Festival of Stuff: Rags to Rope Masterclass (Morning)

Join this event

Location: Bloomsbury

Date: Sunday 15th June

Time: 10:00 — 12:00

Discover the hidden treasures nestled in the back of your wardrobe and turn rags into riches in this hands-on rope-making masterclass.

Join textile artist Rachael Matthews in this liberating workshop that encourages you to take the future life of your garments into your own hands. Whether your discarded item is 'Worn Out Emotional' or 'Brand New and Guilty', under Rachael's tutelage they'll become a useful resource. Together you will consider the complex mixed fibres mounting up in our landfills, and you'll work together to twist and manipulate these items, exploring the aesthetic and scientific qualities of unloved clothes.

Rachael Matthews is a textile artist and the author of Rag Manifesto, a book exploring making, folklore and community. Rachael takes a philosophical standpoint called Thrutopia, a new term to imagine getting through a perma crisis responsibly, transformatively, in the best way we can. This Thrutopian workshop is all about finding value in all wasted materials, from their colour to texture spectrums, as a way into storytelling or for simply pulling each other together.

What should I bring?

Please bring lightweight, unloved clothing or textiles. We'll be using cord twisters which are not designed to take heavy weights, so bring lighter materials with interesting textures.

Important information about our ticket ballot for this event:

We are using a ballot ticket booking system for this event.

The ballot is open for a limited time: from Tuesday 13th May until 23:59 on Sunday 18th May.

Entering into the ballot means that you have entered into a draw for the opportunity to book a ticket. Unfortunately, the ballot may be oversubscribed—entering the ballot does not guarantee a masterclass slot.

From Monday 19th May onwards, successful entrants will be sent a booking link, which must be completed within 24 hours in order to secure a ticket.

Once all tickets are fully booked by the ballot winners, we will notify everyone who signed up to the ballot, and offer the opportunity to join the waiting list for last-minute dropouts.

Age range

This masterclass is suitable for ages 10+. All children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

This event is part of the Festival of Stuff

Photo by The Institute of Making

Event location

Institute of Making Bloomsbury
University College London
Malet Place
London
WC1E 7JE

More details about Bloomsbury

Attendee information

What should I bring?

Lightweight unloved clothing or textiles, nothing too heavy. A trip to the charity shop to buy something you wouldn't wear but do enjoy the texture of often brings unexpected and interesting results!

Please remember to wear closed-toe shoes and clothes that you do not mind potentially getting dirty or damaged when using our workshops.

Do you have specific access requirements?

Everyone is welcome in our spaces for our Festival of Stuff day event and masterclasses. We strive to make all of our processes accessible, including attending our events and workshops, and using our website and booking systems. Please message us if you have any questions, or requirements, or need assistance using our platforms. We'll be happy to help.

We're always interested in feedback to help us improve access to our activities. Please contact us at events@instituteofmaking.org.uk if you'd like to chat.