Learn from the experts in The Creative Living Theatre

Take a seat in the Creative Living Theatre to see daily FREE demos from your favourite sewing celebrities and knitting experts, plus a catwalk show or two.

Sessions are free to attend and provide the ideal opportunity for you to learn about a new technique – check out the 2023 timetable below.

Meet the makers in our extended interview series here.

2023 Timetable

10.45am – 11.15am: Wonderful Woad with Angela Daymond

Angela will give you a history of the amazing woad plant used for dyeing textiles blue and how it had an important part to play in the history of this country. Learn how Julius Caesar thought that all Britons dyed themselves blue, through to the plant being used to dye military uniforms in the First World War. It is on the edge of being so endangered that people will not be using this plant on a commercial scale anymore. Angela will share lots of examples of her own stitched work.

11.45am – 12.15pm: Upcycle and Embellish Textiles with Needle Felting with Steffi Stern

Watch how easy it is to repair a moth eaten jumper, jazz up some jeans or bring new life to washed and worn out textiles such as bags, cushions, scarves etc just by using a felting needle and some wool. Steffi Stern owner at director and The Makerss, published author, craft enthusiast and accomplished needle felter for nearly 20 years, will show you techniques of how to free-hand embellish textiles as well as using biscuit cutters and water-soluable paper to make perfect shapes and motifs.

12.45pm – 1.15pm: Beginner’s Crochet: Start A Foundation Chain with Lisa Brough

If you are an absolute beginner, keen to see what crochet is all about, and want to make this the year you master your craft – let Lisa show you how simple it can be. She will begin with teaching you the basic foundation chain and then show you how to crochet into it.

Once you have mastered that, you can begin your crochet journey with confidence.

2pm – 2.30pm: Rhythms and Reflections with Jan Beaney & Jean Littlejohn

Renowned textile artists Jan and Jean, affectionately known as Double Trouble, have joined us on the stage to talk about their latest exhibition Rhythms and Reflections.

They will chat about the why and the how, the inspiration behind their work and their collaboration. Once you have listened to their engaging talk, be sure to head on over to take a look at their incredible work in the Textile Galleries.

3pm – 3.30pm: In conversation with Wendy Baker: Interior Designer Extraordinaire
Wendy Baker has a long history in the Upholstery business as well as being author of 6 books on soft furnishing. Join her as she talks to Wendy Gardiner about her colourful career and latest adventure.

4pm – 4.30pm: Intro to Cricut Machines with Zoe Roberts, Oodles of Craft

Every wondered what a Cricut machine is and how it may enhance your sewing and crafting experience? Let Zoë, founder of Oodles of Craft and a Cricut Ambassador, introduce you to the three different digital cutting machines (Joy, Explore 3 and Maker 3) and show ways in which they can be used as a hobbyist and small business.

10.45am – 11.15am: Pyramid Beanbag with Angela Pressley, The Sewing Club 

You need alternative seating in your life! This beanbag is small enough to hang up and light enough to get down easily when your friends come over. You can also make mini beanbag stands for your phone and tablet.

This design is from Angela’s best-selling book ‘Sewing machine basics for children’. She will show you how to use the book to construct the pyramid shape and explain its different variations.

11.45am – 12.15pm: Modern Macrame with Isabella Strambio

Join Isabella, a macrame artist and expert for a demonstration on how modern macrame has evolved from the ‘70s look and feel.

She will showcase some of her work and demonstrate how a simple knot can be used in various ways to create patterns and intricate macrame projects.

You can even take a workshop with Isabella and get hands on with macrame, and even create your own wall hanging to take home!

12.45pm 1.15pm: Upcycle Waste Clothing into Worthy Originals with Katie Young, Bespoke Textiles

Take a seat in The Creative Living Theatre and join award winning fashion designer and author of ‘The Textile Touch’  Katie Young, as she shares her passion for foraging fashion and turning ‘waste to worth’. 

Providing tips on upcycling clothes to give your old garments a new lease of life, finding sustainable ways to make your old clothes feel fresh again – without buying and creating from new.

She will show you how you can customize an old denim jacket, making it unique and original.

You can then take these techniques home and get started on your own garments!

2pm – 2.30pm: Layer, Paint and Stitch with Wendy Dolan
An experienced artist, tutor and author, Wendy Dolan will show her techniques of layering, painting and stitching in this demo, encouraging you to experiment at home.

Inspired by landscape and working from a photograph and sketch, a variety of natural fabrics, calico, silk noil, scrim and cotton batting will be layered to create a textured surface. This will then be worked into with freehand machine stitching.

Three dimensional fabric mediums will be applied before painting the textured surface with water based fabric paints.

3pm – 3.30pm: Menswear to Womenswear – Simple Pattern Hacks with Janaka Managai

Janaka, creator of a number of menswear patterns for his own brand the Bespoke Pattern Collection will show you some simple steps to turn a menswear shirt pattern into a flowing womenswear dress/jacket.

He will cover increasing the length and how to add flare to the style, sleeve alterations and adding a grown on cuff as well as discussing the tools useful for tailoring at home.

He will be using his shirt/jacket pattern called Urban PJ.

This is the perfect way to make for him indoors and then yourself!

