Come join our lively Embroidery Club for tea and make your own artwork to take home in this free workshop great for all ages!
Date: Saturdays, 7, 14 & 21 August 2021
Time: 11am to 1pm
Cost: £ Free
Ages: Suitable for all ages, families welcome; children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Spaces: Booking recommended due to capacity of 30 (some spaces will be reserved for drop-ins).
Location: Clapham Park Cube, 116 Kings Avenue, SW4 8EP See it on Google Maps
Hosted by: Clapham Park Creative Co-op
Led by artist Sonia Tuttiett, our intergenerational Embroidery Club has been meeting since April creating embroidered stories of their lives during lockdown. They have been exchanging these ‘postcards’ with another group based in Newham, East London Textile Arts . They are currently producing the final piece — large-scale embroidery piece called “Postcards Across the River” — which will be exhibited at our final event on 28 August.
We are welcoming everyone to come and join the group for tea and biscuits in these open session every Saturday in August. Artist Sonia Tuttiett will help you give embroidery a go, teaching you how to embroider on photographs or create small felt animals. Embroidery is a skill easy to learn for all ages so we especially welcome families and young people.
Or feel free to simply come for tea and meet our lively chatty group as they complete the final piece and learn more about them. Our sessions are always full of laughter and unexpected conversation, and we have members from 9 years old to 70+!
This event is free thanks to funding from Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing.
Sonia Tuttiett developed a keen interest in embroidery and has been teaching and designing alongside her musical career for the last 18 years. Sonia works in Newham, East London and leads several community projects with people from all faiths and cultural backgrounds. As lead textile tutor with East London Textile Arts, she has worked with organisations such as the V&A, The Watts Gallery, the Artworkers Guild, the Hellenic Centre, Epping Forest, the Jagonari centre and the Malayalee Association and various schools. She also leads embroidery sessions for Newham Council, teaching in local libraries and community centres.
“Postcards Across the River” is the first project of our newly formed Embroidery Club, developed in collaboration by the Clapham Park Creative Co-op and Sonia Tuttiett. It is an embroidery exchange between Clapham Park neighbours and East London Textile Arts based in Newham. Since the lockdown ended, the two groups have been meeting and creating ‘postcards’ exploring family, culture and community, which will become part of a larger textile piece.
What can you expect in this workshop?
This is a very welcoming and relaxed workshop. We suggest you come in for the full two hours if you would like to work on a piece to take home; otherwise, you can feel free to drop in for a tea or coffee and just have a chat. You will learn some basic skills in embroidery and will have the choice to work on a photo-embroidery piece or make a small felt animal. You will also receive a handout with instructions and tips on the supplies you need to do it at home.
Who is this workshop for?
This workshop is suitable for all ages from adults to children over 4 years old; the youngest member of our group is currently 9 years old! We ask all children under 12 to be accompanied by an adult.
We especially encourage all genders and all ages to get involved; you may be surprised at what you can do with embroidery!
Important information
Registration and cancellation: This workshop is free to you, and although we also welcome drop-ins at this workshop, we are asking people to register if possible to help us manage numbers. By booking a place, you agree to commit to attending; if you can no longer make it, please do cancel as soon as possible. Places are limited, and we want to be sure we offer an opportunity to as many people as possible.
Covid-19 Guidelines: All of our staff and leaders will take lateral flow tests before the workshop; we encourage others to do the same if you are able. Our workshops will continue to adhere to COVID-19 good practice including social distancing, encouraging mask wearing if inside (and outdoors if you would prefer), and regular hand sanitisation. We ask you to please consider others as many of our workshops are attended by people that are still being careful in public settings. If you are feeling unwell or experiencing any symptoms, we ask you to please stay home.
Weather: This workshop will be held outside in the garden (if sunny), if possible. Otherwise we will be inside the venue.
Please bring:
— hand sanitiser and mask
Photography/Video: Please note that there will be photographs and videos taken of the workshop to share on our social media and communications material. Please let the photographer know at the start of the workshop if you do not wish to be recorded.
Access Notice
— This workshop is relaxed; you are welcome to take breaks at any point.
— The Clapham Park Cube is fully accessible for wheelchairs; our workshops will be on the ground floor or the 1st floor for which there is a lift.
— The workshop will be in English but many of our members speak other languages and may be able to help translate.
— If you have additional access needs, please contact us and we will do our best to support you to participate.
CLAPHAM PARK CREATIVE CO-OP 