Heirloom Paper Dresses with Jennifer Collier
20th and 21st September 2025
Saturday and Sunday
10:00-4:00
Adult workshop
(but GCSE and A-Level students are very welcome to join in. It will be a great skills workshop for those taking art)
Join Jennifer Collier for a magical two-day workshop where you’ll create a paper dress from your own collected paper ephemera such as vintage papers, recipes, maps, postcards, photos, letters, book pages and haberdashery full of memories. Using Jennifer’s signature techniques of paper and stitch, you’ll transform found materials into a one-of-a-kind dress that tells the story of your own family history. Perfect for creative makers of all levels, this workshop will leave you with a unique, handcrafted piece that captures the charm and nostalgia of old books, treasured maps and vintage finds.
Day one: Jennifer will show you a range of traditional machine stitch techniques, including Paper Patchwork, Paper Pockets, Button Loops, Covered Buttons and Covered Bindings which be used on found and recycled papers. You will also be shown some beautiful, decorative hand stitches, that you will have time to practice on paper. Throughout the day Jennifer will give you lots of hints and tips for both stitching paper by hand and with the sewing machine.
Day Two: The skills learnt on day one will be used to create your decorative Paper Dress, complete with pleated skirt, pockets, collars and a handmade coat hanger to display it on. Jennifer encourages you to pick the new skills you love, but miss out any techniques that weren't for you, to create our own truly unique and personal ‘Heirloom Paper Dress'
Artist / Maker / Tutor:
Paper pioneer Jennifer Collier creates exquisite sculptures from vintage recycled materials in conjunction with stitch; a contemporary twist on traditional textiles. The papers serve as both the inspiration and the media for the work, with the narrative suggesting the forms. Through this marriage of unlikely materials, old papers are transformed into something truly unique, delicate and complex.
Most recently Jennifer has been collecting rarely used, heritage stitches and discovering how to translate the art of lost stitches onto paper, as these techniques are an important part of our creative heritage and she wants to continue to invest time in them to keep them in the present, offering them onto future generations. Jennifer is giving new life to things that would otherwise go unused, unloved or be thrown away…
Jennifer completed a BA (hons) in Textiles (Print, Knit and Weave) in 1999 at Manchester Metropolitan University, is internationally exhibited, and has had her work featured in over 100 magazines and 17 books to date.
What is included in the ticket price?
All materials and equipment are provided, but please do bring along your favourite books, maps and special papers to really personalise your dress. You may want to bring along your own sewing boxes too if you prefer.
Tea, coffee and biscuits.
Where will the workshops take place?
In Beth’s studio at Insole Court, Cardiff.
Please read all the T’s and C’s before booking.
20th and 21st September 2025
Saturday and Sunday
10:00-4:00
Adult workshop
(but GCSE and A-Level students are very welcome to join in. It will be a great skills workshop for those taking art)
Join Jennifer Collier for a magical two-day workshop where you’ll create a paper dress from your own collected paper ephemera such as vintage papers, recipes, maps, postcards, photos, letters, book pages and haberdashery full of memories. Using Jennifer’s signature techniques of paper and stitch, you’ll transform found materials into a one-of-a-kind dress that tells the story of your own family history. Perfect for creative makers of all levels, this workshop will leave you with a unique, handcrafted piece that captures the charm and nostalgia of old books, treasured maps and vintage finds.
Day one: Jennifer will show you a range of traditional machine stitch techniques, including Paper Patchwork, Paper Pockets, Button Loops, Covered Buttons and Covered Bindings which be used on found and recycled papers. You will also be shown some beautiful, decorative hand stitches, that you will have time to practice on paper. Throughout the day Jennifer will give you lots of hints and tips for both stitching paper by hand and with the sewing machine.
