Pattern Design in Portugal: Embroidery, Wellness, and Exploration

• Warm up your body and get your creative juices flowing with an optional wellness session composed of yoga, meditation, and/or breathwork. Then, help yourself to a continental breakfast.

• Jump into the first workshop of the retreat, learning how to find inspiration and design moodboards. Sophie will introduce you to her tried-and-true pattern design process, giving you everything you need to design a pattern that is authentically you.

• Once you’ve completed your creative brainstorming session, relax and enjoy a tasty lunch prepared in-house by our private chef.

• In the afternoon, venture into the beautiful natural landscapes of Ericeira, where inspiration abounds at every turn. In this Guided Nature Walk, you’ll slow down, finding inspiration and renewal in the vibrant ecosystem and panoramic views. Learn about the local landscape from your knowledgable guide, enjoy the ocean breeze, and connect with your cohort as you walk and chat.

• In the evening, return to O House, where you will have time to rest before helping yourself to a hearty dinner cooked in-house by our private chef.

• Wake up your muscles and mind with a relaxing wellness session, then enjoy a slow breakfast together as a group.

• After breakfast, jump into a workshop on using Procreate to create a digital pattern. With these foundational skills, you’ll be able to translate your unique vision into a design, and then a fully-stitched project.

• Once you’ve completed the outline of your design, relax and enjoy a tasty lunch prepared in-house by our private chef.

• In the afternoon, finalize your outline, watching your inspiration bloom and take shape. Enjoy a well-deserved rest before helping yourself to a hearty dinner cooked in-house by our private chef.

• After dinner, come together as a community to chat about your projects, share highlights, and continue to form new friendships.

• Stretch out and set an intention for the day in this morning’s wellness session. Then, fuel up with a tasty breakfast.

• Play with color palettes, stitch types, and layout planning in the morning’s hands-on class. Learn new techniques and refine old ones as Sophie guides you through this skills workshop.

• Take a break to unwind and savor a lunch prepared by our private chef.

• In the afternoon, dive back into pattern design as you finalize the digital outline of your pattern, watching your vision come to life on the screen.

• Take the next two hours to relax and recharge, then regroup for dinner at O House, courtesy of our private chef.

• Once you wrap up dinner, find time to reflect and connect with the group during the end-of-the-day wrap-up.

• Start your day relaxed with the help of an immersive wellness class and hearty breakfast.

• This is your day to slow down and focus on the little details. In the morning’s workshop, you will begin stitching, bringing your pattern to life with needle and thread. Sophie will be with you every step of the way, providing one-on-one support and guidance.

• After lunch at O House, reset with well-deserved free time. This is your time to take care of yourself, whether that be by exploring Ericeira, touring the nearby Mafra Palace, relaxing at the beach, or hanging out with newfound friends in the courtyard.

• Continue to explore on your own time for dinner - choose one of Ericeira’s delicious restaurants for a meal in town and get to know the local gastronomy scene.

• After breakfast, gather everything you’ve learned over the past several days and apply it in a final stitching session. As your design blooms in your hands, take a moment to appreciate the hard work and creativity that you have poured into your art.

• Enjoy a satisfying lunch at O House prepared by our private chef.

• Celebrate the cumulation of the retreat with a wine tasting at a local vineyard, where you will treat yourself to delicious Portuguese wines while you enjoy your newfound community.

• Gather back at O House for a celebratory dinner cooked by our private chef - a moment to share stories, memories, and gratitude.

• We’ll close the night with a relaxing sound bathing session. Make yourself comfortable and let the positive energy from the last few days soak in. This is your time to take care of yourself, find space for gratitude, and embrace peace and serenity alongside newfound friends.

• Enjoy a slow breakfast together, and take pride in your achievements over the course of the retreat. You are leaving with a design that is authentically your own, as well as the invaluable tools to continue bringing your own vision to life in unique patterns.

• We will transfer you to the airport for your departure, ensuring a stress-free transition back into your day-to-day life.

Do I need to have previous embroidery experience?
This retreat is designed for intermediate embroiders, so you need some previous experience. In order to ensure that participants have enough experience to make the most out of this retreat, we have an application for all interested individuals.

What can I expect to learn from these embroidery workshops?
This embroidery retreat is an exciting opportunity to not just improve your stitching tecnique, but to gain the skills you need to design your own patterns. Sophie will walk through the entire process, from brainstorming to developing the pattern to stitching. Learn how to navigate Procreate to create patterns, then transfer your design to the hoop. In the midst of this creative reset, watch your unique vision and design take shape, one stitch at a time.

Do I need to bring my own embroidery materials?
Although some embroidery materials will be provided, we recommend that you bring your own thread, as we will provide a limited selection of colors. Bring the colors that speak to you, allowing you to fully realize your own unique pattern.

Do I need to bring my own iPad or tablet?
It is highly recommended that you bring an iPad so that you can use Procreate. However, you can also use paper if you do not have access to an iPad or tablet.

Do you offer airport transfer? Which airport should I fly into?
Yes! Airport transfers are included in the ticket price. The closest airport is the Lisbon International Airport, which is only 40 minutes from O House.

What does a typical day look like?
Although each day looks different, there are some core themes and activities throughout each day of the retreat. Each day starts with an optional wellness class, allowing you to ease into the morning with mindfulness, relaxation, and renewal. We provide a continental breakfast each day, which is then followed by a art workshop, O House activity, or free time. We will then have lunch cooked in-house by our private chef, followed by another activity block, which will either be another workshop, activity, or free time. Finally, we wrap up with dinner at 7:30 PM and a guided reflection to close out the day.

How does the Payment Plan work?

Provided that you book your spot at least four months in advance, you may choose to take advantage of our payment plan. This plan spreads the payments into monthly installments of equal price. The number of installments depends on how far in advance you book your ticket. Check out more details in our Terms and Conditions, linked below!

Where can I find your Terms and Conditions?
For detailed information about our policies, including booking terms, cancellations, and liability, please refer to our full Terms and Conditions. You can access them by clicking here.​