22 Courses

Learn how to make your own Macrame Dreamcatcher Are you new to Macrame? No worries, it’s actually very easy to learn! Come and learn how to knot your own dreamcatcher. Learn basic macrame knots to create your own Macrame Dreamcatcher. Adding that Boho feel to your home has never been easier.

Do you want to learn to use a sewing machine but don’t know where to start? YOUR SEWING JOURNEY STARTS HERE I’ve been teaching complete beginners to sew since 2009 LEARN A LIFE-SKILL, SAVE MONEY & BOOST FEELINGS OF WELLBEING I’ve created an online video course based on my successful classes running since 2009 using the easiest-to-follow methods. It’s been tried & tested by children as young as 8 years old for a whole year….They LOVED it & we guarantee you will too! THIS COURSE IS FOR ANYONE AGED 10-100 YEARS If you’re a beginner your age doesn’t matter! Both children & adults have used this course with ease. In fact the kids are often quicker learners! ✂️ THINKING ABOUT BUYING A SEWING MACHINE? My advice is to buy BASIC. No whistles & bells!  As long as the machine can do a straight stitch & a zig zag stitch that’s all you’ll need. Most machines have a few embroidery stitches too.  Avoid toy machines & go for the most basic version of a good brand.   USING OUR HANDS CREATIVELY IS PROVEN TO MAKE US 🖐✂️🧵😃 FEEL HAPPY 😃🧵✂️🖐 You can do everything you need on a basic machine including free style embroyery Amanda Recommends… WHAT YOU’LL LEARN BLOCK 1 - FIRST THINGS FIRST ✔️Let’s look at a sewing machine ✔️Speed control & turning corners ✔️How to sew a seam ✔️How to pin, cut & place a template BLOCK 2 - THREADING UP ✔️Winding a bobbin ✔️The top thread-up ✔️Inserting a bobbin on top loaders  ✔️Inserting a bobbin on front loaders BLOCK 3 - SEW A SUNGLASSES CASE ✔️Practise what you’ve learned & achieve your first little project make ✔️Learn all about backstitch & why it’s important BLOCK 4 - ALL THE HELP YOU'LL NEED ✔️How to solve stitching issues ✔️Choosing & changing needles ✔️Getting unstuck ✔️Looking after your machine LEARNING TO SEW HAS COUNTLESS BENEFITS….. Sewing helps to extend focus & concentration. As we must concentrate for longer periods of time. It’s great for those who struggle to stay focused. It reduces time spent on social media. Instead of scrolling we use our hands creatively making. Sewing promotes good mental health. It increases self-esteem through empowerment & creativity. It makes us happy! Dexterity & hand strength improve. Cutting, pinning & making are ways of strengthening hands our tools for life! We help to save the planet by extending the life of clothes. Clothing won’t end up in landfill if we upcycle it. Extending the life of clothes by 9 months reduces their carbon footprint by 20-30% It teaches us how to save money. It’s a useful life-skill we can use to alter, update, customise, remake or repair instead of buying new things. It’s such a great feeling to be able to say “ I made it myself” WHAT DO I NEED? Not that much!  You’ve probably got most things at home already. ✂️🧵📍✏️🎧👖📄📏 You can learn at your own speed at home or sew with your friends It’s much cheaper than attending classes MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR…..AMANDA RILEY  Amanda Riley is a Fashion Designer & environmentalist. She has been teaching complete beginners the art of diy fashion and eco-sewing since 2009. After realising the horrendous environmental impact of fashion she started her masterclass workshops at The Fashion Factory, for 8-16 year olds as an antidote to fast fashion.  “ I saw an increase in social media use & the reduction of practical & creative subjects in schools. Many children are missing out on life skills, creativity, dexterity & the ability to focus. I felt I had to do something”  “My eco-sewing programme focuses on learning via upcycling unwanted textiles into cool new stuff. The products & video lessons are designed to keep young people engaged and coming back for more. I’ve ripped up the sewing rule books and introduced a new way of learning this hugely rewarding life skill.”  Her students have appeared in Vogue, in the Fashion Factory book (Amazon) & many have gone on to study for creative careers. She was selected as a top 100 changemaker in 2021 by the Big Issue.

What you'll do Have you ever wanted to create your own unique furniture? During this one day experience you’ll transform a pallet into a one-off piece of furniture for your home. First you'll find out how to source materials and discover the tools and techniques you’ll need to prepare your pallets for upcycling. Once Scott has introduced you to the workshop space, you’ll use a mix of hand and power tools to create your own piece, from a shoe or wine rack to a bird feeder, storage box or even a small bookcase. With your experience host's guidance, you'll leave with your own finished upcycled item. All materials, tools and safety equipment will be provided for you on the day. Dates for 2022: Feb 5,6 March 5,6 April 23,24 June 25,26 Sep 10,11 Oct 29,30 Dec 10,11 Facilities Toilets WiFi Refreshments available Parking COVID-19 guidelines Everyone will need to confirm fitness each day. Everyone will have their temperature taken at the beginning of each day. Hand washing will be compulsory at set times during the courses. Face masks will be compulsory during the specific parts of the course where you will be breathing heavily due to exertion. The remainder of the course we will have face shields available as an option to facemasks. Face shields will be provided. But please bring your own face mask. On the day You don't need any previous woodwork experience, just some enthusiasm! Please wear old clothes (or something that you don’t mind getting damaged or torn) and sensible, closed toe footwear. Work boots are recommended. Tea and coffee will be available throughout the day, but please bring along your own packed lunch. Course Location courses can be either in Glastonbury or at Scott's own workshop near the Bath and West show grounds (BA46QN) and will be confirmed.

