IMPROVISED STITCHING & PATCHING FOR STORYTELLERS & MAKERS
Improvised Stitching & Patching for Storytellers & Makers
Thursday, November 12, 6-8:30pm EST
(A NEW, LIVE, ONLINE CLASS. WILL BE RECORDED.)
Textile repairs and embellishment are close siblings—just like fine art and design. What happens when we use the same techniques for textile repairs to make improvised patching and stitching for decorative additions or adornments? Patches and stitches use similar modalities to fine art, collage, and fabric books. What happens if we use this same visionary approach for mending garments? In class, we’ll find out. Together.
This is a new, live, interactive class at the intersection of art and repair. In class, I’ll cover basic stitches, knots, and design elements and give several examples of embellished and repaired textiles. Then we’ll turn to guided creative prompts and our intuition before experimenting on sample cloths or adoring existing textiles.
We’ll consider surface design, embellishment, and altering textiles alongside improvised hand-stitching and patching. No machines or previous experience required. This class is a new experiment in stitching stories and capturing intuition on cloth. This is not a straight-forward repair class but requires a willingness to experiment, envision, and stay with the uncertainty of creative work.
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Please Note: This class will be recorded and the recording will be available for three months. A link to the live class will be sent out at least 48 hours before we meet online on Tuesday, November 12 from 6-8:30pm EST. As class is offered a digital recording, there are no refunds. Thank you for understanding.
Let’s make things.
Suggested Materials List for Class:
You’ll need a piece of cloth or garment that’s at least 6 inches, better yet 12 inches of surface space.
Thread of any kind (I love Sashiko cotton thread, DMC embroidery thread, silk thread, wool thread, and linen thread).
Patches of any kind (I love cotton, denim, linen, wool, and silk—especially if plant-dyed, holds sentiment, or might be usable vintage offcuts).
A notebook for sketching/ taking notes.
A reliable Internet connection for the live class.
A willingness to experiment.
-For added inspiration, you could use the Make chapter from my book, Make Thrift Mend, or the final chapter on reusing textiles from my book, Mending Matters.
More details...
This workshop is a new, live, online workshop for fiber artists, makers, and creative humans. Unlike my typical repair classes, this class will focus on intuitive stitches and creative prompts instead of steadfast repair techniques. Because class will be focused on creative expression on textiles, you do not need any specific experience or machines. This class is great for beginners, intermediate, or advanced creatives. (You do need to know how to thread a needle.) I’ll walk us through basic stitches, knots, and design elements but I will not cover repairs. Then I’ll offer several examples and creative prompts to help guide you into your own improvised visual language. If you have questions, please email me.
Please bring:
-A willingness to experiment and stay with the uncertainty of a new creative project.
-Materials to use in class, see suggested list above.
Included in workshop…
This class includes a live, interactive, online meeting space for us to gather, learn, share, and make things. It also requires a willingness to improvise, explore, and experiment with patches and stitches—I am not guaranteeing any specific outcome because I want to prioritize your individual, unique, creative expression on cloth.
What you’ll get:
2.5 hours of creative guidance in a small group setting.
An overview of stitches, knots, and design elements I use in my studio work, mending, making, and tutorials.
Creative prompts, finished examples, and a thoughtful, guided approach to making fiber and textiles with improvisation.
A private, like-minded online community to just make things with your hands.
Access to the recording for 3 months after class.
