Visible mending for knitted fabrics with Sarah Elwick

Ref: S1D33337

Location: West Dean
£168
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About this course

Learn a range of techniques used to mend, enhance, and embellish knitted garments and accessories. Working with your own garments, the tutor will help you plan an approach to revitalise these into beautiful personalised works of art.

Course Description

The course starts with a discussion and demonstrations of a range of techniques used in visible mending that you can use on your own clothes. Sarah will bring garments of her own that she has mended to demonstrate and discuss key techniques, and the suitability of different yarn and fabric types for mending. She will demonstrate hand-stitched, colourful, visible mending, embroidery and embellishment techniques for knitwear, hand stitching in different coloured yarns, in a warp and weft technique to create a woven effect, artisan, darned patch for any holes. This technique can also be used to create a darn that blends more with the colour of the original garment, if you want a less visible mend.

Sarah will also demonstrate how to add creative and beautiful patches to knitted and/or jersey garments such as t-shirts, sweatshirts and leggings, where you may have bigger or smaller holes that require patching. She will also share hand embroidery and embellishment techniques to enable you to personalise and truly enhance your knitted garments and accessories.

With a mindful approach and a passion for sustainability, Sarah will share her knowledge of yarn and fabric selection, as well as construction and technique ideas for different mending projects you may want to attempt. There will be time for you to receive individual tuition from Sarah on your personal projects.

Course Materials

Included

On this course the tutor will supply some of the materials including a sample shadecard of beautiful 1-ply Italian merino, and 2-ply Scottish lambswool. She will also bring some scraps that can be used for patching. Sarah will also supply a visible mending hand-out, cardboard, based on examples of the darning she has undertaken on her own garments.

The College will supply some of the materials for use including: darning needles, bondaweb, scrap fabric and yarn, but if you have any of your own yarn, needles, or darning equipment you would like to bring, please do so.

What students need to bring

  • Your own garments to mend; these can include hand or machine knitted garments, t-shirts, other jersey or sweatshirts that may require a patch
  • Any fine yarn or scrap fabric you may want to use to patch with
  • A darning mushroom, any large eyed darning needles you have and fabric scissors

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio. This includes stout covered footwear, i.e. no open-toes or sandals, and safety boots, if specified.)

Timetable

Timetable for one day courses

Students should arrive by 9am for registration.

Classes are from 9.15 - 5pm

Lunch is included.

General Information

Tutors

Sarah Elwick

Sarah graduated from Winchester School of Art with a 1st class degree in knitted textiles, then going onto the MA in Menswear knitwear from the RCA in 2005. She currently works as a senior lecturer in Textiles and Business Studies at the University of Brighton, alongside her own practice which now focusses on using waste materials, mending and upcycling garments. 

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Further study options

Take the next step in your creative practice, with foundation level to Masters in Fine Art study. 

Depending on your experience, start with an Online Foundation Certificate in Art and Design (one year, part-time), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design made up of 10 short courses taken over two years (part-time) or advance your learning with our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place (six years part-time). All will help you develop core skills, find direction in your practice and build an impressive portfolio in preparation for artist opportunities or higher-level study. See all degree and diploma courses.