CAMBRIDGE

A historic church with a tall stone tower and arched windows, illuminated by streetlights, in a city square with bicycles parked nearby, surrounding buildings, and a clear evening sky.
A group of people in a boat on a river beneath a historic stone bridge, with an ornate building with tall windows and a tower partially obscured by green tree leaves in the background.

The City of Cambridge

Best known for the famous University of Cambridge, founded in 1209, the city has grown around its famous colleges for more than 800 years. Visitors can wander through peaceful courtyards, admire grand chapels, browse cosy bookshops and cafés, or enjoy a gentle punt along the River Cam beneath willow trees and stone bridges.

With its rich history, timeless architecture, and lively yet peaceful character, Cambridge is one of the few towns in the UK that still offers a wonderful glimpse into traditional English life while still feeling vibrant, modern and full of stories.

A panoramic view of a historic European city with a large Gothic cathedral, green lawns, and a street filled with people during sunset.
A building with classical architectural elements like columns and a large entrance, illuminated during the evening. The building bears the words 'UNIVERSITY' and Roman numerals 'MMXVII' above the entrance, with a man in a red coat standing near the door.
A spacious, well-lit library with large arched windows, wooden paneling, and a variety of colorful chairs and sofas arranged around. There is a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, framed botanical artwork on the walls, and bookshelves filled with books.
A list of hotel amenities and services, including city guide, concierge, room service, underfloor heating, air-conditioned rooms, bathrobes, slippers, Nespresso machine, bone china mugs, linen and toweling, free bicycle hire, personal safe, 42-inch smart TV, steam-free mirrors, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, toiletries, tea making facilities, complimentary bottled water.

The University Arms Luxury Hotel

University Arms Hotel is one of Cambridge’s most elegant and historic places to stay, combining classic English charm with modern comfort in the heart of the city. Overlooking Parker’s Piece and just a short walk from the famous university colleges, the hotel has welcomed visitors since the 19th century and has long been associated with the academic and literary character of Cambridge. Inside, guests will find cosy reading rooms, refined décor inspired by the university’s heritage, original stained glass windows, and a warm, relaxed atmosphere that reflects the city itself. Its central location makes it an ideal base for exploring Cambridge’s historic streets, riverside walks, independent shops, restauraunts and cafés.

If you’d like to take a 3D tour of the hotel, or check out their website, check out their website:

https://universityarms.com/

Aerial view of a cityscape with a mix of historic and modern buildings, lush green trees, and sports fields in the foreground.
The University Arms Hotel entrance at dusk with glowing yellow lights illuminating the arched portico and green double doors, against a sunset sky.
A neatly made bed with white linens, a colorful striped headboard, a gray throw pillow, and a beige blanket. There are two bedside tables with lamps, one white and one yellow, and a window with patterned curtains.

Meet the Hosts - ‘The three Ems’

A woman with pink hair wearing glasses and a knitted pink hat, outdoors on a beach with a clear sky and distant cliffs in the background.

Emma Homent

Emma is a designer and author of several needlepoint books aimed at inspiring confident stitch choices. Emma creates retro inspired designs with a hint of nostalgia about them.

The Makers Marks
A woman smiling while sitting indoors, wearing a yellow kimono with purple and green floral patterns, with a background of green trees visible through the window.

Emma Pavier

Inspired by colours, texture and the simple pleasure of making something unique by hand. Emma will introduce you to some unusual approaches to stitching.

Ann's Orchard
A woman with red hair wearing a red patterned shirt, smiling while holding a colorful woven item with a star design and pom-poms around its edge. 
Emily Peacock & Wool Street

Emily Peacock

A designer renowned for her bright and vibrant needlepoint and cross stitch designs. Her passion is to unlock creativity in others. She is the queen of colour.

Classes

We offer a range of welcoming, hands-on classes designed to give guests a memorable and creative experience during their stay. Throughout the retreat, we will work on bespoke projects created especially for the occasion, which can either be followed step by step or personalised with your own creative, allowing each guest to enjoy something truly unique. We want our guests to leave having learned new skills, more relaxed through creativity, and a handmade keepsake to take home, to remember the experience. Our classes are designed to be inspiring, enjoyable, and accessible for any experience levels. This year, the hosts ‘the three Ems’ are offering three main classes:

CLASS 1: STITCHES with Emma Homent

“In our well lit teaching room we will explore how decorative stitches and exciting threads can bring a whole new dimension to your canvasses. I will be designing an exclusive canvas and stitch guide for our retreat attendees. I’ll guide you through each step and help you unlock your own creativity, building your confidence to make your own bold stitching choices too. It’s always a relaxed & fun atmosphere in class, it’ll be the perfect warm up class to get us started on an inspiring week of stitching and making new friends.”

Emma is passionate about sharing her love of needlepoint and encouraging stitchers to get creative and confident with their own stitch choices.

