Stories From The Sewing Room
In this workshop we’ll be spending two lovely days of nostalgia, sharing stories and ‘slow’ hand-stitching inspired by haberdashery, paper patterns and text from vintage sewing books & school lessons.
I’ll share the stories behind some of my own sewing box collages and then gently lead you through my process of gathering and playing with materials and then using words, motifs and simple hand stitching to create a piece that is personal and has story at its heart.
Using an old woollen blanket as a starting point you will create a gorgeous ‘Cloth Collage’ from vintage fabrics & paper, old stitched table linens, lace, pattern paper and old haberdashery items such as tape measures, buttons, hooks & eyes and whatever else I find when I raid my studio for supplies! You’ll also use fabric printed with lovely handwritten text from old school notes.
I’ll share my relaxed approach to creating a gorgeously scrappy collage where fabrics are ripped and layered, printed words are highlighted, and personal words are hand stitched. I’ll show you how to add a stitched motif or two – all adding to your stitchy story. Time is given to every part of the process, from choosing the materials, to laying out your design, slowly & deliberately – this takes so much longer than you think, and may actually take most of the first day!
We’ll then start the lovely process of slow hand stitching. Don’t worry if you’re not an experienced stitcher; running stitch and cross-stitch are all you really need to know and, of course, I’ll share some of my favourite stitches and processes.
You won’t finish your collage during the workshop – hand stitching is slow! However, you will leave with a gorgeous project, and all the ideas that you need, to enjoy working on it in your own time at home. My approach is that ‘slow stitching’ should be exactly that, something that is added to, day by day, where the pleasure of creating is as significant as the desire to have a finished project.
Your end result will be a beautiful scrappy wall hanging. It also looks great mounted in a frame, I’ll show you some different ideas for hanging your finished work during the workshop.
I will provide all the materials needed but you may wish to bring some of your own bits & pieces to make it even more personal. It can be a lovely way to use some of those UFOs you have lying around. I’ll give you ideas of what to bring on booking.
