Due to popular request, our Sashiko-Inspired Stitching workshop has moved to Saturday 16th January, 2–4pm—so if December’s date didn’t suit your calendar, you’ve now got a fresh chance to join us. Sometimes the best mends are the ones that take a little longer to plan.
We still have spots available for:
- 17th October, 2–4pm – Fabric Collage: Appliqué Possibilities — layer scraps into colour, texture, and story
- 21st November, 2–4pm – Needle Felting: Wool, Texture and Repair — soft wool, strong solutions
A journey into the art of textile repair, creativity, and sustainability
Join us at WKURC for a series of hands-on workshops where the humble stitch becomes a brushstroke, and every mend tells a story. Led by Alison Morrell, a seasoned textile artist and educator, these sessions invite you to explore the transformative power of visible mending—where repair meets artistry, and sustainability stitches itself into the fabric of your wardrobe.
From visible mending as decoration to fabric collage, needle felting, and Sashiko-inspired stitching, each workshop is designed to equip you with practical skills, creative confidence, and a fresh perspective on the clothes you love. Whether you’re darning a favourite jumper, patching well-worn jeans, or embellishing a plain garment, you’ll leave with the tools to turn wear and tear into wear and flair.
Workshops
Workshop Fees: A Fair and Flexible Approach
We believe in making visible mending accessible to everyone, while also sustaining the workshops for future participants. Our tiered pricing reflects this commitment:
- £15 per session – Young Adults (students or under 25): A discounted rate to encourage younger participants to explore sustainable crafting.
- £20 per session – Adults: The standard rate, covering materials, creative lead/ textile artist and instruction for a fulfilling workshop experience.
- £25 per session – Craft Enthusiasts & Supporters: For those who wish to contribute a little extra to support the continuation of these workshops, ensuring we can keep offering them to the community.
All materials are included, but feel free to bring a garment or textile you’d like to mend.
17th October, 2-4pm
Fabric Collage – Appliqué Possibilities
Layer, arrange, and secure fabric scraps to create decorative patches or textile art. Experiment with colour, texture, and storytelling through fabric.
Focus: A flexible technique that combines creativity and repair, using layered fabrics to add colour, texture and meaning to mended or decorative pieces.
Explore how fabric scraps, colour, texture and pattern can be combined to create decorative patches or textile compositions. Demonstrate layering, arranging and securing fabric pieces using hand stitch. Encourage participants to experiment with contrast, repetition and storytelling through textile fragments. Apply fabric collage either to a sample square, a garment repair or a small textile artwork.
Outcome: participants produce a collaged textile sample or patch that can be used decoratively or functionally.
21st November, 2-4pm
Needle Felting – Wool, Texture and Repair
Add texture, colour, and strength to your textiles with wool fibres. Cover small holes or thin patches with tactile, felted designs.
Focus: A tactile technique that uses wool fibres to add texture, colour and strength to textile art and repair projects.
Introduce dry needle felting as a way to add colour, texture and reinforcement to fabric surfaces. Demonstrate safe use of felting needles, foam pads and wool fibres. Explore simple shapes, motifs and textured areas that can cover small holes, thin patches or worn areas. Participants create a felted sample before applying the technique to a practice textile or suitable garment area.
Outcome: participants complete a small needle-felted repair or decorative textile sample.
16th January, 2-4pm
Sashiko-Inspired Stitching – Strengthening Through Pattern
Reinforce and embellish fabric with geometric patterns and repeated running stitches. Discover the meditative joy of Sashiko, where every stitch is a step toward resilience.
Focus: A foundational method that uses repeated running stitches and geometric patterns to reinforce, repair and embellish fabric.
Introduce Sashiko-inspired stitching as a mindful, decorative and practical approach to mending. Demonstrate how to mark a simple grid or pattern and use even running stitches to secure a patch. Discuss how repeated stitch patterns can strengthen fabric while creating a bold visual feature. Participants apply Sashiko-inspired stitching to a patch, sample square or garment repair.
Outcome: participants complete or begin a visibly mended piece that combines repair, pattern and personal expression.
Note: the PayPal states original December date, but the workshop is on 16th January to give more people the opportunity to attend, as we’ve heard from several participants that the December date doesn’t work for them.
Why Visible Mending?
In a world of fast fashion, visible mending is a rebellious act of care. It’s a way to:
✔ Reduce waste by extending the life of your clothes
✔ Express creativity through unique, handcrafted designs
✔ Slow down and savour the mindful process of repair
✔ Connect with a community of like-minded makers
Who Is This For?
These workshops are for anyone who wants to:
- Learn practical, sustainable textile skills
- Explore their creative side in a supportive environment
- Turn their wardrobe into a canvas for self-expression
- Join a movement that values craftsmanship over consumption
No prior experience is needed—just bring your curiosity, a willingness to learn, and perhaps a garment or two that could use a little love.
Meet Your Creative Lead: Alison Morrell
Alison Morrell is not just a textile artist—she’s a qualified teacher (QTS) in Art and Design Education, with a wealth of experience in secondary and Further Education (FE) settings. As the Course Lead for Creative Arts at Hugh Baird College, she shaped the next generation of creative minds with her passion for engaging, innovative learning.
Her role extended beyond the classroom: Alison was the Lead Internal Verifier (IV) for the Creative Arts Department, ensuring excellence in teaching standards, and a mentor for trainee teachers through the Hugh Baird Teacher Training programme, validated by UCLan. With a knack for collaboration and creativity, she bridges the gap between education and industry, liaising with wider college teams and external employers to foster real-world connections.
Alison’s approach is as much about mindset as it is about craftsmanship. She believes in the power of visible mending not just as a repair technique, but as a bold, artistic statement—one that celebrates the history of a garment while extending its life. Under her guidance, you’ll discover how to turn flaws into features and wear into wonder.
The series culminates in a celebratory sharing session, where participants can display their samples, repairs, or works in progress. Reflect on which techniques resonated most, how they might inspire future projects, and how these new skills can weave sustainability into your everyday life.
This workshop is made possible with the support of West Kirby Rotary.
Ready to mend, make, and marvel? Spaces are limited—book your spot today and start your journey into the art of visible mending.