A woman with pink hair, glasses, wearing a red cardigan and earrings shaped like hearts, standing and speaking to a group, holding some papers or cards. Several people are seated, listening, with a plain white wall, a wall sconce, and a TV in the background.
A woman with short red hair, wearing a white blouse and red necklace, smiling and holding a colorful object. There are wooden vertical bars in the foreground, and a blurred person is in the background.
Hands creating a colorful collage with paper and markers on a wooden table, surrounded by art supplies including scissors, glue sticks, markers, chalk pastels, and colored paper.

CLASS 2: COLOUR with Emily Peacock

“Colour is the order of the day in my class! The theme is Royalty, but the wearing of crowns not essential. You will be working with a variety of different threads, traditional and non-traditional to create sparkle, drama and pageantry on a canvas especially designed for the retreat. I always like to push you a little out of your comfort zone to create colour choices, rather than have them all kitted up and ready to go.”

The idea behind this workshop is to take people out of their colour comfort zone. So often kits are pre-packaged or colours are aeasy to match. You will be given a canvas that asks you to make your own colour choices, exploring your own natural sense of style and taste.

In this class you will be given a canvas and a variety of threads to choose from - both traditional and non traditional. The aim is to leave you facing a wall of colour in any NPS with a new found sense of confidence!

CLASS 3: DESIGN with Emma Pavier

“I want to inspire and enable you to create a personal canvas design. We will be thinking about shape, contrast, abstraction and drawing on the learning from your classes about colour and decorative stitches. Using techniques that allow you to experience the freedom and creativity that comes from throwing off self-conscious thought, you will all leave with a unique and very personal design drafted on canvas with a colour guide for stitching. It might be a little chaotic and experimental, but it is certainly going to be a lot of fun!”

Emma will be talking about shape, contrast, abstraction and drawing on your learning from your classes about colour and decorative stitches. Using techniques that allow you to experience the freedom and creativity that comes from throwing off self conscious thought, you will all leave with a unique and very personal design drafted on canvas with a colour guide for stitching. Experimenting is the name of the game in this class!

Other talks, workshops and visits

A historic, ornate room with high vaulted ceiling, stained glass windows, wooden paneling, and portraits on the walls, set up with long tables and lit candles, likely a dining hall or banquet room.

Wimpole Hall

Nestled in the heart of the Cambridgeshire countryside lies a magnificent stately home.

Wimpole Hall has a great many impressive and interesting rooms. From the grandiose entrance hall to the humble servant’s quarters.

Join us on a private guided tour of the house, spotting incredible artworks along the way and soaking up the rich history

Wimpole Hall has a gift shop & gardens you may also like to explore.

Elegant room with marble columns, patterned tile floor, portraits on the wall, and a table with a vase of white flowers.
A grand red-brick mansion with multiple windows and decorative architectural details, surrounded by a green lawn and a gravel pathway leading to the entrance under a cloudy sky.
A luxurious dining room with a long table set with fine china, crystal glasses, and silverware, surrounded by dark wooden chairs. The room features elegant green walls, ornate gold-framed paintings, a chandelier, and a fireplace decorated with gold accents. Fresh flowers and candles decorate the table.
A woman with long, flowing red hair looking into a hand mirror, surrounded by flowers and candles in a vintage setting.
A black and white portrait of a man with a full beard and wavy hair, wearing a dark coat.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

The Fitzwilliam Museum is home to over half a million works of art and artifacts from Ancient Egypt up to present day.

We will be viewing: A Call to Art: William Morris & the Pre Raphaelites. This exhibition is very relevant, in that these artists were navigating a time of huge social change. The exhibition is not only about decorative art and artifacts, but also about a vision for a fairer and better world during the upheaval of the industrial revolution.

We will see paintings, drawing, ceramics and most importantly textiles from designers including Burne-Jones, Rosetti, May Morris and of course the man himself, William Morris..

Interior of a grand classical building with a marble staircase, ornate columns, and a domed glass ceiling. The walls are decorated with statues in niches.
White classical building with tall columns, decorative friezes, and a triangular pediment with sculpted figures, set against a blue sky.

We always like to hold a few details back! Don’t worry, we won’t make you go punting on the river, but we will have a guest speaker and a few other surprises thrown in.

add even more excitement to your stay we are hosting an exclusive pop up shop on site each day. We will be sourcing the best makers and designers from across the UK to join us.

Each day will have a unique focus, from kits, canvasses, threads & accessories.

As well as everything mentioned above, the experience will also include a welcome goody bag, private dining experiences, special guest speaker, a movie night, a luxury afternoon tea, a unique private shopping experience as well as lots of stitching time!

Last little bits…

We are happy to let you know that we were able to keep the cost comparative to last year. The £5000 cost will be broken up into 3 payments. The first registration payment of £1000 will secure your spot once registration opens. The next 2 payments of £2000 will be spread out, one due in the Fall and one due no later than February 1, 2027.

After the huge success of Gosia Rourke’s finishing demonstration, at the last retreat, we a thrilled to be welcoming her back to exand our finishing skills even further.

We are also introducing drop in workshops throughtout the week including a running Goldwork session with Emily and a build your own stitch guide session with Emma H.

