Volunteers needed: The Bengal Muslin Project

Closing date for applications: Friday 9 March 2012

An amazing opportunity for anyone interested in fashion & textiles, fashion students, dressmaking, learning new skills and history; this London based project currently requires volunteers. To take part, you need to apply by Friday 9th March 2012.

Project outcome:
You will spend a year learning how to make a regency costume dress, through attending free workshops at The London College of Fashion, Museum of London, Victoria & Albert Museum, British Library and National Maritime Museum and monthly progress workshops. The results (finished dresses) will be recorded in a book and possibly put on display.

Project concept: 

An initiative that tells the story of the relationship between Bengal Muslin and London's fashionistas in the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries who wore dresses made from this muslin. Volunteers will be recruited to undertake research, attend training and then recreate some of these period dresses, using muslin being produced in Bangladesh today. 

Background: 
The project is co-ordinated by The Stepney Community Trust who have been awarded a grant of £43,300 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to bring to light the connection between East London, Bangladesh and London fashion.

Programme:
1. Deadline for applications Friday 9th Match 2012
2. London College of Fashion workshops - 14, 21 and 28 April, 10am-4pm
3. Museum of London workshops - 4 & 25 April 2pm
4. V&A Museum workshops date/s TBC
5. British Library workshop 17 May 3.30-5.30pm
6. National Maritime Museum workshops date/s TBC
7. Visit to weaver Rezia Wahid's loom
8. Monthly progress workshops

To apply:

For more information and for an application form contact Muhammad Ahmedullah at the

Stepney Community Trust Email: heritageproject@stepney.org.uk
Phone: 0207 377 5482 / 07574987607

Website: http://www.stepney.org.uk

Or email me (momtazbh@hotmail.com) and I'll forward you an application form. I'll be applying to take part too!

How to make & customise: super simple stockings

Stocking fillers are the best Christmas gifts. I’d be happy is Santa delivered me something cheap & cheerful from Poundland...as long as it’s not coal (but I’m not a naughty girl so I don’t need to worry!)

Of course Santa gives the best prezzies to the people with the best stockings. I recently designed stockings for Dog’s Monthly magazine (for the pet and the owner!), pictured above. And below are a selection of handmade stockings to inspire you, made by staff from the V& A Museum. I ran a special Christmas craft workshop for them for their recent away day.

  The plan was for staff to hang them in their work corridor for everyone to admire.

  I gathered lots of spangly materials and let them loose on my supplies.

They beavered away for 1.5 hours. All 25 of them!

To make your own super simple stocking, simply draw two basic stocking shapes on a piece of felt (these ones were just less than A4 in size), and cut them out.

Then pick your embellishments and get crafting! Sew, glue, paint, draw, glitter, bead, sequin, embroider or write…whatever takes your fancy!

 

To join it together use a basic in and out running stitch all along the sides.

 

Or a whip stitch which is a diagonal stitch that goes along the sides holding the pieces together.

Finally stitch a piece of ribbon in a loop in the inside corner, to hang up your stocking.

Santa if you’re reading this, here’s what I would like in my stocking this year, (just incase the stock in Poundland is sold out and your elves can swing by somewhere posh):

1. Chocolate from Hotel Chocolat (any as long as it’s not dark!)
2. Lip Gelee lipgloss from MAC (they’ve stopped selling it, but you’re Santa, you can make it come back!)
3. A jar of Chilli Marmite….I’ve got friends who have tried it but I’ve not seen it yet : (
4. A voucher for TK Maxx (no explanation needed)
5. A date with John Abraham….well he’s split up with Bipasha, surely you can pull some strings? ...for me??????

Oh and clementines are ok as long as they are sweet! Thanks : )