Key details
When:
Date:
Time:
17th Oct
10:00 - 16:00
Where:
The Meadow Room, behind Blackthorpe Barn
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
Pricing:
Ticket
per person £70
Each person attending requires a ticket
Bookings close on 15th October
Create your own art piece using hapa-zone and embroidery
This autumn come and join Caroline Hyde-Brown for a truly relaxing day of creating beautiful art from nature’s gifts, taking design and stitching inspiration from the plants around us.
This wonderfully hands-on workshop begins with a gentle tour of the beautiful Sunken Garden. This is a chance to take in the colours, textures and shapes of the garden at close hand and to collect some pieces which will become the basis of your embroidery.
There will then be an introduction to the ancient Japanese technique of botanical printing called Hapa-Zome which translates loosely as “leaf dye.” The process involves placing fresh leaves and flowers directly onto the fabric and hammering them to release their natural pigments, transferring their shape, colour and even the finest details of their structure onto the surface beneath. The results are always a little unexpected and quite beautiful with every print entirely unique, shaped by the individual plant and the hand that made it.
Using the patterns from your hapa-zome printing as your template and palette, you will then be guided in the slow stitching embroidery onto your base fabric, at times including embellishments and perhaps some of the natural leaves or twigs collected earlier from the garden.
You’ll leave with a piece of stitched work that is entirely your own and rooted in nature, and inspiration for continuing this fascinating craft at home.
Caroline is a deeply reflective and environmentally-conscious textile artist whose work blends traditional handcraft techniques with contemporary storytelling. She is very much looking forward to guiding you into making your very own beautiful wild piece that will look wonderful displayed in your home.
What Will I do?
- Enjoy some moments in the Sunken Garden, just outside the Meadow Room
- Select your raw materials from the plants and grasses here
- Learn how to do hapa-zome to make your embroidery template
- Guided by Caroline, embroider your piece to create an artwork that will bring enjoyment for years
Who is this workshop suitable for?
- People aged 16 and over
- Beginners
- No prior experience needed
You can find out more about Caroline on her website: theartofembroidery.co.uk
Important information
Gallery
How it works
01
Come to Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham Estate, and park in one of the free car parks
Please arrive in good time to get to the Meadow Room before the workshop begins
02
Make your way to the Meadow Room, behind Roots Café
03
Enjoy the morning in the sunken garden and then learning about the botanical printing technique of hapa-zome
Caroline will give a mini-tour of the sunken garden and guide you in what to gather for your artwork. She will then demonstrate and guide you in making your prints.
04
Take a break for lunch (45 minutes)
You can either bring a packed lunch to eat in the Meadow Room or, if you arrive early (9:30am), you can pre-order and pay for a light lunch from Roots Café that will be delivered to the Meadow Room.
The light lunch can be chosen from:
- sausage roll,
- vegan roll or
- sundried tomato, feta & basil pesto pastry wheel
each served with coleslaw.
05
The afternoon will include enjoying embroidery and embellishing techniques, and finishing your artwork.
Caroline will guide you in creating your unique piece with this mindful and meditative activity.
06
Go home feeling proud of what you have achieved
… and display your gorgeous creation for all to see!
07
If you are posting your day or your creations online, please tag us @roughamestate - we love to see what you create.

What to Bring
- Wear comfortable clothing
- You are more than welcome to bring something of your own grasses and flowers
- Bring a packed lunch if you would like, or alternatively pre-order a lunch from Roots Café prior to the workshop commencing
What is provided
- Caroline will bring all the materials needed, including fabric, threads, needles etc.
- Tea, coffee and sweet treats
Refund & cancellation policy
If you need to cancel a workshop
If you are unable to attend your booked workshop and notify us at least 7 full days in advance of the workshop date, we can offer a refund or a transfer to the same workshop on an alternative date, providing there are places available or a course is planned for the future.
If cancellation is within 7 full days of your workshop unfortunately we are unable to offer a refund. We do appreciate that sometimes unforeseen circumstances may mean that you can’t attend so we are happy for you to send along a friend to take your place. We will need their name and contact details prior to the workshop.
Our right to cancel a workshop
All our workshops have a minimum attendance level and may be cancelled if too few bookings are received. We reserve the right to cancel or postpone workshops at any time. Should we need to cancel a workshop, we will give you as much notice as possible of the cancellation. You will receive a full refund or, if you prefer, a transfer to an alternative available course, space permitting. Unfortunately, we cannot accept any liability for travel or other costs.
