SWEDISH ART WEAVING ~ STOCKHOLM TO GLIMÅKRA, SWEDEN 2024

“What a memorable trip! I’m so happy to have met all the weavers in our group. I'm relishing all the memories from our trip. I had so looked forward to studying with Gunvor, the experience was better than I could have imagined. What a privilege, really. Thank you for a wonderful experience! Tusen tack to Sarah, Gunvor, Anna, Anja, Simon & Christina!” - Toni, USA

“It was marvellous. Thank you. Seems like a dream now!” - Bettes, USA

“I really enjoyed my trip with The Tour Studio very much. We had a fun group, all with different personalities but all working well together. I also would like to thank you again for yours and Simon’s nice invitation to your home…it made the trip very special. Also all the very good bakery from Simon for our coffee breaks!!! Thank you so much!!! The Hotel in Broby was very comfortable and very nice service. In Stockholm I enjoyed the tour through the city very much, to places I would not have visited by myself!!! The Hotel in Stockholm was fabulous. The workshop with Gunvor was also very special, a lot of fun and very good to handle. I will come back for a trip for sure.” - Tatjana, Austria

“It was a great experience for me! Thank you everyone!” - Atsuko, Japan

TEXTILES OF VENICE ~ ITALY 2023

“I wanted to let you know how wonderful the Venice Textiles Tour was last week. If you ask me to give you suggestions for improvement, it would be very difficult to suggest much of anything. First, our tour guide Valeria Bracaloni, was an absolute joy! From her organized caring manner to her enthusiasm for all we did, she was professional, knowledgeable and flexible. Valeria made each of us feel safe and worry free, as she took care of all of the details of the trip including transportation, resources and schedules. Because of her, we were able to just relax and enjoy the tour. Second, the sites and experiences that we had in Venice were outstanding. I came away with both a historical and current understanding of the textile traditions there. The expert guides engaged for the various sites added so much and often they had personal experiences with the companies that added to our understanding. And finally, I was very pleased with the many details that were thought out and made the experience so wonderful. This included the small group size, the choice of hotel, and the busy, yet reasonable schedule that allowed plenty of things to do, yet allowed us to relax and even pursue other interests. For me it was the perfect balance of scheduled activities and time to explore.” – Jennie, USA

“The trip has been fantastic. Valeria is beyond lovely and you have created such a charming, refined, yet unpretentious experience through your choices of locations, guides, restaurants, and experiences. All the details are amazing. Thank you so much.” – Elizabeth, USA

“The was trip wonderful, so happy I was included. Valeria was an excellent guide, we went to some amazing places. The combination of fabric sites and other activities was delightful. The hotel was nice as was their staff. The ladies on the tour were friendly and each contributed a different point of view. It was perfect!” - Sara, USA

HANDWOVEN TEXTILES ~ FLORENCE, ITALY 2023

“I have just returned home, still buzzing with all the excitement of the last two weeks. Thank you so much for all your hard work setting up an amazing trip for us - it was great meeting you and hearing more about your future ideas too. Valeria was amazing. We loved her dearly. Maybe I’ll see you in Sweden one day soon!”  - Amy, USA

“Thanks for a thoroughly enjoyable trip! Valeria was exceptional, personable, really a very lovely person - just a delight! I really enjoyed my time at Lisio and the tours in Prato, the Bargello, Paolo Carandini and Antico Setificio - wow! Thanks so much for everything. I would definitely recommend this tour!” - Elizabeth, Canada

“It was a really lovely trip and well organised too. Valeria was really amazing in her desire to help all of us have a good time, she went above and beyond what she needed to do. I think everything was well-placed and interesting before the class began. I felt honoured to be able to weave on the old looms and to have even a small piece of fabric to take home. I will remember the trip forever.” - Marilynn, USA

