Learning with Experts

Upcycling: Vintage Textiles

£45 £27 Save 40%
Level: Peer






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Level: Peer

Course overview

Juliette Goggin (acclaimed upcycler and author) will teach you how to find and upcycle clothes and vintage fabrics.

She'll inspire you to get out to local auctions, markets and car boot fairs to search for some vintage textiles, fabric and clothes to upcycle and repurpose in your own home, or to wear.

Collecting and using textiles is a fantastic hobby which is practical, useful and great fun. Textiles take up little space and this course will give you tips on what to look for in terms of both fabric pieces and also haberdashery trims and buttons. Plus ideas on storing and cataloguing a growing material collection.

You will then find lots of projects and ideas which you can make from your own fabric selection.

You will learn how to transform silk scarves, tapestry and tweed into cushions; and create fabric shopping bags from curtains, sacking or old vintage linen tea towels, with handles made from webbing straps and leather belts.

We'll also tackle more challenging projects with detailed sewing, cutting a pattern and even creating a tailored fit by relining a vintage coat.

If you have been meaning to make some unique cushions for your home, fancy making a few fabric bags to take to the shops or the beach, or get really adventurous and return a tired old coat into a modern, couture fashion piece then this is the course for you.

You'll learn:

  • what textiles to look for and where to find vintage material
  • collecting and storing fabric
  • what to look out for when you're buying old clothes or vintage material
  • how to use different types of fabric, buttons and haberdashery
  • how to transform silk scarves into a patchwork cushion
  • how to create bags from vintage textiles
  • transforming a charity shop find into a chic coat

The course includes:

  • 1 on-demand video lesson - presented by Juliette Goggin
  • lifetime access to the videos, notes and interactive class
  • flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
  • downloadable lesson notes
  • practical fabric upcycling project (with tutor feedback available)
  • access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
  • small interactive online classroom - chat online to students from around the world and share your creative ideas

Time to complete the vintage textile upcycling course:

Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 3 hours 20 minutes to complete including:

  • Video lesson: 20 minutes in total
  • Course notes: 30 minutes per lesson
  • Your upcycling project: at least 2 hours
  • Interactive classroom time: 15 minutes per lesson
  • Tutor feedback review (Expert level): 15 minutes per lesson

You'll need:

This course includes an optional practical assignment - for which you'll need two upcycling projects to work on - including the textiles or clothes you want to upcycle.

Varying options are given so that if you cannot find exactly what is shown in the lesson, then you can find ways of creating your own versions, with your own signature and creativity.

You'll need the fabrics or clothes you want to upcycle, a tape measure, pins, scissors, iron, zip, tailor's chalk and a sewing machine or a needle and thread. Plus a camera or phone for your all important before and after photos!

The course is suitable for all levels of upcycling enthusiasts - from beginnners to experts looking for some creative inspiration.

Ready to get started?

Just add the course to your basket above - choose the 'Expert' option for personal feedback from Juliette on your upcycling project.

Any questions? Contact us by clicking on the orange speech symbol - we'd love to hear from you.

Watch course trailer

Lesson summary

Upcycling: Vintage Textiles
The course guides you through what textiles to look for and where to find them, plus tips on what to avoid. A suggested list is given to indicate how you might use individual types of fabric, as well as buttons and haberdashery. The first project is a simple patchwork cushion, followed by repurposing a silk scarf as a cushion, including tips on how to make the fabric more hard wearing. This is followed by ideas on a selection of textile bags in varying styles from small bags made from linen tea towels and featuring webbing, or textile belts as handles, to larger shopping bags with a gusset and a selection of short or long messenger style handles. Suggestions are made to use old leather belts for added strength. The last project is more detailed but very rewarding. An old, but previously good quality tweed coat with a ripped lining found in a charity shop is remade with a new, bespoke pattered lining which completely transforms it from a cheap, tired garment to a fabulous new coat worth far more than you would have paid for it originally

Choose how you want to learn

Expert-level

Develop your learning further with marked assignments and personal tuition:

  • Start the course whenever you like
  • Tutor access for personalised assignment feedback & coaching
  • Certificate of completion and CPD learning hours
  • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
  • Lessons with expert videos & notes
  • Group chat & direct message with tutor & classmates
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom

Peer-level

Get the most from shared knowledge and community study:

  • Start course whenever you like
  • Practise what you learn with your peers
  • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
  • Lessons with videos & notes
  • Course assignments
  • Group chat & direct message classmates
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom
Portrait of Juliette Goggin

meet the expert

Juliette Goggin

Crafting expert, designer, and author known for upcycled creations and designs with recycled and vintage materials.

Read more

Why choose Learning with Experts?

Start whenever it suits you, and immerse yourself in motivational lesson tutorials with expert guidance.
Enhance your learning and personal growth with lesson assignments. Each course includes an optional assignment at the end of every lesson.
Drop a friendly message or respond to your assignment feedback. Our world-class experts are just a click away, ready to help you!
Stay informed about your own progress and those of your peers, and take joy in celebrating achievements along the way.
Chat and share ideas with passionate communities of learners from around the world.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between PEER and EXPERT options?

At Peer and Expert level, you get access to the same core content and features:

  • Video lesson tutorials led by your expert tutor
  • Downloadable lesson notes
  • Option to practise what you learn with lesson assignments
  • Group learning within an online interactive classroom of up to 20 classmates
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes and classroom

If you choose Expert level, you get all of the above plus the following:

  • Personalised assignment feedback and coaching from your expert tutor
  • Opportunity to interact with your expert tutor through a private messaging system
  • Certificate of completion.
What is an online classroom?

Our online classroom has been developed to allow you to learn from our experts in a sociable environment alongside up to 20 other students. After each video tutorial led by your expert, you will be encouraged to practice what you have learned with optional assignments - these can be seen by the other students in your class, who are free to share their own thoughts and questions with you.

You will be encouraged to take part in an ongoing class discussion where you can discuss ideas, post images or work, and comment on each other’s assignments. It’s a great way to learn from other like-minded people who share your passion from all over the world.

This means not only do you benefit from people who are outstanding in their field, but also from a close-knit group of like-minded people whom you can learn alongside. Group learning has shown to greatly improve not just the experience of studying, but also how well you retain the knowledge, and we have built our classroom experience around this fact.

When can I start my course and how long will it take?

You can start your course any time within 12 months after receipt of your purchase confirmation email. Once you start, you’ll have lifetime access — meaning you can revisit the lesson videos and notes whenever you want.

Our courses are designed so that you can study at your own pace, some prefer to binge learn while others like to spread their studying over a longer period of time - it’s completely up to you. To give you a rough time frame, each lesson video is approximately 30-40 minutes long, and we recommend that you spend around an hour on each assignment.

How often can I speak with the Expert?

If you opt for the Expert version of your course, the time you have to interact with your tutor is limited to course length. You will have one week per lesson to chat to your tutor and to have your assignments marked, and during this period you can ask them as many questions as you would like.

To find out the length of each course, head to the product page and look at the Course outline to see how many lessons it contains. e.g. a four lesson course assumes that you will have completed the assignments within four weeks.

Your tutor interaction period will start as soon as you enter the classroom. If you find that you are struggling to complete the assignments in the allocated time or you wish to put this function on hold, just get in contact with one of the team via the support button and we will help you out.

Support and full FAQs

If you need any help with a course, be it one you’ve started already, or one you are looking to purchase, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Support email address, or view the full FAQ’s here.

You can also use the orange speech bubble on your page to start a conversation with us.

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Awards and accreditations