one-day course recycling clothes & textiles

venue: Hackney City Farm, London

Barley Massey of Fabrications invites you to go through your wardrobe, your stashes, and your boxes and bring along items of clothing and textiles which you have been holding on to for different reasons but that have remained stored away and unappreciated.

Barley will introduce the course with a short presentation and examples of commissions made through her ‘Remember Me’ service which allows people to bring along clothes and textiles which hold sentimental value, which Barley transforms into a variety of beautiful and functional items for the home and special gifts for loved ones.

We will then have a ‘show and tell’ of each others clothes and textiles brought along for re working. This will be an opportunity to share stories, get to know each other and discuss your interests or ideas on an item you would hope to make or start during the course.

Barley will run a series of ‘technique taster’ sessions, in which you will learn the skills involved, experiment and create a small sample piece using the clothes and textiles which you have brought along. (There will also be re-used materials provided to experiment with if you are not ready to use your own items or are planning something in the future!)

The following techniques will be explored:

• simple weaving on boards
• using a small flower loom to create rosettes
• piecing patchwork
• simple hand sewing, construction and finishing techniques
• demonstration of how to use a sewing machine, and an opportunity to have a go yourself

Inspired by these techniques, for the remainder of the day you are welcome to create a simple finished item such as a cushion cover, or customise an item of clothing to wear or start on a larger ongoing project such as a quilt. Alternatively you may wish to use your time experimenting and creating further samples. Barley will be on hand to discuss ideas and guide you.

dates: see 'book online' below

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