Improvised Offcut Patchwork Course (3 Weeks)
Dates and time:
29/01/26 - 18:30-20:30
05/02/26 - 18:30-20:30
12/02/26 - 18:30-20:30
Description:
Over three weeks, you will be guided through the joyful world of improvised patchwork using fabric offcuts. Together, we will explore how to creatively transform otherwise wasted scraps into beautiful, unique textiles through considered placement, shape, colour and construction.
Each two hour session (18:30-20:30) focuses on a different technique, so by the end of the course you will feel confident approaching pattern-free patchwork that celebrates the nuanced shapes and possibilities of leftover fabric.
What we will cover:
Week 1 - Curves & Corners (machine sewing)
Week 2 - Strip Piecing Variations (machine sewing)
Week 3 - Appliqué + Decorative Stitch (hand sewing)
This course is perfect for anyone with basic machine and hand sewing experience, especially those with an ever-growing stash of fabric scraps from past projects that you are not sure what to do with!
Alongside the practical making, I will be sharing insights into my own textile practice, as well as the work of textile artists and quiltmakers, past and present.
Begin 2026 with dedicated time to learn, experiment and make. Working with the offcut’s predetermined shapes and materials, you will discover how placement, colour and stitch can be combined to create intricate textiles that challenge the perception of waste.
Week 1: Strip Piecing Variations
To begin the course, we will delve into the numerous possibilities of improvised strip piecing. This technique is a brilliant way of using up odds and ends of fabric through the joining of multiple strips which are then cut, rotated, and rearranged to create intricate patchwork textiles.
Week 2: Curves + Corners
After much demand, this session will explore how to piece together curves and corners so that no matter what shape your offcut, you have the practical skills to enable full creative freedom. The technique of piecing with curves and corners can be used across an entire patchwork, or as a smaller detail to showcase the spontaneous shapes that appear in offcuts.
Week 3: Appliqué Composition + Decorative Stitch
Appliqué opens up rich potential for creating fabric compositions through the layering, collaging and arranging of offcuts. These abstract arrangements allow for a playful and expressive way of working, by following your artistic intuition.
Key Information:
Duration - Each session lasts 2 hours
Times stated are GMT (UK time)
Format - Google Meet (a link with instructions on how to join will be sent before the class. You do not need a Google email to join.)
Skill Level - Basic machine and hand sewing experience
Materials and Equipment:
Laptop or computer with webcam
Domestic sewing machine (except for week 3)
Iron and ironing board
Range of fabric offcuts (more info below)
Thread (more info below)
Fabric scissors
Fabric pins
Hand sewing needles (for week 3)
Notebook and pencil
Tailors’ chalk or other fabric marker
Fabric and Thread:
Fabrics - these can be any scraps or pieces leftover from other projects or worn out clothing. Have a range of sizes from larger sections to cut up, and smaller pieces for joining and piecing. Natural fibre dress-making weight works best (such as cotton shirting and linens). Old clothing, bed sheets and pillow cases also work well if you don’t have many fabrics. Think about how your fabrics look together as we will be combining them.
Thread - Regular thread in a neutral colour will be used for machine sewing. Thicker embroidery thread such as Cotton Perle no.8 will be used in the final week appliqué session. Feel free to use what you have or buy in advance.
About your tutor:
Isabel Fletcher is an artist based in London known for her work with textile offcuts which she uses to make sculptural and framed artworks. Isabel explores the way overlooked production offcuts can act as portals into the craft of their industry. Reframing disregarded offcuts as glimpses into the craft of making, she aims to increase empathy for possessions and encourage a reduction in consumption and waste. Isabel is a graduate of the Royal College of Art.
Having taught Patchwork and Quiltmaking at Morley College, this new series of workshops aims to focus on the techniques most specific to working with waste, and the techniques used in Isabel’s own work.
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Please note, workshop bookings are non-refundable. If you cannot attend, then it may possible to move you to another class, but this cannot be guaranteed.
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TOAST Testimonial:
“Isabel finds a creative balance, from informed teaching and helping to guide the participant through the technical parts, to creatively finding inspirations and unique designs. She is thoughtful in her approaches and provides inspiring workshops which are enjoyed by many.”