RAG RUG WEAVING WORKSHOP ~ GLIMÅKRA, SWEDEN 2023

“I wanted to thank you once again for the amazing tour you put together for all of us. Everything was so well planned and a joy to do. And it was a joy to meet the rest of the group - everyone was so great. It was so special to be able to weave in the Glimåkra Museum among all those beautiful looms and textiles, both new and old. Marie was such a fantastic teacher and even as a more experienced weaver I learned so much. I was so inspired and blown away by both the MMF Studio and Annika’s studio. They were so generous with their time and knowledge and I am so grateful to them and everyone else we met and spoke with. Their willingness to share what they are passionate about is something I’ll always remember and cherish. And both of you were so warm and inviting and welcoming - I truly enjoyed talking with both of you and spending time in your home. I hope that our paths cross again sooner rather than later. I would absolutely love to take another Tour Studio trip sometime in the future. All the best and thank you for an unforgettably marvelous time in Sweden!” - Rachel, USA

“The trip was above and beyond my expectations - I honestly can't think of a thing that I would change! The class with Marie was terrific and I loved being in the museum. Visiting the studios and homes of Annika and Gunvor was amazing as well as the atelier of Märta Måås-Fjetterström and Vävaren Linen. Despite the weather I was glad we were able to visit Lund and Båstad! The tour of Wanås, dinner at your lovely home, visiting the loppis - really fun. The Broby Gästgivaregård was perfect - the room was quiet and comfortable. It was great after being out and about all day to just come back and not have to go out again and find a restaurant. So, thanks again to you and Simon for an amazing trip - everything was so well organized and I could not have wished for kinder, more accommodating hosts. Oh and I loved our group - meeting everyone, what fun!” - Sybil, USA

“Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about that trip! What a great time that was, and so many thanks to you for making it all happen. The workshop and trip was perfect. There’s nothing that I would have changed. Loved Broby Gästis. Great rooms, great food and plenty of it, staff consistently pleasant and helpful. Enjoyed being in a small town and exploring the trails through the woods and along the river. The rag rug weaving with Marie - I learned a lot from her, and enjoyed hearing what she had to say in general. The field trips - wow, to go into those home studios and hear Gunvor and Annika talk about weaving and see their work up close, and Gunvor’s collection of old textiles, just so much inspiration from both of them. MMF and Vävaren linen were each amazing in their own way too. Wanås was another inspirational place, a great chance to think about expression through art and creation before starting our own projects. Going to the loppis was a little slice of Swedish life that I wouldn’t have caught on to if I was traveling on my own. Thanks to you and Simon for creating such a well organised and curated experience.” - Cheri, USA

TEXTILE WEAVING WORKSHOP ~ PRATO & FLORENCE, ITALY 2023

“Hearing about Pat’s life as a sample weaver for industry, having conversations about reducing textile waste, hearing about Prato’s textile industry past and present, and touring the rag picker, met all my hopes for this experience. Pat had many project activities ready for us to sample and remarkably they all helped reduce her textile “waste” in her studio too. Imagining new uses for bits of weaving projects that might have been discarded can be fun! Getting to know each of the tour group members added a rich texture and those connections certainly add to the experience. Having you, Sarah, and Valeria, guiding us through these adventures has been stimulating and wonderful. I will continue to share the textile tours with others.” - Karen, USA

“The field trips were really great. Pat is such a wonderful teacher. I was happy to have space to play and find what I wanted to learn. The conversation around sustainability was great. Learning about what Pat does was great. I am a better weaver for attending.” – Shannon, New Zealand

“I loved the workshop with Pat, giving so much thought and ideas about recycling materials that I had never considered. Valeria was an excellent guide, she is so enthusiastic and went above and beyond to ensure we all got the most out of our time in Florence. She was an absolute delight. Wishing you and Simon the very best of health and happiness and I very much look forward to another tour studio experience.” – Gail, Australia

HANDWOVEN TEXTILES ~ FLORENCE TO PERUGIA, ITALY 2022

“Thank you so much Sarah. I can’t believe I did this tour with you. I keep pinching myself to make sure it was real and not a dream. I had no expectations when we arrived. But every day and every minute was just amazing!!! You did a fantastic job organising, finding great studios and artisan shops, and introducing us to such inspiring textile artists. Our local guide, Valeria, shared with us great eateries and textile related stores in Firenze and Perugia. She is not only a great guide but a wonderful warm and generous person. Most importantly, though, were the five days we spent at Fondazione Lisio weaving on ancient Jacquard looms. I felt so honoured and privileged to be able to weave my own sample of Jacquard and velvet on looms that had been used to make gorgeous fabrics hundreds of years ago. Our instructor Eva was extremely knowledgable, patient and supportive. The entire staff were generous with their time showing us what they were working on on the other looms at the institute. This experience will remain with me forever!! Grazie!” - Adah, USA

