Alter, Mend or upcycle your clothes - Feb 2024 workshop

Alter, Mend or Upcycle Your Clothes

This ‘Alter, Mend or Upcycle Your Clothes course will teach you skills to ‘Make-do and Mend’.  Whether it’s repairing a garment by sewing on a button, or patching a hole, altering or completely remaking your existing clothes, you can get loads more use from them. Over this day long session, there should be plenty of time to work on one or two items (depending on your sewing skills and experience).

Course Description

Please use this course any way you want to learn new skills and bring anything you’d like to work on. Here are some suggested projects (as shown in the image):

• Alter something for a better fit*
• Mend a hole (where possible)*
• Turn a T-shirt or shirt into a tunic/dress
• Make a skirt from jeans and decorate it with applique
• Make a zipped pouch,  a patchwork cushion, or crossbody bag from fabric scraps
• Add interest to a plain top by adding lace panels, or applique

There will be tutorials on topics such as taking up or letting down hems, sewing on buttons, taking in and letting out. So bring along things you need to mend or alter and get help with them.

You must have competent sewing skills (be able to use a sewing machine confidently and understand how to sew seams and hems. Some dressmaking experience would be an advantage to give an understanding of garment construction but is not essential.  You’ll need to bring  the items you want to upcycle along with extra fabrics and any other materials you’ll need to complete your projects. I’ll be able to give guidance on what you’ll need for each project.

*Please bear in mind that it’s difficult to make things bigger unless you have extra fabric to add into panels.

You’ll also need a basic sewing kit of fabric shears, small trimming scissors, tape measure, pins, fabric marking pens/pencils and a quick unpick.

Who is this aimed at?

• you’d like to mend, alter or remodel your clothes (or charity shop finds)
• you’d like to save money by giving your clothes a longer life-span or you like to look ‘unique’.
• you’d like to live a more sustainable life and help reduce textile waste.
• you enjoy making new craft items (bags/cushions etc) from pre-loved clothes or household textiles

What will I learn?

• How to spot potential to remodel clothes by adding coordinating fabric
• Mending skills including visible mending
• How to use even small scraps of fabric
• Machine and/or hand embroidery, applique
• How to take up hems
• Sew on buttons

Course arrangements

Sewing machines are provided or you can bring your own if you have one.

 The Strategy Collective studio, (above Logo Orkney) 48 Albert St, Kirkwall, Orkney.  

Course size is limited to 8 people so that you get the best experience I can give you .