The Repair Workshops
Learn to repair, alter and extend the life of your clothes in this series of inspiring and encouraging workshops.
Learn to repair, alter and extend the life of your clothes in this series of inspiring and encouraging workshops.
Each week we'll cover a new theme in this series of workshops. You can start by hand sewing a simple hole in a side seam and finish using exciting textile techniques such as free machine embroidery to not only repair but breathe new life into a tired old garment. The range of workshops are suitable for all levels but please bring a variety of garments with you and start with items less 'special' so you can be free to explore (and make mistakes) before progressing onto more treasured pieces.
This is a new series of workshops and I be will adding more as time goes by. If there is something you would personally like to see added to the programme please get in touch.
I'll make sure the classes are easy to understand for all levels including complete beginners but please be realistic with what you set out to do. I can show you how to alter and adapt garments to fit but please bring along suitable quality garments for your level to practise on. Once you start to understand the principles you can explore a variety of creative ways to repair and adapt your more precious and sentimental garments.
The workshops will be repeated every few months so you can attend as little or as often as you like. Each session will begin with demonstrations on the theme for the week before you spend some time working on your own items.
This is a new series of workshops and I be will adding more as time goes by. If there is something you would personally like to see added to the programme please get in touch.
I'll make sure the classes are easy to understand for all levels including complete beginners but please be realistic with what you set out to do. I can show you how to alter and adapt garments to fit but please bring along suitable quality garments for your level to practise on. Once you start to understand the principles you can explore a variety of creative ways to repair and adapt your more precious and sentimental garments.
The workshops will be repeated every few months so you can attend as little or as often as you like. Each session will begin with demonstrations on the theme for the week before you spend some time working on your own items.
Seams & Hems
Seams split worn or too big? Hem worn, come undone, too long or too short?
Learn how to repair and alter seams and hems by hand and machine. The class will start with demonstrations of hand repair, industry seam types, seam reinforcement and alterations followed by hand and machine hemming including invisible, pin and rolled hems, and will include methods to alter and repair hems using a false hem or new seam line.
You can then explore using these methods to repair and alter your own garments in the final part of the lesson.
This workshop is suitable for all levels but please bring a variety of garments with you and start with items less 'special' so you can be free to explore (and make mistakes) before progressing onto more treasured pieces.
Next workshop dates:
tbc
Cost £ 45
Maximum of 5 Students per class
Seams split worn or too big? Hem worn, come undone, too long or too short?
Learn how to repair and alter seams and hems by hand and machine. The class will start with demonstrations of hand repair, industry seam types, seam reinforcement and alterations followed by hand and machine hemming including invisible, pin and rolled hems, and will include methods to alter and repair hems using a false hem or new seam line.
You can then explore using these methods to repair and alter your own garments in the final part of the lesson.
This workshop is suitable for all levels but please bring a variety of garments with you and start with items less 'special' so you can be free to explore (and make mistakes) before progressing onto more treasured pieces.
Next workshop dates:
tbc
Cost £ 45
Maximum of 5 Students per class
Appliqué & Free Machine Embrodiery
Worn a hole, burnt a hole with the iron or just want to liven up a tired or boring garment?
Use appliqué and free machine embroidery to repair and upcycle your clothing.
Appliqué is a method of fusing and stitching fabric pieces, often in different colours or textures, to a background fabric. It can effectively be used to cover up a hole in a garment or add an interesting feature to a tired and bored item of clothing and is often used to upcycle items of clothing and accessories. It's also a great way to use fabric scraps and/or other textile items that would otherwise be destined for a bin.
Free machine embroidery/darning can be used solve similar issues as appliqué and works well in combination with it. It is a technique where the sewing machine's needle is used like a pen or pencil to draw directly onto fabric. By lowering the feed dog (or using a cover plate), the fabric can be moved in any direction under the needle, allowing for creative, freehand designs or simply used as a method of machine darning. Where a hole is to be covered you can back with another fabric before stitching or use vanishing muslin (that washes away) as a base to stitch.
Following the demonstrations of applique and free machine embroidery/darning you can use the remaining part of the session to explore using these creative methods to repair and upcycle your own garments.
Sewing machines, equipment fabric for appliqué and and haberdashery are provided. Please bring a variety of garments to practise on suitable for your ability. Nothing too precious to start!
Fabric for appliqué is provided but you are welcome to bring your own or other materials if you wish - these could be small scraps/offcuts or a garment that is beyond repair.
This workshop is suitable for all levels but please bring a variety of garments with you and start with items less 'special' so you can be free to explore (and make mistakes) before progressing onto more treasured pieces.
Next workshop dates:
tbc
Cost:£45
Maximum of 5 Students per class
Worn a hole, burnt a hole with the iron or just want to liven up a tired or boring garment?
Use appliqué and free machine embroidery to repair and upcycle your clothing.
Appliqué is a method of fusing and stitching fabric pieces, often in different colours or textures, to a background fabric. It can effectively be used to cover up a hole in a garment or add an interesting feature to a tired and bored item of clothing and is often used to upcycle items of clothing and accessories. It's also a great way to use fabric scraps and/or other textile items that would otherwise be destined for a bin.
Free machine embroidery/darning can be used solve similar issues as appliqué and works well in combination with it. It is a technique where the sewing machine's needle is used like a pen or pencil to draw directly onto fabric. By lowering the feed dog (or using a cover plate), the fabric can be moved in any direction under the needle, allowing for creative, freehand designs or simply used as a method of machine darning. Where a hole is to be covered you can back with another fabric before stitching or use vanishing muslin (that washes away) as a base to stitch.
Following the demonstrations of applique and free machine embroidery/darning you can use the remaining part of the session to explore using these creative methods to repair and upcycle your own garments.
Sewing machines, equipment fabric for appliqué and and haberdashery are provided. Please bring a variety of garments to practise on suitable for your ability. Nothing too precious to start!
Fabric for appliqué is provided but you are welcome to bring your own or other materials if you wish - these could be small scraps/offcuts or a garment that is beyond repair.
This workshop is suitable for all levels but please bring a variety of garments with you and start with items less 'special' so you can be free to explore (and make mistakes) before progressing onto more treasured pieces.
Next workshop dates:
tbc
Cost:£45
Maximum of 5 Students per class