• A sewing machine in good working order, including foot pedal and power cable

• A general sewing kit to include: fabric scissors, pins, needles, seam ripper, fabric marker, tape measure etc.

• The garment you wish to recreate

• Fabric, thread, notions, fastenings, fusible interfacing, and any additional materials to sew up your garment

• Extra small sewing or craft projects—morning and evening crafting is very welcome, and the sewing room is open 24/7

• Garments that need mending if you’d like to join the mending workshop

• Swimwear (morning dips are a delight!)

• Warm, cosy layers

• Comfortable clothing for walking and gentle hikes

• Slippers and a hot water bottle (the house is old and wonderfully atmospheric)

• A good book that you’ve been meaning to read for years but life has gotten in the way!

• All catering will be cooked fresh by our inhouse caterer – Sian from Stans Pantry. Learn more about her here.

• The evening meals will be home style meals – think big pots of hot food in the middle of the table, with something a little more fancy for the first night. Breakfast will be more casual and guests can help themselves, a hot option will be available if you prefer. Lunches will be hearty, soups and chunks of bread, hot pasties. We’ll also have tea, freshly baked cakes and biscuits on hand to power up our days.

• Drinks also included, including half a bottle of wine per person per day and non-alcoholic options.

• Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements, allergies, or anything you really don’t like, on the booking form when you book.

• All the washing up will be sorted – so you have more time to work on your projects (or to relax!)

This is a beginner plus - intermediate class. This course is aimed at confident dressmakers who have experience working with commercial patterns. You will get a lot more out of the retreat if you’ve already made up a few garments before and got a grasp of garment construction. We will cover all the pattern cutting basics with you, such as: seam allowance, notch, drill hole, grain line. If you are wondering if this is the course for you, don't hesitate to drop me a line to chat it through!

• Yes, you don’t need to pay the whole price in one go.

• Deposit per person to secure your place £500 (non-refundable)

• 50% of remaining balance due by 1.4.26

• Remaining balance due by 1.6.26

• If you are booking after 1.8.26, the full balance will need to be paid in one go.

• Full T’s & C’s here

• The retreat is held at Porth-En-Alls House, Prussia Cove, a 15–20 minute taxi ride from Penzance Station.

• We are happy to connect guests arriving by train so you can share a taxi.

• Please let us know your travel details in advance if arriving by public transport.

• If bringing your sewing machine on the train is difficult, we may have a machine to lend—please check availability beforehand.

• There is parking right next to the house - but we will need to know numbers.

Of course, most guests attend solo and meet like-minded sewists during the retreat.

The retreat is suitable for beginner plus - intermediate sewists with some sewing experience, that have used sewing patterns before. You don’t need to have any pattern cutting experience. The retreat is not recommended for someone who has never made clothes before. If you’d like to arrange a call to check if this retreat is right for you, send me an email to: hello@dotncross.com

One bedroom has an ensuite with a shower (room 5). The remaining rooms share a bathroom on each floor, each with a bath rather than a shower, consider it an invitation to slow down and unwind.

A maximum of 8 participants, supported by 2 teaching staff and 1 chef.

Yes. The sewing space is exclusively ours, available whenever inspiration strikes—early mornings, late evenings, or anywhere in between.

Yes, please let us know on the booking form, and our chef will make sure your meals are catered to your needs.

• The deposit is non-refundable.

• Payments for retreats are non-refundable, however…

• If you find that you are unable to attend, please let us know straight away, we may be able to re-sell your place and give you a refund minus the deposit, but only if we can re-sell the space.

• Spaces are transferable, meaning you may gift your space to a friend, but please let us know in advance (at least 72 hours before the retreat is due to start) and pass on their details so we can send them all the information and cater for their dietary requirements.

• We advise you to take out the correct travel insurance at time of booking.

• For full T’s and C’s, click here.

• There is parking right outside the house

• The house is set on different levels, the middle floor flat is accessible from the car park area, via the workroom. To get from the workroom to the rest of the house inside, there are a few steps.

• To access the ground floor flat, there is the main staircase inside, going down from the middle flat, or a slope and steps down from the car park.

• To access the beach and the rest of the estate, there are steps and uneven ground.

• The road to the house once you are off the main road is pretty bumpy. Take it very slowly, at 5mph.

• Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need any more information.

• Travel to and from the retreat venue

• Travel insurance (recommended)

• Fabric, notions for your project.

Please don’t hesitate to email me: hello@dotncross.com to ask any questions, and I am happy to arrange a call to chat through.