MOROCCO TEXTILES TOUR
with Sue Spargo
3 – 18 October 2027

Marrakech, Atlas Mountains, Skoura Oasis, Sahara, Nkob, Ait Ben Haddou, Essaouira


Travel with artist Sue Spargo and explore the traditional Amazigh (Berber) crafts of Morocco at a grassroots level where women’s cooperative ventures present a range of textile creations melding age-old skills with new innovations.

In Marrakech we visit the exquisite new Monde des Arts de la Parure museum featuring a vast collection of textiles and jewellery. We visit cultural sites and explore the traditional artisans continuing to work in their specialist crafts in the Medina souks and more.

We then venture into the High Atlas Mountains and follow the ancient trade routes across the Tizi’n’Tichka Pass from Marrakech to the Sahara. Weavers of carpets and cloth, embroiderers and basket weavers are found in remote locations where they still employ their skills and maintain their traditional life style.

Next we make our way through the Jebel Sahro Mountains (Low/Anti Atlas Mountains) to the rural village of Nkob, also know as the ‘Village of 45 Kasbahs’. From there we will head to the famous village of Ait Ben Haddou before we go west to the Atlantic coastal port of Essaouira, returning to Marrakech for a final night.

The tour includes hands-on experiences and demonstrations with local artisans. On the road in the mountains and Sahara we learn some exquisite embroidery techniques, tie knots to make rugs, explore some eco-dyeing using Rose Madder.

Guest artist Sue Spargo will share her skills and experience to allow participants to develop their ideas for textile design. The tour is not an intensive workshop as there is too much to see and experience in Morocco, but time will be devoted to sharing ideas, discussing colour, pattern, materials and trialling techniques on a unique ‘travel cloth’. You will be encouraged to develop a visual diary and to create studies and samplers incorporating your ideas.

WORKSHOP with Sue Spargo
“Travel with me through Morocco, absorbing the country’s rich history, flora, fauna, and kaleidoscope of culture. From woven rugs to bright spices, mosaics to architecture, donkeys to goats, we’ll be inspired by the sights, scents and sounds to create a one-of-a-kind travel cloth. Beginning with a wool background, we will combine wool and cotton appliqué to design our scene, which will then be enhanced with textural stitching. Your favorite memories of Morocco will be captured on cloth and serve as a beautiful memento of your trip.” – Sue Spargo

 

 

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