Hand Sewing and Embellishments Workshop with Sophie Merriner

Free sewing workshops for residents of Bewbush, Broadfield and West Green:

If you'd like to learn or develop your practical sewing skills, explore your creativity, and gain confidence in a welcoming, supportive environment then come and join us for fun and friendly fashion and sewing workshops. There are five workshops, every Thursday early evening from 15th January. You can come along for one or two or sign up for all five sessions.

Thanks to support from the Shared Prosperity Fund administered by Crawley Council, it's absolutely free for people who live in Bewbush, Broadfield and West Green. We can even cover your bus fare if transport would otherwise be a barrier to you taking part.These relaxed, fun, hands-on workshops are for beginners through to more advanced makers, and for all ages over 18 yrs.

They’re run by Sophie Marriner and Beth Williams, talented young artists who are making a living using their skills and creativity and love being able to work in their hometown. They’d love to help local people to make things and save money by mending, making, altering and blinging up clothes to give them a new lease of life. You might even be inspired to start making clothes, bags or soft toys to sell yourself. Sophie and Beth would love to talk about how they sell what they make and earn their living as artists and makers.

Getting theatre: West Green Studios is opposite Crawley hospital, right next to the bus stop for routes 1, 3, 23 and Fastway 10. Please email [email protected] for more information.

Workshop 3: Hand Sewing and Embellishments

Embellishments refer to the decoration of textiles with different materials such as thread, beads, sequins and appliqué. In luxury fashion and couture, these are often adorned onto fabrics and garments by highly skilled workers by hand.

In this session, you will learn different techniques for hand sewing beads onto fabric - skills that you can take away to use on your own handmade garments, or to jazz up the existing clothes in your wardrobe!

This is a practical session and you will have the opportunity to practice some hand sewing skills. A little bit of hand sewing experience will be beneficial, however this session is suitable for beginners.

The workshops will be led by Sophie Merriner - Crawley born and raised fashion designer. Sophie graduated from the University of Salford in 2023, and specialises in luxury womenswear, with experience in bridalwear. She has developed her skills over the years with previous experience working on couture garments in a London atelier, and through her own design.

At checkout you have the option to donate £10 as a pay it forward ticket, this will allow local Crawley residents to attend who may not otherwise be able to access this workshop. Please consider donating if you can.

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