Day Two: The skills learnt on day one will be used to create your decorative Paper Dress, complete with pleated skirt, pockets, collars and a handmade coat hanger to display it on. Jennifer encourages you to pick the new skills you love, but miss out any techniques that weren't for you, to create our own truly unique and personal ‘Heirloom Paper Dress'
Artist / Maker / Tutor:
Paper pioneer Jennifer Collier creates exquisite sculptures from vintage recycled materials in conjunction with stitch; a contemporary twist on traditional textiles. The papers serve as both the inspiration and the media for the work, with the narrative suggesting the forms. Through this marriage of unlikely materials, old papers are transformed into something truly unique, delicate and complex.
Most recently Jennifer has been collecting rarely used, heritage stitches and discovering how to translate the art of lost stitches onto paper, as these techniques are an important part of our creative heritage and she wants to continue to invest time in them to keep them in the present, offering them onto future generations. Jennifer is giving new life to things that would otherwise go unused, unloved or be thrown away…
Jennifer completed a BA (hons) in Textiles (Print, Knit and Weave) in 1999 at Manchester Metropolitan University, is internationally exhibited, and has had her work featured in over 100 magazines and 17 books to date.
What is included in the ticket price?
All materials and equipment are provided, but please do bring along your favourite books, maps and special papers to really personalise your dress. You may want to bring along your own sewing boxes too if you prefer.
Tea, coffee and biscuits.
Where will the workshops take place?
In Beth’s studio at Insole Court, Cardiff.
Please read all the T’s and C’s before booking.
20th and 21st September 2025
Saturday and Sunday
10:00-4:00
Adult workshop
(but GCSE and A-Level students are very welcome to join in. It will be a great skills workshop for those taking art)
Join Jennifer Collier for a magical two-day workshop where you’ll create a paper dress from your own collected paper ephemera such as vintage papers, recipes, maps, postcards, photos, letters, book pages and haberdashery full of memories. Using Jennifer’s signature techniques of paper and stitch, you’ll transform found materials into a one-of-a-kind dress that tells the story of your own family history. Perfect for creative makers of all levels, this workshop will leave you with a unique, handcrafted piece that captures the charm and nostalgia of old books, treasured maps and vintage finds.
Day one: Jennifer will show you a range of traditional machine stitch techniques, including Paper Patchwork, Paper Pockets, Button Loops, Covered Buttons and Covered Bindings which be used on found and recycled papers. You will also be shown some beautiful, decorative hand stitches, that you will have time to practice on paper. Throughout the day Jennifer will give you lots of hints and tips for both stitching paper by hand and with the sewing machine.
Day Two: The skills learnt on day one will be used to create your decorative Paper Dress, complete with pleated skirt, pockets, collars and a handmade coat hanger to display it on. Jennifer encourages you to pick the new skills you love, but miss out any techniques that weren't for you, to create our own truly unique and personal ‘Heirloom Paper Dress'
Artist / Maker / Tutor:
Paper pioneer Jennifer Collier creates exquisite sculptures from vintage recycled materials in conjunction with stitch; a contemporary twist on traditional textiles. The papers serve as both the inspiration and the media for the work, with the narrative suggesting the forms. Through this marriage of unlikely materials, old papers are transformed into something truly unique, delicate and complex.
Most recently Jennifer has been collecting rarely used, heritage stitches and discovering how to translate the art of lost stitches onto paper, as these techniques are an important part of our creative heritage and she wants to continue to invest time in them to keep them in the present, offering them onto future generations. Jennifer is giving new life to things that would otherwise go unused, unloved or be thrown away…
Jennifer completed a BA (hons) in Textiles (Print, Knit and Weave) in 1999 at Manchester Metropolitan University, is internationally exhibited, and has had her work featured in over 100 magazines and 17 books to date.
What is included in the ticket price?
All materials and equipment are provided, but please do bring along your favourite books, maps and special papers to really personalise your dress. You may want to bring along your own sewing boxes too if you prefer.
Tea, coffee and biscuits.
Where will the workshops take place?
In Beth’s studio at Insole Court, Cardiff.
Please read all the T’s and C’s before booking.