The Corsetry Retreat
The Corsetry Retreat events are held at the beautiful Caer Beris Manor, a grade II listed building in Wales, surrounded by 18 acres of serene parkland. Our upcoming events include a full schedule of workshops with experienced tutors, a gallery of corsetry, as well as time to relax in the historic surroundings, meet with like-minded people, and unwind in the manors hot tub or beside an open fire.
Who Would Enjoy This?
Our retreats are aimed at people who have some experience of making corsets and want to develop their skills further, or people who are competent with clothes-making on a sewing machine and want to start to learn corsetry or stays making techniques. We will cover everything you need to know to leave The Corsetry Retreat equipped with all of the skills and techniques required to make a beautifully fitting corset. From measuring and drafting to perfect fit and finishing.
Those of you who are more experienced may find that they want to start making a corset alongside the workshops, if you think this might be the case then please bring along the supplies and fashion fabric you would need.
There will be 2 tutors on hand throughout the day support your learning and to help troubleshoot your existing projects so please bring along your problem children if you’d like advice on what’s gone wrong (don’t worry they don’t judge).
“A fantastic weekend! Emma and Jenni were such knowledgeable and helpful tutors, and Niki and Chris made sure everything ran without a hitch. It was great to be around other creatives who were all engaged and excited with the course content.”
Heather, Graphic Designer
What’s Included
Included in the price will be your room in the manor with ensuite bathroom, three meals a day including home cooked evening meals, and light refreshments. There will be a full schedule of workshops from two experienced tutors who will be on hand for guidance throughout the day, a gallery of corsetry and a swap table for the exchange of materials and embellishments.
New for January 2025 as part of our XL event we will also have a selection of exciting guest speakers offering a range of talks and demonstrations, from Victorian mourning fashions to fan lacing and much more.
You’ll also have use of the manor’s hot tub, extensive gardens and the communal areas for socialising.
In addition, we will provide all materials needed for the workshops including coutil, boning and busks, flossing threads and eyelets.
New 2025 Events
January – Extra Long – As part of our XL event we will also have a selection of exciting guest speakers offering a range of talks and demonstrations, from Victorian mourning fashions to fan lacing and much more.
February – Alumni Gathering – As part of out alumni event we will be inviting past attendees to recap on the construction methods taught at past retreats, have dedicated support to continue there corsetry journey, while catching up with old friends in the lovely Caer Beris setting.
October – The Corsetry Retreat – our classic corsetry retreat where we will guide you through drafting and constructing a perfectly fitting bespoke corset.
November – The Stays Edition – We will guide you through drafting and constructing a perfectly fitting bespoke set of stays, whether your interested in historical accuracy or something more modern.
Tutors - Emma Brackenbury - All Events
Emma is an experienced costume maker for film and theatre, working on productions such as Dr Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, Fantastic Beasts, Tulip Fever, and Artemis Fowl.
She trained at Huddersfield University studying her BA in costume with textiles and later her MA in creative pattern cutting.
Having a specific interest in structured garments and technical details including corsetry, she is happiest when lost in making beautiful creations. Her current hobbies include devising drafting methods for corsetry stays and cups, these hobbies then feed into the retreat syllabus.
Alongside her freelance work she works as a visiting lecturer at a variety of universities.
Tutors - Elizabeth Moody - March & June '24 & Jan '25
Elizabeth (Beth) Moody has over 14 years of corset making experience. She developed a love of period fashion as a child, playing with her mum’s Victorian dress collection, and was introduced to corsetry by fellow Corset Retreat organiser Niki. A hobby soon became an obsession with Beth turning professional in 2012. Since then, Beth has developed particular skills in plus size and fuller bust corsetry.
Tutors - Ruth Watkin - Nov '24 "Stays Edition"
Ruth has been working as a costume maker for over a decade, after training in Theatre Design at Nottingham Trent University. Where she has since frequently returned to, to teach on their Costume Design and Construction course as a principal lecturer. As a freelancer, she has been lucky enough to have had the chance to make costumes for many places including West End theatre shows and film productions for Netflix, HBO and Amazon Prime.
“Corsetry has always been my Mount Everest of crafting. Emma and Jenny went through every step clearly explaining the process and different skills to make a beautiful garment. The course was both technical and creative and held in such a beautiful setting. 10/10”
Dexter Kidd, Social Worker / Drag Queen
Want to ask about booking, or just got a question?
Just drop us a message below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
“I consider myself reasonably competent at Sewing, but never having made a corset before I decided to go to the retreat and pick up some new skills. I was not disappointed! I left the two-day retreat, understanding the basics of garment, drafting and construction with enough supplies to finish my own first corset.”
Drea Lynch, Chartered Engineer
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