"Your tour choices combined with Valeria made for an excellent experience, I will be promoting your website to fellow weavers.” - Karen, USA

"Our time on The Tour Studio's journey through Italy was great. The places and people you scheduled were amazing, and the wonderful leadership and warmth of Valeria enhanced the trip's pleasures many times over.” - Nick, USA

RAG RUG WEAVING WORKSHOP ~ GLIMÅKRA, SWEDEN 2022

“I’d like to say thank you for an incredible experience. The trip was a wonderful learning opportunity and I’m so grateful that I got to take part. Thank you for making a wonderful experience for us. We will remember it always - it’s been a dream come true for me.” Susan, USA

“Thank you so much for this great experience in Sweden. It was so much fun to spend time with you both again. You both go to great effort to make the experiences for your guests exceptional and I really look forward to more fun with The Tour Studio in Italy next year. It was a privilege to be on this tour with you. Many thanks for a fabulous experience.” Gail, Australia 

“Thank you for all your efforts, you have done an amazing job. If you have another weaving tour in Sweden, you can put my name on the list now. I look forward to joining you on another weaving tour, take care and thank you for a lovely tour!” Linda, USA

“I want to thank you so much for the lovely experience! I am really excited for the things we have experienced….everything has been so lovely and well organised/memorable. Thank you again for a wonderful experience!” Sarah, USA

PATRICIA KINSELLA TEXTILE WEAVING WORKSHOP ~ FLORENCE, ITALY 2019

“I really loved it all, and the light touch you and Simon bring to a tour. To me it was essentially so much more wonderful than I dared to imagine! Thank you!” Mary, Australia

“I have been thinking a lot about Florence and the workshop, and I just loved every minute of it. The accommodation was perfect and in a great location, and the tours were great. Now to the workshop with Patricia: there is only one word: FANTASTIC! Everybody loved it. You and Simon were so caring and organised as well that you made every day just wonderful…. As much as I am trying to think about, there was nothing negative at all! Thank you again for a wonderful time” Michele, Australia 

“After experiencing your wonderful tour in Florence I’m so impressed with the standard of your tours” Gail, Australia

HANDWOVEN TEXTILES FONDAZIONE LISIO WEAVING WORKSHOP ~ FLORENCE TO PERUGIA, ITALY 2019

“This was the trip of a lifetime for me! I love Italy, weaving and history, so the tour was the perfect combination. Highlights for me were the class at Lisio, getting to design and weave a project on a Jacquard loom was a dream come true. I also loved the places that you arranged for us to visit, an amazing variety of experiences. Getting to meet and interact with the owners and family businesses was so exciting. I thank you for a wonderful tour and hope our paths cross sometime.” Jennie, USA

“An awesome experience” Gail, Canada

“So happy to have been able to weave on these looms!!” Sharon, Canada

HANDWOVEN TEXTILES FONDAZIONE LISIO WEAVING WORKSHOP ~ FLORENCE TO PERUGIA, ITALY 2018

“What a trip, loved it. I found the two of you to be like old friends. I hope we can keep in touch and travel together again” Linn, USA

“Thanks so much for such a great trip. So many happy memories! You arranged a good mix of meeting real people doing real things, good food, and ample time to explore. Thank you, I so enjoyed our time in Italy, I would happily recommend the tour and probably will” Eleanor, USA

“Kudos to Sarah & Simon for a phenomenal tour! The agenda was well thought out and we had access to an amazing and varied set of artisans of a calibre you don’t often meet. There was enough downtime to sit and mull over what we’d seen, or sightsee and shop, if that’s what we wanted. They gave us maps in each location, personalised for us, showing major sites, artisans, friendly restaurants, and so on. I give it an A+, all thumbs up.” Ange, USA

“This was a fantastic experience from every angle, and I feel extremely fortunate to have been part of it. Many thanks to you and Simon for your careful planning and attentive help along the way. I have so many wonderful memories of our tour, and hope that there will be more in the future.” Gretchen, USA