With Karen Odinga Green Sewing with Your Machine - Mending, Re-purposing & Upcycling Sale, Charity & Vintage Finds or Your Own Pieces (Needing some TLC) Learn basic sewing and design techniques to give some TLC or upcycle your own well-loved pieces or vintage finds to extend its life or give a unique twist to a garment. Participants can bring along an item for advice and starting on its make-over with the skills learned in the session. Through demos and making your own reference samples, you will learn: How to make a dart to shape a garment. (Make a sample) Adding zips (demo). Fabric inserts to create flounces/godets (Make a sample) Darning/embroidery stitches for holes. Making a ruffle (Make a sample). Adding layers for length (demo) Essential supplies to have on hand for making design changes.   What to bring to the session: Sewing machine with its accessories, leads and manual. Please note that participants will be required to have a basic working knowledge of their particular model. Dressmaking scissors Dressmaking pins Tape measure General all-purpose thread (just bring what you have) General sewing needles Any other interesting threads, scraps of fabric, lace, ribbon, trims etc. you may have in your stash. Don’t buy anything, just bring what you have. I will have a bag of bits and pieces as well. If you have any queries regarding anything in the session, materials etc., feel free to e-mail at kodinga23@gmail.com

With Tabatha Mitchel-Simons.

With Tabatha Mitchel-Simons. Try out some different dissolvable fabrics and make your own fabric to use in a later workshop.

With Karen Odinga A two-week course, meeting Wednesday evenings 27th April and 4th May. Be the hostess with the most-ness with this cross over apron. This apron is super easy to sew and learn how to make your own bias binding either to tone or contrast with the main colour of your choosing. You can wear as a traditional working apron to keep your clothes neat & tidy or use it as a fashion layer pinafore style. Endless options! Multi size pattern with long or short options provided for a teeny tiny cost of £3. The short version is shown in the pictures. Fabric and Equipment Requirements Suitable fabrics: broadcloth, calico. Cotton, cotton blends, lightweight denim, linen, linen blends, poplin. If you fall in between sizes, size up. Long Option Finished Length from centre front to hem 41.5 inches approx. Small Bust Size 32.5-34 in Medium Bust size 36-38 in Large Bust size 40-42in X-Large Bust Size 44-46 Fabric A 45 in wide for main body of apron. 3 meters 3.25 meters 3.75 meters 3.75 meters Fabric A 60 in wide for main body of apron. 2.5 meters 2.75 meters 2.75 meters 2.75 meters Fabric B for bias binding (can be same as main fabric to tone or different to contrast). Enough for contrast pockets if desired. 1.5 meters 1.5 meters 1.5 meters 1.5 meters   Short Option Finished Length from centre front 32.5 in approx.. Small Bust Size 32.5-34 in Medium Bust Size 36-38 in Large Bust Size 40-42 […]

With Karen Odinga. A three-week course, meeting on Wednesday evenings: 11th, 18th and 25th May. Classic and Comfortable Dressing Gown Your choice of fabric creates the look and feel of this classic kimono style dressing gown.  Whether it be cuddly and comfy or sheer and floaty, this is a unisex style so great for everyone however they want to wrap up! We will be sewing this project at a relaxed pace over 4 sessions. If you require any sizes over the X-Large, please contact me a week before the start of the session so I will have your pattern ready for you at the start of the session. Cost for the pattern will be £4.00 ad yours to keep for ever and ever! Suggested Fabric Choices: Cotton & cotton blends, flannel, chambray, silks and silk types, jerseys, lightweight double knits, lightweight sweatshirt fleece/french terry. linen & linen blends. Allow extra fabric for matching plaids and stripes. Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large 2XL 3XL 4XL 5XL 45in wide fabric 3.5 meters 3.5 meters 4 meters 4.25 meters 4.25 meters 4.25 meters 5 meters 5 meters 60-inch-wide fabric 3 meters 3 meters 3 meters 3 meters 3.5 meters 4 meters 4 meters 4 meters Additional Requirements: Sewing machine with all attachments, leads and manual. Please ensure you are familiar with the basic operations of your sewing machine before the start of this session. Thread to match fabric 2 meters of lightweight fusible interfacing Your usual sewing kit to include fabric scissors, pins, […]

With Vendulka Battais. Requirement List: You will need 7-8 layers of fabrics - I recommend fat quarter size, as this is not too big to achieve in a day and big enough to make an interesting wall hanging. If you’d like to make a cushion, you will need 14” squares. As we will create pattern / design of the hanging with the different fabrics exposed, you will mostly need plain-ish fabric or with small pattern of colour on colour. Out of these 8 fabrics: one will be on the top and this one should be plainish fabric, you will also need two which are in a contrasting colours, we will be exposing some layers and this should bring interesting effect. All the others can be similar in colours, they can have small patterns even, it will more or less get lost in it. Just bring a selection and we can always decide which one to use on a day. Matching threads Pointy scissors, with good sharp tip! Chenille cutter if you have one – not essential Fabric marker, which will be easy to see on the fabric you have chosen for the top Sewing machine + walking foot if you have one Ruler (we don’ need the mat or cutter) Usual sewing kit with pins, etc.

With Tabatha Mitchel-Simons. Make a delicate little doll using a sewing machine.