Learning to love your clothes again! - A 3-Part Workshop Series for BIPOC participants.

In the lead-up to the summer, Artshack is putting together a series of workshops around textiles This workshop series is for BIPOC participants. In these workshops, students will learn how to dye fabric with indigo, how to use a sewing machine to crop their tops, and how to mend clothes. But more importantly, the curriculum is designed to start a conversation around fashion, sustainability, and our relationship with the environment.

This workshop series contains three sessions:

• Saturday, March 8th | A Cultural and Practical Introduction to Indigo Dyeing
• Saturday, April 5th | Learn How To Sew By Cropping A Top
• Saturday, May 3rd | Mending with Sashiko

A Cultural and Practical Introduction to Indigo Dyeing | Saturday, March 8th

Indigo is coloring created from the leaves of the Indigofera tinctoria plant (it’s a bean/legume!). It can be used to dye yarn, fabric or other fibers. The shrub is planted and used in West Africa, Indian and Southeast Asia to dye fabric a dark blue color.

In this workshop, students learn about the significance and uses of indigo throughout various cultures. Students will also have the chance to dye yarn, a small handkerchief-sized piece of fabric, or a small item of clothing, such as a t-shirt or tank top, using indigo.

This workshop is geared to beginners. Students are encouraged to bring a small piece of white clothing but will be provided a handkerchief-sized white fabric if they would prefer to dye that. Instructors will provide wax and tools for batik, rubber bands and string for tie dyeing, and the indigo needed to dye the fabrics. 

Learn How To Sew By Cropping A Top | Saturday, May 3rd

Want to spruce up your wardrobe? How about cropping an oversized top? Or turning those old jeans into shorts? In this workshop, students will learn how to use a sewing machine to do simple modifications.

This workshop is geared to beginners. Artshack will provide a handful of sewing machines though students are welcome to bring their own machine if they have one at home and have always wanted to learn how to use it! Students should also be prepared to bring a piece of clothing to crop. Instructors will provide a handful of oversized t-shirts for practice.

Too many clothes end up in landfills because of small defects. But we can rescue many of our clothes by mending them. In this workshop, students will learn basic mending techniques, such as darning, patching and appliqué. We will also learn about sashiko, a Japanese form of embroidery that is used to enforce and decorate the fabric.

This workshop is geared to beginners. Participants are encouraged to bring clothes they want to mend and will be provided needles, yarn and scrap fabric.