project class where you'll learn the beautiful art of wood burning. We will guide you through the basics as you permanently etch your own unique designs onto a wooden spoon. Whether you’re looking to create a decorative addition to your kitchen or a thoughtful, handmade gift, this class is the perfect way to make a custom keepsake! ⚠️ HOW TO REGISTER An RSVP on Meetup does NOT reserve your spot. **Please register via the link below** to attend. ***(No drop-ins accepted.)*** 👉https://portal.nova-labs.org/event-6697653 Hope to see you there!