Colette, embroiderer
Reunion Island · 3h
Colette in a few words
Colette has been embroidering since she was 6, alongside her mother, and has never put down her needle: forty-five years later, a daisy pattern earned her the title of Meilleure Ouvrière de France. Cilaos embroidery means pulling threads out of the fabric, then embroidering over the gaps, a technique inspired by the openwork found on Breton headdresses that has become the island's signature. After years of teaching at home, Colette joined the Maison de la Broderie to keep passing on the craft to those who truly want to learn it.
The programme
Morning — Maison de la Broderie, Cilaos
Embroidering your 3 x 3 cm pattern
Included
- Choosing the pattern and preparing the fabric
- Drawing the threads, the technique unique to Cilaos
- Embroidering over the openwork
- Finishing and mounting on your chosen item
Customisable experience
A bigger pattern, a whole piece, a project you have in mind: tell Colette, and the initiation adapts and extends to fit your project.
You leave with
- The basics of Cilaos embroidery
- Your pattern, embroidered by hand, to sew onto a garment, a bag or a pouch
- The cultural guide to Reunion IslandFree
The cultural guide to Reunion Island is included free with your booking