Transform the inner metal from a car wheel, washing machine, tumble drier or even an old gas canister into a completely unique fire pit or barbecue. Your experience host will first show you how to safely work with a variety of hand and power tools, including angle grinders, which you’ll use to make your garden creation. Scott will guide you through the process of creating your upcycled piece, sharing his many years of experience upcycling from all sorts of recycled materials. At the end of the day you'll leave with your own custom fire pit or barbecue, along with the skills to make more upcycled metal creations at home. Facilities Toilets WiFi Refreshments available Parking COVID-19 guidelines Everyone will need to confirm fitness each day. Everyone will have their temperature taken at the beginning of each day. Hand washing will be compulsory at set times during the courses. Face masks will be compulsory during the specific parts of the course where you will be breathing heavily due to exertion. The remainder of the course we will have face shields available as an option to facemasks. Face shields will be provided. But please bring your own face mask. On the day You don't need any previous woodwork experience, just some enthusiasm! Please wear old clothes (or something that you don’t mind getting damaged or torn) and sensible, closed toe footwear. Work boots are recommended. Tea and coffee will be available throughout the day, but please bring along your own packed lunch. Course Location courses can be either in Glastonbury or at Scott's own workshop near the Bath and West show grounds (BA46QN) and will be confirmed.

Private soap making class run by The Scottish Soapworks at The Arienas Collective in Edinburgh City Centre

What you'll do Encourage nature into your garden by making your own bird box or bug hotel, all from recycled materials. Your design can be based entirely around what you’d like to attract to your garden, from birds to bees. You’ll finish with your own completely unique piece for the garden. Your hosts, Scott and Sue, will guide you through everything you need to know, from the tools to use to how to prep your recycled material. They'll be happy to help with ideas big or small and will have example designs to hand and lots of inspiration. You’ll be creating in Scott’s heated workshop, fully equipped with everything you need and with lots of space for building. At the end of your experience you’ll get to take home a bug house to be proud of, as well as leaving with the skills to create other upcycled pieces. Facilities WiFi Refreshments available Toilets Parking Child friendly (0-16) COVID-19 guidelines As you arrive you’ll need to confirm that you’re in good health and your temperature will be taken. Please bring a face mask as you’ll need to wear one at certain points during your experience. Face shields will be optional to wear for the rest of your time in the workshop and these will be provided. All workspaces will be fully sanitised and there will regular hand washing throughout. On the day You don't need any previous woodwork experience, just some enthusiasm! Please wear old clothes (or something that you don’t mind getting damaged or torn) and sensible, closed toe footwear. Work boots are recommended. Tea and coffee will be available throughout the day, but please bring along your own packed lunch. Course Location courses can be either in Glastonbury or at Scott's own workshop near the Bath and West show grounds (BA46QN) and will be confirmed.

5 Week course using drawing as a process to play with both traditional materials and textile processes, to develop playfulness and experimentation as a tool for design and art directions.

Welcome to Refashion My Town’s upcycled Denim Design competition! Refashion My Town is a social enterprise based in Chippenham. Our mission is to help and encourage young people to make a positive social and environmental impact through fashion. Our goal is to highlight the impact that fast fashion has on the environment and while doing so, we aim to help young people reduce, reuse, refashion and mend more. And what better way to start is by participating and joining our Upcycled Denim Design Competition!  Why Denim? Denim has become an integral part of everyday life, but it wasn’t always like that. Denim was long known to be worn by working class individuals such as miners, railroad workers and even labourers, before booming into a fashion trend that had not ceased to stop. Now you see denim worn by nearly everyone across the globe due to its easy and comfortable wear. However, denim has done more than become a global fashion trend, it has also contributed to the slow destruction of the environment. Most demin products are made with an overwhelmingly large number of dyes that are highly toxic and damaging. Denim also relies on cotton that needs lots of water and pesticides to grow. Pesticides are harmful to human health and can become an environmental risk but that is just one part of the problem. The production of one pair of jeans could require up to 80 gallons of water which is around 360 litres. This is a lot! This is why here at Refashion my Town, we want young people to reduce, reuse, refashion and mend more to combat the issues the fashion industry has on society and environment. Our upcycled Denim design competition is open to 14-18 year olds on Friday 22nd April 2022 and submissions will close on Monday 5th September 2022. This competition requires you to EITHER:  A. A 3-minute video explaining the concept, inspiration, and idea of your upcycled denim design. We would like to see a mock-up of your design within your presentation, as well as before and after of the material used. You can also include a completed final product or garment but this is optional.  Or B. 1 x A3 sheet with design concept 1 x A3 sheet with design development 1 x A3 sheet with final design including before and after Mock-up of final design ( Final product - optional ).  Please note: this is a design ( NOT sewing ) competition, so entries will mainly be judged based on creative flair and out of the box thinking, rather than technical sewing skills. So play and have fun developing your ideas. There will be FIVE judges of the competition:  • Liz Alstrom - Mayor of Chippenham • Rachel Sheila Kan - Founder, Circular earth  • Yvonne Skelton - Head of textiles, Bath College • Melissa Barnett - Curator, Chippenham Museum  • Tricia Morris - Mending and Upcycling Expert, Morrissews. All entrants have access to materials and trimmings from Refashion My Town. Refashion My Town will also have FREE drop-in sessions every Friday at 3.30 - 5 pm, starting 29th April, to help entrants develop their ideas and if necessary, learn new skills to complete their entries. 

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

Make a easy upcycled jumper/ fabric pumpkin and enjoy a halloween themed afternoon tea