17 Courses

Learn the technique of English Paper Piecing(EPP) Hand Sew a small gift for Mother's Day or Spring

Exploring the unique texture of felted knitting to create art, sculpture and many other practical purposes!

Material Adventures in Knitting is an experimental workshop exploring the potential of simple techniques and unconventional materials.

Join Heather for a sewing workshop which also allows you to live more sustainably. Upcycle denim jeans into a bag and key ring

A sewing class to create a hexagon shaped candle mat using a mixture of hand and machine sewing.

LEARN PROFESSIONAL LEATHER CRAFT SKILLS, LEATHER SEWING AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES ONE TEACHER, FOUR STUDENTS WERE? AT OUR LONDON STUDIO WHEN? PLEASE SELECT YOUR PREFERRED DATE(S) THROUGH THE BUTTON BELOW COST: 3 OR 4 SESSIONS DEPENDING ON THE DATES (16 HOURS IN TOTAL) COURSE MATERIALS INCLUDED (WORTH £40) £408.00 LEVEL: BEGINNERS AND BEGINNERS WITH SOME PREVIOUS SEWING EXPERIENCE LEATHER CRAFT AND LEATHER SEWING TECHNIQUES: WHAT IS THIS COURSE ABOUT? THIS IS A THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL INTRODUCTORY GROUP TUITION DURING WHICH YOU WILL BE TAUGHT COMMON, ESSENTIAL LEATHER CRAFTING AND SEWING TECHNIQUES AND UNDERSTAND HOW WORKING WITH LEATHER DIFFERS FROM WORKING WITH VEGAN LEATHER OR FABRIC. YOU WILL BE TAUGHT HOW TO CORRECTLY USE HAND TOOLS, HOW TO SEW LEATHER BY HAND, WITH AN INDUSTRIAL MACHINE AND UNDERSTAND THE MOST COMMON FINISHING AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USED IN BAG AND ACCESSORY MAKING. YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEATHER AND UNDERSTAND HOW TO SELECT THE CORRECT TYPE OF MATERIAL(S) FOR YOUR PROJECT. YOU WILL RECEIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF WORKING WITH LEATHER AND CONSTRUCTING BAGS AND ACCESSORIES SUCH AS MARKING, CUTTING, GLUING, REINFORCING, SKIVING, DEBOSSING AND MORE. YOU WILL RECEIVE PROFESSIONAL SEWING TRAINING ON INDUSTRIAL MACHINES, YOU WILL LEARN THE BASIC OF SADDLE STITCHING AND PRODUCE YOUR OWN SAMPLES OF WORK TO TAKE HOME WITH YOU. YOU WILL RECEIVE RELEVANT, USEFUL AND INFORMATIVE HANDOUTS AS WELL AS LISTS OF LEATHER AND TOOL SUPPLIERS. AT THE END OF THE LESSON, YOU WILL CREATE A HAND SEWN SIMPLE LEATHER ITEM SUCH AS A PURSE OR CARD HOLDER TO TAKE HOME WITH YOU. THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL COURSE DELIVERED BY A PROTOTYPE MAKER AND MANUFACTURER, WITH THE AIM OF PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW AND HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE ON MORE COMMON LEATHER WORKING PRACTICES.   AT THE END OF THE TUITION YOU WILL HAVE: – GAINED CONFIDENCE IN USING SPECIFIC TOOLS FOR PREPARING, MARKING, FINISHING, CUTTING LEATHER AND FASTENING FITTINGS. – UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT MEANS TO WORK WITH DIFFERENT LEATHER TYPES AND THICKNESSES AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO SOURCE AND SELECT THE CORRECT TOOLS AND MATERIALS FOR YOUR PROJECTS. – LEARNT ESSENTIAL LEATHER SEWING TECHNIQUES, TROUBLESHOOT COMMON SEWING PROBLEMS AND HOW MANAGE CHALLENGES SUCH AS CURVES, MULTIPLE LAYERS OF LEATHER, STRETCHY/ROUGH/SLIPPERY SURFACES AND MORE. – LEARNT HOW TO SEW BASIC BAG COMPONENTS SUCH AS SIMPLE ZIPS, STRAPS AND GUSSETS AS WELL AS REINFORCING SPECIFIC AREAS OF A BAG. – GAINED CONFIDENCE IN SEWING WITH INDUSTRIAL SEWING MACHINES AND BY HAND AND OBTAINED THE SKILLS TO REALISE SOME SIMPLE LEATHER ITEMS INDEPENDENTLY. WHAT WILL BE TAUGHT? BELOW IS A LIST OF TOPICS COVERED DURING THE CLASSES: LEATHER, VEGAN LEATHER AND HAND TOOLS: – UNDERSTANDING LEATHER: OVERVIEWS ON TYPES OF LEATHER, TANNING, FINISHINGS AND BEST USE – UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF CHOOSING THE RIGHT MATERIALS FOR YOUR PROJECT AND THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR