Community Curtain Making Workshop

30-08-2022
Last week (22nd – 24th August) a 3-day community curtain making workshop took place at our FC Designer Workspace in Islington with tutors Ana and Nick. Attended by a group of Islington residents the workshop was held in collaboration with Public Works Group. This community led project saw the participants work through the entire process from; fully understanding the brief, working in small teams, measuring up, choosing the right fabric, designing and creating samples.
On the final day each group hung and demonstrated their large scale curtain samples in the West Library where everyone reviewed the results. The selection on display looked impressive and Tom Dobson from Public Works Group was pleased with the results. He will now show the curtains to the end-users of a new community space that is being created and there will be an opportunity for a future commission to make the selected curtains.
Tom Dobson from Public Works Group commented: “It’s really exciting to have young people in the space shaping the design and developing useful skills at the same time.”
“Thanks so much to Fashion-Enter and Nick and Ana for facilitating it all. It was really enjoyable and useful (hopefully for everyone) so I would definitely recommend doing something like this again if the opportunity arises. Each group produced a prototype which tested different ideas. The final design will likely incorporate little bits of each. It was really impressive what the groups produced in such a short amount of time with no previous curtain making experience!”
Nick Evan’s, FC Designer Workspace (FEL) stitching tutor said: “The curtain making course has been a great collaboration between Fashion-Enter Ltd and Public Works Group. The aim was to teach people how to make curtains and in the process produce some samples for a new youth space opening in Islington. This is true circular economy at work here in Islington: by the community for the community.”







Feedback from the learners on this free course included:
“Excellent! I have learnt how to make my own curtains. I have contributed towards a group project and overcame all the natural challenges. Feeling more confident. This was an excellent project. Fashion-Enter should take part in more projects that give back to communities.” – Manuela
“I leant how to make curtains with tab tops and work in groups on the same subject. This was an enjoyable course where everyone worked well together and encouraged each other.” – Lorraine
“I found out what needs to be considered to make good curtains and how to work with people I barely know. Please think out time, and what you mean by ‘samples’. This was fun though. It was really good to get this experience.” – Megan
“This was fantastic for me. Now I know what I should consider when I design and make curtains.” – Atekah
“I learnt about the different fabrics to consider, how to create buttons with the fabric and how to create loops.” – Davina