Stitching the Sacred
winter 25 - aid of the ancestors
three day craft camp in the Mallee with a focus on craftwork, contemplation and connection.
craft an ancestor doll
engage in the 8 ways learning pedagogy
dream, listen, connect
take time out with your ancestors
listen to the story of Vasilisa the brave
learn new skills
anchor your insights
ABOUT ANCESTOR DOLLS - From maiki
ancestral dolls are wisdom-keepers who hold stories of our origins. making a doll is a way of re-membering these stories and a chance to connect with our forgotten past. we will be playing with different simple/ primitive art processes whilst gathering threads to slow stitch stories into our dolls. no previous art or sewing experience is needed, just bring your curiosity and a sense of adventure...
Craft Camp is not just a place to learn new techniques; its a sanctuary for the soul, where we find solace in the rhythm of crafting and the beauty of creation. It is a journey of self-discovery, where craft becomes a sacred practice, and every creation tells a story of spirit and resilience.
Gisele
Thanks Bianca Flowers and Shalome Lateef for organising and facilitating such a magical retreat. Looking forward to the next one. 😍😍😍
Wilma
Day 1 - bud - start with an idea, a story
Arrive and settle in. Opening circle. Hear the story of Vasilisa the Brave.
Check in from 2pm onwards on Thursday 19th of June. Take time to settle into your accommodation, set up tents, walk the Lake Corrong lakebed, grab a cuppa, wander into Hopetoun, or swim in Lake Lascelles. Gather at 4pm for our opening circle and meet your fellow campers, facilitators and organisers. Be introduced into the rich tradition of ancestor dolls, and the long history of making figures to act as an interface between humans and their ancestors or deities. Break for dinner. After dinner, hear the story of Vasilisa the beautiful and how feeding energy into a form, figure or craft object can lead to help given in times of need.
Day 2 - blossom - flesh it out
Self-catered breakfast in the function room kitchen or at your accommodation. Idea and materials development with maiki and Bianca. Exploratory walk in Lake Coorong dry lakebed with Shalome. Begin your doll-making when ready.
This day is about letting the stories of our arrival, and the knowledge about doll-making traditions and ancestor-honouring traditions settle and take shape inside of you. In the morning there will be sessions on materials use and doll-construction techniques with maiki, automatic drawing or journalling with Bianca to explore ideas. In the early afternoon Shalome will guide an exploratory walk in the Lake Corrong lakebed to further engage the land in your process of development. At any point throughout the day, when you feel you are ready to get started, you can begin your doll-making. Lunch and dinner provided.
Day 3 - ripen - deepen into your work
Self-catered breakfast. Full day of crafting. Evening solstice blessing / ritual.
Day three is set aside for working intensively on the construction and creation of you ancestor doll. For those of you who have crafted before, you will know that the work often takes shapes and changes as you go. While you craft, you are encouraged to keep alive the attentiveness and contemplation of day 2, by staying open and listening to your materials, the earth, your heart and the ancestors so as to be guided in your work. If the weather is good we will have a solstice ritual of thanks and deepening by the fire in the evening. Lunch and dinner provided.
Day 4 - reap - share it with others
Self-catered breakfast. Finishing up. Sharing. Parting ways.
In the morning there will be time to finish up what you are working on, or gather all that you need to continue your project at home. At 11am we will gather for our story sharing circle, in which you can show others what you have made, and share stories about your experience throughout the process. We will engage in a 'feeding the story' practice of attentive listening and feeding back what stood out in each other's stories and experiences. Check out of all accommodation by 10am. No meals provided.
Have questions?
Here are some answers to common questions.
When is it?
Stitching the Sacred, Winter 25 runs from Thursday June 19th (check in from 2pm onwards, arrive earlier if you are camping or want to look around) to Sunday June 22nd (check out at 10am, camp finishes at 1pm).
Can I bring my children?
Children are very welcome at camp and parents or caregivers are expected to supervise children at all times. All our activities take place on the edge of a large body of unfenced water. Children under 10 can attend for free.
Where is it?
The Mallee Bush Retreat is a gorgeous multi-purpose facility with a large function room in which we will gather for meals, spacious lawns for outdoor crafting on sunny days, a large fire pit, architect designed cabins with bush themes, and hundreds of campsites around the perimeter of Lake Lascelles in Hopetoun. The facility is owned and run by volunteers, members of the Hopetoun community. Donations are encouraged!
Is transport provided?
No. You will need to find your own way to Hopetoun, however we have in the past arranged car pooling if multiple participants are coming from the same place.
facilitator profile: maiki-jane blakeney
the sage caravan
maiki-jane - founder of 'the sage caravan' is a multidisciplinary artist and wellbeing practitioner with a background in community development, social and emotional wellbeing, nature connection, and expressive arts. maiki-jane walks beside people, supporting transitions and witnessing their transformations by providing opportunities for people to discover their innate wisdom, sense of connection, unique expression, inspiration, and healing.
Meet the organisers
Shalome and Bianca are passionate about crafting and the deep connections, insight, and understandings it brings.
Bianca Patetl-Flowers
Visionary, teacher and guide.
Bianca is an accomplished artist, weaver, and visionary who excels in guiding people to bring their soul's wisdom to light. She has qualifications in naturopathy, fine arts, teaching, and transformational creativity. She has worked extensively with individuals and groups to hone and refine their intuition and deepen into connections with plants, place and spirit. She brings a rigorous intellect to all her interactions and to the process of guiding others.
Shalome Lateef
Forest therapy guide and bead maker.
Shalome grew up in and around christian communities in rural Victoria, where she learnt to facilitate groups, cook for many, and coordinate ritual. Her mum was a skilled basketmaker, seamstress, and musician and her father was a farmer, storyteller, poet. She loves creating spaces in which people can come to know the innate beauty of each and every living and non-living thing, and to use that knowledge to craft objects of integrity and power for their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of the earth and human communities.
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