Founded in 2011, Stitched Up encourage individuality, pride and sustainability through fashion and style. They achieve this by running a programme of sewing, mending and upcycling sessions in communities all across Greater Manchester.
We were ecstatic to be their first collaboration within Salford! For this series, Stitched Up were at Ordsall Hall every Sunday in our lovely Radclyffe Room teaching valuable repair skills, sharing recycling initiatives and discussing the global impact the fast fashion industry has on our planet and people.
Each week focused on a different topic and provided a mix of hands-on learning or discussion (but often both!) We started with the free, drop-in Wardrobe Surgery, where visitors brought in unloved garments that needed altering or repairing. The following week was a no-sew Textile Waste Lab, where participants learned about the textile waste crisis and brainstormed solutions that can be achieved within their community. Week three was Re-do Your Denim, dedicated to stitching techniques that can repair or decorate denim. We then ended with the Upcycled Coin Pouch Workshop, where leftover awning material from Unicorn Grocery served as the base of making a tapestry coin purse.
We loved being able to offer a quiet, welcoming space where visitors could relax, chat and get stuck into a task. This wouldn’t have been possible without the skills and expert knowledge of Stitched Up! Thank you to Sarah and the whole team for creating such impactful, yet accessible, sessions for our visitors.
Below is some feedback we received from our visitors when asked if they came away with new knowledge or skills:
“Before today I would have had zero confidence in attempting to repair my own clothes, but now I feel I could give it a go and maybe save some money!”
“Certainly! It has started me off thinking about the source, impact and properties of different materials.”
“I had the skills, but I needed some encouragement. I was also able to share some of my basic knowledge with other people.”
We then asked if the session improved the wellbeing of our participants – which always one of our main goals – and these were some replies:
“It’s great to have a relaxing screen-free activity and explore creativity.”
“Yes, I was able to crop a hoodie and it looks better, I feel better.”
We hope to offer more mindful making sessions in the future, where our visitors can find reprieve from everyday life and leave our site with a fun new hobby.
We want to once again thank Stitched Up for collaborating with us on this series. For more information on their organisation and upcoming events, see their website.
We’d also like to thank Museum Development North whose funding allowed us to offer this series.
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