I’ve had some interesting conversations recently about my shop, and how I make my income. They’ve made me realise that people have no idea the breadth of classes and workshops that I offer at Beaker Button. My main income comes from workshops and classes, so I thought why not write a short series about all the wonderful things you can learn at Beaker Button Imaginarium!
I'm going to start with the monthly Sunday workshop program. This is a series of workshops which run from 10am to 4pm on, yes you've guessed it, Sundays! Beaker Button is officially closed on Sunday so it’s the perfect day to teach a group workshop, where students can get together and learn something a little different. Each of these workshops comes with materials and instruction sheets to take home, so you can continue to practice what you’ve learned. I’m also available after the workshop for support if you need it.
For those who don’t know me I’ve been teaching for most of my adult life, and teaching various textile disciplines for over a decade. I’m very patient and never shout. No question is stupid, and there are multiple ways of doing most things. My job is to find the way that works for you!
Visible Mending is the first Sunday workshop of 2023. We will look at various ways of giving your clothes (or any sort of textiles) a new lease of life. Skills covered are darning, needle felting, Sashiko and patching, embroidery, and block printing. Materials and a mending book are included in the price.
Steam punk birds in February. We’ll cover designing and creating your own steam punk bird, using textiles and found objects. Basic sewing skills would be an advantage, but you could make a simple bird and learn to sew at the same time!
In March we’ll look at the wonderful Japanese art of Temari balls. This is a calming and relaxing slow stitching project. The designs looks complex but are deceptively simple once you’ve mastered the basics.
April sees us making Macramé beach bags, perfect for putting all sorts of necessities in. Not just for the beach either!
Needle felt and embroidered moon on 21st May will be a great class for learning needle felting, hand stitch, designing, and mindful creation.
Stitch your own house plant in June. Create the perfect plant in textiles, using a variety of stitch, felt and button techniques. Why is it perfect? No watering required!
will look at using basic weaving techniques to create a woven landscape with scraps of yarn and fabric. We’ll repurpose an old picture frame as a loom so it’s a very eco friendly class.
In September we will be making wet felted jewellery. Create your own unique piece of jewellery using wet felting techniques. This workshop covers choosing fibres, colour exploration, making wet felt in small scale structures, and stitching together. You should finish your piece to take home, but it will need drying before you can wear it.
Needle felted gargoyle bowls for October, just in time for Halloween. Create your own unique bowl with the face of a grotesque or gargoyle using needle felting techniques. This workshop covers choosing fibres, colour exploration, needle felting around a resist, and optional stitching features.
Wet Felt vase of flowers in November. We’ll be making a selection of wet felt flowers, and then creating a vessel for them to be displayed in. No experience needed for this beginner friendly workshop.