Description
IIMPROVISATIONAL GARDEN: EXPLORING COLOR TRANSITIONS AND ORGSNIC COMPOSITION TO CREATE EXPRESSIVE QUILTS
About this course:
In this 5-day retreat, we will explore color in motion — creating our own fabrics that transition through hue, value, and saturation across the full chromatic sphere. These color transitions will form the foundation for expressive, abstract flowers. Once our blooms are complete, we’ll design and piece improvisational backgrounds that bring rhythm, depth, and harmony to each composition. Carolina will guide you through color exploration, fabric creation, and composition development, helping you craft a vibrant, personal quilt where color and form flow together naturally.
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Saturday | Arrival Day Welcome to Clos Mirabel |
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16:00 |
Check-in from 4pm onwards Guests arrive, settle in and explore Clos Mirabel |
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18:00 |
Welcome drinks and dinner |
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Day 1 – Sunday | The Language of Color Focus: Understanding hue, value, and saturation transitions |
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8:30 – 9:30 |
Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce |
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10:00 – 12:00 |
Workshop: The Language of Color Exploring the chromatic circle and how gradual shifts in hue, value, and saturation bring color to life. Through guided exercises, you’ll create fabric transitions that form the foundation of your flowers. Demonstrations: – Planning and building smooth color transitions – Piecing and blending colors through value and saturation |
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13:00 – 14:00 |
Lunch at Clos Mirabel |
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14:00 – 17:00 |
Hands-on: Fabric Transitions Continue building your personal color palette — the fabric “ingredients” for your garden flowers. |
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18:00 |
Aperitifs before 4-course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace |
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Day 2 – Monday | Growing the Flowers Focus: Creating organic floral forms |
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8:30 – 9:30 |
Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce |
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10:00 – 12:00 |
Workshop: Growing the Flowers Using the fabrics created on Day 1, you’ll design and piece your own abstract flowers. Carolina demonstrates curved piecing and improvisational shaping techniques that allow each piece to bloom naturally, reflecting movement and rhythm. Demonstrations: – Piecing curves and insetting shapes – Exploring scale, proportion, and dynamic movement |
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13:00 – 14:00 |
Lunch at Clos Mirabel |
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14:00 – 17:00 |
Hands-on: Begin Piecing Your Flowers Sew your curved and improvisational floral forms. Carolina circulates for individual guidance. |
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18:00 |
Aperitifs before 4-course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace |
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Day 3 – Tuesday | Composing the Garden Focus: Design and spatial relationships |
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8:30 – 9:30 |
Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce |
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10:00 – 12:00 |
Workshop: Composing the Garden With your flowers complete, you’ll begin designing your overall composition. Together we discuss focal points, balance, and harmony — and how to use contrast and repetition to guide the viewer’s eye. Demonstrations: – Arranging shapes to create unity and balance – Balancing color, form, and negative space |
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13:00 – 14:00 |
Lunch at Clos Mirabel |
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14:00 – 17:00 |
Design Wall Session Select fabrics, sketch your vision, and begin organising and cutting. By the end of the afternoon your design wall will bloom with possibilities. |
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18:00 |
Aperitifs before 4-course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace |
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Wednesday | Day Off Rest, explore, and let your garden breathe |
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8:30 – 9:30 |
Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce |
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All day |
A day to wander and be inspired We suggest wine tasting at a local vineyard, exploring Pau or the Pyrenean foothills. Let the landscape feed your creative eye. |
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18:00 |
Aperitifs before 4-course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace |
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Day 4 – Thursday | Building the Background Focus: Improvisational background construction |
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8:30 – 9:30 |
Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce |
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10:00 – 12:00 |
Workshop: Building the Background Now it’s time to bring your flowers to life within their environment. Using fabrics in one dark color family (blue, green, or blue-green recommended), you’ll create an improvisational background that adds depth and contrast to your composition. Demonstrations: – Constructing backgrounds with variety and flow – Integrating foreground and background organically – Planning the construction sequence |
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13:00 – 14:00 |
Lunch at Clos Mirabel |
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14:00 – 17:00 |
Hands-on: Piecing and Adjusting Begin sewing your background and integrating it with your flowers. Technical guidance and troubleshooting as needed. |
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18:00 |
Aperitifs before 4-course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace |
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Day 5 – Friday | Harmony and Refinement Focus: Integration and completion |
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8:30 – 9:30 |
Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce |
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10:00 – 12:00 |
Completing the Piecing Finalize your quilt top, refining the relationships between color and form. Carolina guides you through options for quilting and texture, offering ways to enhance your finished piece. Demonstrations: – Quilting design and finishing ideas |
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13:00 – 14:00 |
Lunch at Clos Mirabel |
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14:00 – 17:00 |
Adding Finishing Touches Final refinements, trimming, and preparing your quilt top for the evening showcase. |
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18:00 |
Evening Exhibition in the Art Studio A joyful group sharing of each participant’s unique Improvisational Garden. |
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18:30 |
Aperitifs before 4-course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace |
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Saturday | Departure Until next time |
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8:30 – 9:30 |
Buffet Breakfast and departure — Check-out 11:00am |
carolinaoneto.com · All schedules are indicative and may adapt to the creative flow of the group
The Art Studio, offers a spacious open plan layout of 75 m2. It is available at all times during your stay. Click here for more information.
Non-participating guests: we are more than happy to welcome non-workshop guests, accompanying partners, family or friends. There are plenty of activities to experience around Clos Mirabel, that will make your holiday unforgettable Click here for more information.
Helpful Clos Mirabel Links:
- Location
- Food & Wine
- Accommodations & Rates
- What’s Included
- Terms & Conditions
- My Tutor Page (register for your accommodations here)
- IG: @closmirabel