Where to find us
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham,
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
There is plenty of free parking available.
Accessible parking is available near the entrance to the Café/Shop area.
Please Note: The car park closes when the Roots Café closes and the entrance gates are locked after this time.
Blackthorpe Barn is situated just south of Junction 45 of the A14, three miles east of Bury St Edmunds, in the village of Rougham.
Look out for the entrance gates to a long tree-lined avenue at the White House junction, with the Barn on the right of the avenue.
Blackthorpe Barn’s black and white signs direct visitors from local roads.
The Meadow Room can be found behind the old thatched Barn and behind Roots Café.
What3Words for the Meadow Room: hands.dunk.drums
Related Events
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Take a little inspiration from the garden and turn it into something you can keep.
On Saturday 17 October, join textile artist Caroline Hyde-Brown for our Stitching the Sunken Garden Workshop.
The day begins in the Sunken Garden, taking inspiration from the colours, textures and shapes around you before learning the Japanese botanical printing technique of Hapa-Zome.
You’ll then use your prints as inspiration for slow stitching and embroidery, creating your own unique piece of artwork to take home.
No previous experience is needed, so whether you’re already a keen stitcher or simply fancy trying something different, you can join in.
Saturday 17 October
10am–4pm
Meadow Room, Blackthorpe Barn
Tea, coffee and sweet treats are included, and all materials are provided.
Places are limited and booking is essential. Find out more and book your place on the Rougham Estate website.
#RoughamEstate #StitchingTheSunkenGarden #SuffolkWorkshops
As the weather gets cooler, we turn our attention to warmer dishes at Roots Café.
This week’s special is our sweet potato and chilli soup with Rougham honey. A warming combination of sweet potato, a little chilli and our own Rougham honey, perfect for an autumn day.
Our brunch special is our oven-baked nachos with cheddar, mozzarella, jalapeños, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and cowboy caviar (crunchy veg salsa in case you were wondering). Perfect for sharing, although we won’t judge if you keep them all to yourself!
Pop in after a walk around the Estate or simply come along for a cosy lunch.
Roots Café is open daily from 9am–4pm.
#RoughamEstate #RootsCafe #WeeklySpecials
You may notice the Rougham Estate Shop looks a little different at the moment...
As we start to transition towards our Christmas Shop, which opens in mid-October, we’ve downsized the shop for a short while as we make room for all the festive treats to come.
There’s still plenty to discover, with beautiful homeware, gifts and seasonal pieces, including some lovely autumnal touches and pumpkins.
Roots Café is open as usual, so why not combine a browse around the shop with a coffee, lunch or something sweet?
The shop and café are both open daily, and we look forward to seeing you.
#RoughamEstate #RoughamEstateShop #RootsCafe
Believe it or not, the 2027 harvest is already underway!
The first crop to be planted this season is our Oilseed Rape (OSR), which means those famous sea of yellow fields will be back before we know it.
OSR is usually planted in early to mid-August, but after such a dry summer, we had to wait for the right conditions. Planting was delayed until late August and into early September.
One of the challenges with growing OSR is the Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle, a pest that can cause significant damage to young plants. Rather than relying on broad-spectrum insecticides, we’ve sown a companion crop of buckwheat alongside the OSR. The idea is to confuse the beetles and hopefully reduce their impact on the crop.
It’s early days, but we’ll be watching it closely as it gets established. The yellow fields of 2027 might seem a long way off, but the work starts now!
#RoughamEstate #Farming #SuffolkFarming
Next weekend - Rougham Pumpkins opens next weekend! 🎃🎉 Who else can’t wait?
The pumpkins are looking fabulous and everyone is busy making the field ready for you.
We’re open weekends from Saturday 3rd Oct 9am-5pm and then daily from 24th-31st.
Come and wander amongst 1000s and 1000s of pumpkins, squashes and gourds.
