Rags to Riches – Autumn Leaves

Rags to Riches  – Autumn Leaves.  Learn how to make unique new fabrics from scraps – the ultimate upcycling workshop!

Course Description

Rags to riches is a real stash-busting workshop. Find out how to use up all those fabric scraps and make them into a unique and beautiful piece of embroidery.

We will:
• repurpose old clothing, household textiles, and scraps of trimmings,
• use free-motion embroidery to make a gorgeous embroidered fabric
• gain ideas how you can use your new fabric as a cushion panels, evening bag, book cover or even for clothing.

These fabrics also make lovely cards, jewellery or to cover gift boxes.  If you have any scraps of fabrics, ribbons, trims, or old clothes you’d like to use, then please bring them along. Small colourful print patterns work well, as do satins, velvets, lace and brocade to add a touch of luxury. These techniques are perfect for creating a ‘memory quilt’ or a ‘memory cushion’ so you could bring along old clothing from your children or another family member. Or Grandma’s old household linens?

Who is Rags to Riches aimed at?

Level: Improvers. Free-Motion Experience is essential.

What will I learn?

Rags to Riches is a ‘techniques’-based workshop. You will learn how to layer and bond fabric scraps ready for stitching. We’ll then embroidery them with leaves to create a seasonal piece of art cloth.  I’ll show you examples of items I’ve made using these fabrics but we won’t actually be making a finished item on the day.  If you’d like to learn how to make an evening bag with your new fabric, then watch for the ‘Rags to Bags’ workshop?

Free-Motion embroidery is required for this workshop. If you’ve not tried this before, then you will need to take the Free-Motion Embroidery workshop first.

Course arrangements

Materials and equipment are provided, included sewing machines. But if you’ve got a bag of fabric offcuts and trims, then please bring them for a more personal result.

If you’d prefer to use your own sewing machine, then please remember the power cable/foot control, instruction manual, and accessories. You don’t need to have a ‘fancy’ machine but you will need a darning foot. (I have these in my studio shop that fit most machines).

There will be a lunch break during the day.

Useful links:

If you need a darning foot or other accessories for your sewing machine, then I recommend Pembertons sewing machine centre.