Rowena Luke-King

During this course you will learn how to use an industrial sewing machine whilst making a clutch bag, a coin purse and a framed purse in vintage and customised fabrics. You will start with a basic envelope style clutch learning how to place your pattern, cut your cloth and transfer pattern details. You will be introduced to hand stitching as you learn how to make fabric flowers and machine stitching as you piece together and line your bag. You will be shown how to make a pocket, how to lightly stiffen your bag, attach magnet fasteners and make loops should you wish to add a handle. Once completed you will make a zipped coin purse whilst being introduced to techniques that can be used to give your fabrics a more vintage look; tea dying, appliqué, ribbon work and beading. You will learn how to draft a pattern for a framed purse, adapt your pattern to create a rounded edge or a flat bottom with 'T' corners and test your pattern in calico before making it in a vintage style cloth and attaching it to its frame. No previous experience is needed for this course which will prepare you for enrolment on Vintage Clutch Bags and Purses Level 2

You can read more about this course and view some images by clicking www.rowenalukeking.blogspot.com

Rowena Luke-King has had an extremely diverse career in design. She has worked as a designer and colour consultant for textile design studios and leading retailers such as Marks & Spencer and NEXT. She has produced collections of clothes, accessories, hand printed fabrics, greetings cards and wrapping papers for a number of stores including Fiorucci and has worked as a stylist in the music industry (stage clothes that she created for 'Adam and the Ants' have been exhibited in the Victoria & Albert Museum). Rowena studied fashion and textiles at Central Saint Martins and is currently involved in sourcing vintage fabrics for the fashion industry.