You’ll find a whole autumn festival with the big bale pyramids, sandpits, pedal tractors, football goals, space to run and play and face painting by @faceitfaceart
These wonderful food trucks will be here every weekend:
Roots&Co - coffee, cakes, snacks, drinks (soft & alcoholic)
@whatthe_peck - Suffolk-reared fried chicken
@BadBoiBurritos - toasted burritos
@Pigs_In - all your pork favourites
@GeeGeeBakes - cheesecakes, milkshakes & coffees
@KiernansCoffee - coffees, drinks & snacks at the Pitch in the Patch
@FullThrottleCoffeeCo - coffees & snacks
On selected days:
@Tikka_Tonic - New Delhi style street food
@TheCreperieShack - sweet & savoury crepes
@itsotisbreading - sourdough toasties & salads
@greyscoffee_ - coffees and homemade bakes
Or bring your own picnic if you like.
🔦 Pumpkins by Torchlight & Silent Disco
On two spooky Saturday evenings, 17th & 24th October, 6pm–9pm, bring your torches, wear your wellies and enjoy the pumpkin patch after dark with a silent disco.
Disco headsets need to be booked - tickets coming very soon.
🧡 SEN-Friendly Sessions
9am-10am on Tues 27th & Thurs 29th October, entry to the patch will be ticketed to give a quieter time for those who benefit from a calmer, more relaxed visit.
Free tickets must be booked in advance.
Open 9am–5pm on
Sat 3 – Sun 4 October
Sat 10 – Sun 11 October
Sat 17 – Sun 18 October
Daily Sat 24 – Sat 31 October (10am-5pm on 27th & 29th)
Free entry, free parking, no booking required (except headsets and SEN hours).
📍Remember - the pumpkins are in the NEW Sunflower and Pumpkin Field, south of J45, A14, Elderstub Lane, SatNav: IP30 9HX
🐕 Dogs welcome in the picnic area and the small doggy patch, but not in the main patch.
All the details from our website - link in bio.
Get dressed up, come along - we can’t wait to see you!🎃🧡
#burystedmunds
This is the last weekend to visit ArtWorks @artworkseast at Blackthorpe Barn.
From today, Friday 25th September, you have just three days left to see this wonderful exhibition before it closes on Sunday. If you’ve been meaning to go, now really is the time.
Over 300 original works by 28 established East Anglian artists are on show: paintings, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media and more. All of it available to buy, all of it made by people who are brilliant at what they do.
Come and browse, meet the artists, watch them work and find something you love.
Friday 25th – Sunday 27th September
10am – 4pm daily
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham Estate - SatNav IP30 9HZ
Free entry and free parking
Roots Café and Rougham Estate Shop next door
All the details from the @artworkseast website
#ArtworksEast #SuffolkArt #BuryStEdmunds #OriginalArt #RoughamEstate
Have you ever wondered what your dreams are trying to tell you?
This November, Suffolk psychotherapist Gilly Crow brings her warm, fascinating and deeply personal talk on dreams to the Meadow Room on Rougham Estate. It’s an event that could genuinely change the way you see your sleeping hours.
Gilly has spent over 35 years working with clients as a psychotherapist, with dreams at the heart of much of her work. Her first book, Wake Up to Your Dreams, explores what our unconscious might be saying to us while we sleep, and in this interactive talk she shares what she has learned in a way that is accessible, thought-provoking and open to everyone.
Whether you’re haunted by recurring dreams, curious about what’s going on beneath the surface, or simply open to something a little different, this talk is worth your Saturday morning.
Gilly’s book will also be on sale on the day for just £10 (cash only, RRP £12.99). Tea, coffee and mince pies included.
Saturday 7th November
9:15am – 12pm
Meadow Room, Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham Estate
£15 per person
Book on our website, link in profile
#RoughamEstate #WakeUpToYourDreams #GillyCrow #SuffolkEvents #BuryStEdmunds
Our final Plant Pop-Up of the year!
Chris from Watsons Plants will be back at Blackthorpe Barn this Friday and Saturday, 25–26 September, for the last Plant Pop-Up of the season.
If you’re looking to add some colour, texture or interest to your garden as we head into autumn, this is your final chance to come along, browse the plants and speak to Chris for some expert advice.
The Plant Pop-Up is free to visit and there’s no need to book. You’ll find Chris just outside Roots Café and the Rougham Estate Shop, from 10am–4pm.
So if you’ve been meaning to pop along, don’t miss the last one of the year!
#RoughamEstate #WatsonsPlants #PlantPopUp #Gardening #AutumnGarden
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