Sew-cial at The Bowes
Unleash your creativity in our Vivienne Westwood–inspired sewing workshops. Each of the sessions stands alone with a complete project, while together they form a creative journey exploring style, technique and self-expression of stitches, samples and wearable art.
£55 per session.
Recommended for adults, spaces must be booked in advance. No additional equipment necessary. All levels of experience welcome.
Please contact the learning team at learn@thebowesmusuem.org.uk if you have access requirements, so the session can be adapted to suit your needs.
Workshop 4: Storm-Stitched: The Eccentric Garden Bag, 12 July – SOLD OUT
Inspired by Kronthaler’s Storm in a Teacup (1996/97), this workshop celebrates clashing tartans, bias cuts, and the beauty of fabric backs. Participants explore creative sewing techniques — combining machine stitching with expressive hand finishes — to craft a distinctive bag reflecting the playful unpredictability of an English garden party and Fables de la Fontaine.
Workshop 5: Rebel Reconstructed: Denim Punkature, 9 August – SOLD OUT
Inspired by Malcolm McLaren’s Punkature (1983), participants will transform recycled denim into either a rebellious wrap skirt or patchwork vest. In this hands-on session, they’ll explore sustainable design through deconstruction, raw-edge finishing, visible stitching, patchwork layering, and creative fastening — celebrating imperfection, individuality, and punk’s DIY couture spirit.
Workshop 6: The Corseted T-Shirt – Deconstructed Street Corsetry, 6 September – SOLD OUT
Inspired by Vivienne Westwood’s Pirate collection, this design transforms an oversized T-shirt into a rebellious corseted form. Combining drape and structure, it uses panel insertion, lacing, and raw-edge finishing. Techniques include eyelet setting, topstitching, asymmetric neckline shaping, and soft boning construction, merging historical corsetry with modern deconstructed streetwear aesthetics.
Sold out
FROM THE BOWES MUSEUM SHOP
SHOP NOW
VW: Rebel Storyteller Visionary Wooden Pin
£4.50
Rebel Storyteller Visionary Cotton Theale Bag
£19.50
Rebel Visionary Storyteller Magnet
£3.50
Rebel Storyteller Visionary A2 Poster
£3.99
Bowes Museum x HIMP Westwood Tote Bag Black
£16.99
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