This year we will also have a surprise class with a special mystery guest!

Front view of a historic stone castle-like building with a central tower, decorative coat of arms, statues, and ornate gold embellishments, set against a blue sky with some clouds.

But wait, there’s more…

Woman with long blonde hair and glasses sitting at a table, looking at her hands. The table has a pink water bottle, a glass of water, a cup, a piece of chocolate cake, and various papers and pink containers.

Christs College Formal Banquet Hall

Historic stone building with multiple windows and a central archway, surrounded by a well-kept lawn and shrubbery, with a church steeple in the background under cloudy sky.

For our Fine Dining event, we will be visiting Christ’s College Hall. The Hall is one of the finest of all the colleges, dating back to the 16th Century and formally called ‘God’s House’. It is known for its beautiful stained glass windows and oak panels and is particularly beautiful at night with soft lighting and candlelight.

The food will be prepared by Christ’s award winning chefs, using the finest ingredients sourced locally where possible. It really is a truly unique experience.

*SOLD OUT* StitchUK Retreat Cambridge 2027 - Deposit. *SOLD OUT* StitchUK Retreat Cambridge 2027 - Deposit.
Sold out
*SOLD OUT* StitchUK Retreat Cambridge 2027 - Deposit.
£1,000.00
Limit 3 per order

The £5000 cost will be broken up into 3 payments.

This first registration payment of £1000 will secure your spot once registration opens. The next 2 payments of £2000 will be spread out, one due in the Fall and one due no later than February 1, 2027.

The full ticket includes:

  • 6 nights stay in a single occupancy room at the University Arms Hotel.

  • Access to the private guest page

  • Coach pick up from London to our hotel

  • Welcome Goody Bag

  • 5 workshops and all materials included

  • designated meeting room during the entire retreat

  • 2 off site field trips related to needlework

  • 1 Special Guest Speaker

  • On site movie night for cosy stitching time

  • All meals some of which are a special afternoon tea and a very enchanting dinner at Christ’s College

  • Coach Drop off at Heathrow on check out and departure day

    *This cost is non refundable but if your plans change we will work with you to find a replacement and they can reimburse you directly and take over the rest of the payments. Airfare is not included in the price and will be the responsibility of the individual to arrange.

Couldn’t get a ticket? Join the priority list.

We are researching the possibility of opening up another date in Spring 2027, if the interest is still there.

If you find you cannot get hold of a ticket for the current event and are still interested having seen our presentation, would you please join our secondary priority waiting list and we will keep you informed of our plans.

A logo with a stylized illustration of the UK flag on a flagpole, with the words 'STITCH UK' in bold red letters underneath.

FAQs

  • Unfortunately thats a no, not unless they are a stitcher and are going to join in absolutely everything with us.

    We have been asked by attendees to keep it strictly stitchy and want it to be an immersive experience for everyone to fully enjoy. 

  • Absolutely yes! Even though the price for the retreat is displayed in Pound Sterling the system automatically takes the equivalent payment in your local currency.

    And when you checkout it will send you a receipt that shows the currency conversion.

  • The £5000 cost will be broken up into 3 payments.

    The first registration payment of £1000 will secure your spot once registration opens.

    The next 2 payments of £2000 will be spread out, one due in the Fall and one due no later than February 1, 2027.

  • NO! Each guest gets their own personal room complete with a comfy double sized bed.

    Shared occupancy is available if you would prefer, just reach out to us and we will arrange and adjust your final hotel room costs.

  • This cost is non refundable but if your plans change we will work with you to find a replacement attendee and they can reimburse you directly and take over the rest of the payments.

    Each year we find ourselves with a sizeable waiting list.

  • The following is a list of basics you might like to consider when packing for the retreat. Please keep in mind the weather can be very changeable in England at the beginning of spring. There is a lot of truth to the common saying, "April showers bring May flowers." It is certainly worthwhile checking the long term forecast on BBC Weather before departure.

    • Travel documents

    • Passport / ID

    • Money / payment cards

    • Smart Cell Phone

    • Prescription medicines

    • Mini first aid kit: Tylenol / Ibruprofen, antihistamine, cough drops, bandaids, alcohol pads, antiseptic cream. (There are high street pharmacies in all towns)

    • Sunscreen

    • Hand sanitiser

    • Clorox wipes

    • Wet wipes

    • Snacks

    • Toiletries / make-up

    • Prescription glasses / sunglasses

    • Kindle / iPad / tablet instead of books

    • Backpack

    • Belt bag / cross bag

    • Travel adaptor

    • Small personal project for the fight

    • Noise cancelling headphones

    • Personal sewing kit (all class materials will be provided)

    • Comfortable walking shoes

    • Foldable laundry bag

    • Packable water resistant / waterproof jacket

    • Travel umbrella

    • Layers, including a warm sweater

    • A little glamour for our celebratory meals

  • Airfare is not included in the price and will be the responsibility of the individual to arrange.

    We will pick up attendees from a central London location to bring the by coach to the hotel.