We have new premises in the Whitgift Centre to offer workshops on how you can repair and extend the life of your clothes and other textiles. This can prevent your clothes going to waste. It’s a chance to learn new skills. Share skills. Make friends. Have fun.
We launched the new repair cafe on Tuesday 15th March 2022. Keep an eye on this page for updates.
The kind of courses we can offer include:
Basic jeans repair workshop.
No sewing machine required.
Do you have some jeans that are in need of repair?Fed up with a hole in the knee or other areas of high wear?
What about a denim jacket that is looking a bit worse for wear?
This workshop will help you tackle some of the common problems with wear and tear to these items.
For hygienic reasons, please bring along a single, washed garment, fresh out of the washing machine or dry cleaned.
N.B: It’s advisable to have done the Basic Textile Mending workshop previously but not absolutely necessary.
Dart Manipulation
What is pattern cutting?
Learners will be able to have:
Lesson on tools, terminology, and basic draping.
Learn about dart manipulation on mini-scale
How to rotate darts around the body
Small group. Approx two hours £15
Repair your Knitwear
Come and learn how to mend and repair your favourite knitted clothes using simple hand sewing and embroidery techniques. Please bring a garment to mend and any scraps of wool you want to use. We will have a small choice of wool available and although we might not be able to find an exact match, we can get creative!
Small group. Approx two hours £10
Introduction to a sewing machine (Level 1)
Are you a complete novice, are you not sure if sewing is for you, or is your sewing machine still sitting in the box, in the cupboard?
Then this course is perfect for you, we will take you from plugging in a sewing machine all the way through to a finished project that you can take home and show off your newfound skills. This is one of our most popular courses!!
During this course you will learn to:
– Thread a Sewing Machine, & Changing Tensions
– Winding & Inserting the Bobbin
– Demystifying the Controls
– Change Needles
– Change Feet
– Straight Line Stitching & Turning Corners
– Extra Feet for Hemming & Buttonholes
– Select Extra Stitches
– Maintenance & Troubleshooting
This course is designed for absolute beginners, you don’t even have to own a sewing machine because we start from scratch and get you up and running, well, sewing at least!! No experience is necessary for this class.
Two hours. £25
Basic mending skills workshops
An introduction to hand-sewn repairs for absolute beginners or those who feel in need of a refresh. Whether you want to extend the life of your clothes to save money or save the planet (or both!), this workshop will teach you how to carry out the most common fixes.
You will learn how to sew on a button, repair a split or ripped seam using backstitch and ladder stitch, and mend a hem with herringbone stitch.
All equipment provided. Small groups. £10.
Crocheting patchwork mats or baskets
Learn how to use the magic ring technique to construct crocheted patchwork squares, circular mats and storage baskets. Create beautiful projects for your home using every day yarn, cotton yarn or string.
Some knowledge of crochet would be very useful, but beginners are very welcome.
All equipment provided. Small groups £10.
‘Sewcial’ Club
Come and spend a couple of hours crafting and chatting in the company of like minded individuals. Whether you like to knit and natter or stitch and share, you will find a welcoming space that makes a pleasant change from sitting at home on your own.
Bring along some mending or your current project. This could be knitting, crochet, macrame, sewing or any other textile craft you’re working on that is small enough to pack in your bag!
All craft abilities are welcome, but please note that there is no tutor for this group – although you might find that someone else in the group can offer you advice or point you in the right direction.
1300-1500
Small group. Free. Booking essential.
Hand sewing – Patches and Badges
A session for achievers from all associations to get their badges or rank displayed correctly on their uniform. Display your efforts with pride.
Small groups. £10. Two hours duration approximately.
Lavender bag workshop
Protect your clothes from moths as your woollen/mix clothes are at risk.
Come along and make a lavender bag and then, place them in your closets, drawers, and boxes of off-season clothes to protect them. Lavender smells great to us, but it’s highly repellent to moths and other insects.
All materials supplied. £5.
To see all scheduled courses please click this button to go to the Eventbrite booking page
