24 December 2010

Upcycling workshops at Leighton Park School

A rather nerve-wracking and snowy journey started my day at Leighton Park School in Reading. But as soon as I had arrived, unpacked my stuff and thawed out over a cup of tea with the textiles teacher, Jo, I had a fantastic day from start to finish.
The school collected a huge variety of old clothes, old bags, belts and bits and bobs. And then the students arrived and were excited to get started. We looked at samples and ideas and then launched straight in. We made a lacy cloche hat from old tops, bags from old dresses and skirts, a mini-puffball skirt from a fitted sheet and chopped and restyled blouses and dresses into funky new creations.

The day was divided into two groups, with the older students and sixth-form in the morning, and the younger ones down to year 7 in the afternoon.
A nautical fitted-sheet being transformed into a puff-ball mini.
Works in progress - Chopping and changing a dress (above) and a funky bag (below)
Everyone enjoyed themselves, were keen to do more upcycling, and to add more finishing touches to their pieces when they got home. The only down-note was that the snowy weather meant that the Fair Trade fashion show planned for the parents and the students in the evening had to be cancelled. However, it will be rescheduled for January, and the extra time will mean even more unique, fabulous 'upcycled' creations for the students to model.

20 December 2010

Breakthrough sold out!

I'm very pleased to say that the Breakthrough book - the catalogue of this year's exhibition by Contemporary Quilt that I designed, has sold out of its first edition. It featured full page images of each of the 42 quilts in the exhibition, including my own quilt.
Further copies are available via print-on-demand through Lulu.