YOUR MATERIALS – LEATHER PREPARING, PATTERN PLACEMENT AND MARKING ON LEATHER – CUTTING COMPLEX SHAPES USING A VARIETY OF TOOLS – USING LEATHER PUNCHES – UNDERSTANDING THE USE OF SKIVING, BEVELING AND CREASING – FINISHING LEATHER EDGES: PAINTING VS BURNISHING – USING VARIOUS LEATHER GLUES AND TAPES – UNDERSTAND THE USE OF REINFORCEMENTS, FUSINGS AND STABILISERS TO BACK LEATHER – PROTOTYPING AND MANUFACTURING LEATHER GOODS: MENTIONS OF DIFFERENT WORKING METHODS, MACHINES AND TOOLS MACHINE AND HAND SEWING: – INDUSTRIAL MACHINES: DIFFERENCES AND MAIN FEATURES – TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SEWING MACHINE FOR A SPECIFIC TYPE OF MATERIAL OR CONSTRUCTION – TO OPERATE A LOCK STITCH WALKING FOOT MACHINE – TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO OBTAIN THE CORRECT TENSION IN YOUR SEWING – TO UNDERSTAND THREAD TYPES AND NEEDLE SIZES – TO LEARN HOW TO CORRECTLY SEW LEATHER AND HOW THIS DIFFERS FROM SEWING OTHER MATERIALS – TO LEARN HOW TO SEW STRAIGHT LINES, CURVES AND CREATE PARALLEL SEAMS – TO PRODUCE A RANGE OF SEAMS AND SEAM FINISHES – TO LEARN THE BASICS OF SADDLE STITCHING LEATHER AND UNDERSTOOD THE DIFFERENT THE TOOLS AND MATERIALS USED IN THE TECHNIQUE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES: – TO CUT, ASSEMBLE AND SEW SIMPLE STRAPS/HANDLES – TO CREATE A SMALL, SIMPLE HAND STITCHED LEATHER ITEM TO TAKE HOME WITH YOU   IMPORTANT TO KNOW: WE WILL ALWAYS TRY TO COVER AS MUCH ON THE SYLLABUS AS POSSIBLE AND DEPENDING ON YOUR ABILITY AND PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM OR WE MIGHT INSTEAD BE ABLE TO TEACH YOU ADDITIONAL TECHNIQUES RELATING TO THE ABOVE LISTED TOPICS, SUCH AS: – TO SEW AND FINISH A SIMPLE ZIP ON LEATHER – TO INCORPORATE BASIC TYPES OF LINING IN YOUR PROJECT – TO USE VARIOUS MACHINE FEET, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT IN YOUR SEWING –  UNDERSTANDING FITTINGS, CLOSURE TYPES, FASTENING TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS: SAM BROWNS, MAGNETS, POP BUTTONS, EYELETS, ETC. INCLUDED IN THE COURSE: YOU WILL BE PROVIDED WITH USEFUL DIGITAL AND PAPER HANDOUTS WHICH CONTAIN: – A LIST OF TOOLS AND MATERIALS USED DURING THE LESSON(S), INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW THEY ARE USED – A LIST OF RECOMMENDED SUPPLIERS FOR BOTH LEATHER AND FITTINGS (PHYSICALLY IN LONDON AND ONLINE) – A GLOSSARY CONTAINING ESSENTIAL KEY WORDS RELATED TO THE TOPIC OF THE LESSON – A GLOSSARY CONTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT LEATHER TYPES AND CHARACTERISTICS WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS? THIS COURSE IS SUITABLE FOR TOTAL BEGINNERS, BEGINNERS WITH SOME EXPERIENCE AND INTERMEDIATE. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE MEASUREMENTS AND UNDERSTAND VERBAL AND WRITTEN ENGLISH INSTRUCTIONS.   ARE THERE ANY OTHER COSTS? IS THERE ANYTHING I NEED TO BRING? MATERIALS ARE INCLUDED. FEEL FREE TO BRING A NOTEPAD, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SOME NOTES, WE WILL PROVIDE THE REST. HOW LONG IS THIS TUITION?: THIS TUITION WILL REQUIRE UP TO 16 HOURS TO COMPLETE. WE AIM TO PROVIDE CUSTOMISED AND HIGH QUALITY TUITION SERVICES AND BY ONLY ALLOWING UP TO 4 STUDENTS AT A TIME, WE ARE ABLE TO FOCUS ON EACH PERSON NEEDS AND INTERESTS. AS EVERY STUDENT HAS A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF ABILITY AND PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, THIS COURSE MIGHT LEAD SOME STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THE CORE ASPECTS OF THE LESSON IN A SHORTER TIME FRAME THAN OTHERS. STUDENTS WHO COMPLETE THE COURSE EARLY WILL BE WELCOME TO STAY AND USE THE STUDIO FACILITIES TO EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS OF THE LESSON.

Introduction to American Smocking textiles technique, lead by NICKY SIMPSON.