4pm – 4.30pm: Jenerates Seam Circles and Sewing Rulers with Jen Hogg

Jen Hogg, from The Great British Sewing Bee 2019, has designed her own unique sewing tools, which she sells all over the world.

She’ll demonstrate how to use the Jenerates Seam Circles and Sewing Ruler to easily add or take away seam and hem allowances in everyday garment sewing, and to draft facings too. She will also be sharing some top sewing tips from her popular ‘Hogg Hacks’ series on social media. 

10.45am – 11.15am: Creative Stitching and Pattern Drafting with Nicky Simpson & Julia Burrows, Textiles Skills Centre

Nicky Simpson & Julia Burrows from the Textiles Skills Centre will be sharing techniques they love to teach. Textile artist Nicky Simpson will demonstrate the creative hand stitch technique of American Smocking, that can be used for interiors, fashion and accessories. Julia Burrows, who is a pattern cutter and designer, will share how to adapt a commercial pattern by adding volume through pleats.

A very easy technique for those new to pattern drafting. These are examples of workshops Nicky and Julia are doing in the Learning Curve Workshop.

11.45am – 12.15pm: Shaun the Sheep: Working with Mixed Media with Steffi Stern, The Makerss

Shaun the Sheep is an all-time favourite character and now you can make your own! Steffi Stern, owner and director at The Makerss, published author, craft enthusiast and accomplished needle felter for nearly 20 years, will show you that needle felting is not just about wool but can include other media too such as wire and silk clay. Get an insight into how the three materials can work hand in hand.

Note: The featured model of Shaun the Sheep is one of two needle felting kits under license with Aardman Animations available from The Makerss.

12.45pm: Boys Sew Too Reduce Reuse Recycle with Clive Bruder

Boys Sew Too are not only passionate about the movement and encouraging men and boys of all ages to pick up a needle and thread they are passionate about the planet too! We’re pleased to bring you a catwalk show of upcycled garments made from all sorts of fabrics. The guys have scoured the charity shops and the scrap bins of their sewing rooms to fashion some thing amazing out of unloved items and turned them into some thing very special. Come along to the fashion show and get some inspiration for those charity shop buys!

Come and cheer on The Boys – they can’t wait to see you! 

2pm – 2.30pm: Meet Stanley Jackson: Crocheteer Extraordinaire 

Stanley, aged 12, has been crocheting since 2020. During the first lockdown he taught himself how to crochet from YouTube after his mum picked him up a small crochet kit from Aldis and by following YouTube videos from BellaCoco, HappyBerry Crochet and Rose and Lily. Since then he is never without a hook in his hand! He has crocheted many critters, soft toys and more, selling them to raise money for various charities.

3pm – 3.30pm: From Trousers to Evening Dress: Simple Pattern Hacks with Janaka Managai

In this talk you will learn how to make a dress by hacking a trouser pattern with Janaka Managai, who designs patterns for his Bespoke Pattern Collection London.

In just 30 minutes you will learn how to adapt your trouser pattern to create an evening dress with shoulder straps and front pockets.

You will also learn about some very useful tools to use and why tailors use them, that you can take home with you and apply to your next makes!

4pm – 4.30pm: Waste in the Fashion Industry: What Can You Do? with Debbie Cromarty, The Eco Stitch/Cloth Atelier

In this talk Debbie will consider the waste, ethics and environmental impact of the clothing industry. How can we change our behaviour to make a difference but still satisfy our love of fashion? The ‘Eco Stitch’ aims to educate others about fast fashion and its alternatives. Debbie has upcycled and altered hundreds of garments using waste fabric to create handmade products and add ‘wow’ to gifting. With The Cloth Atelier, she will demonstrate the beauty and quality of natural ethical fabrics.

10.45am – 11.15am: Inspired by Indian Textiles with Wendy Dolan

In this illustrated talk, Wendy explores the colours and patterns of Indian textiles inspired by her travels and how they have been used to develop ideas in her own stitched textiles.

An experienced artist, tutor and author, Wendy has led textile tours to India, visiting Jaipur, The Himalayas and Punjab regions. These travels have given her endless sources of inspiration for her own stitched textle designs. Wonderful colours and patterns can be found everywhere, from garments aned accessories, block printed fabics, dyes and pigments to market stalls laden with fruit and vegetables and architectural structures and buildings. 

12.45pm – 1.15pm: In Conversation with Costume Maker Jane Temple

Jane has been making costumes for all sorts of theatre and film productions for many years. In this relaxed Q&A she will share tips and tricks for costume making as well as some behind the scenes stories.

2pm – 2.30pm: Bargello Basics with Nerrisa Pratt

Bargello is a colourful, geometric burst of crafty fun and what’s more, you don’t need a tonne of materials to get started.

Join Nerrisa Pratt, founder of The Bargello Edit and Author or ‘Bargello’ as she shows you how to get to grips with the colourful stitch so you can Bargello EVERYTHING! 

3pm – 3.30pm: Wonderful Woad with Angela Daymond

Angela will give you a history of the amazing woad plant used for dyeing textiles blue and how it had an important part to play in the history of this country. Learn how Julius Caesar thought that all Britons dyed themselves blue, through to the plant being used to dye military uniforms in the First World War. It is on the edge of being so endangered that people will not be using this plant on a commercial scale anymore. Angela will share lots of examples of her own stitched work.