Jenny Bennigsen – Workshop – Treasure Boxes

Considering the theme of treasure, we will look at personal stories and memories and explore ways to capture them on a small textile piece. We will construct treasure boxes from cotton organdie in which to hide our treasured memories. Techniques used may include working with solufleece, machine embroidery and appliqué, fabric manipulation and some very basic origami. Participants will need to bring their own sewing machine and be reasonably competent at using it.

Materials List

• Electric sewing machine in good working order. It must either have a drop feed dog function or a cover plate to prevent the feed dogs engaging.
• Free machine embroidery/darning foot suitable for use with your machine
• Three to four bobbins at least half full of any colour of thread plus at least one empty bobbin
• ( See note about machine needles supplied in kit to purchase)
• Wooden embroidery hoop – 7″(18cm) -9 “(23cm) in diameter. This should have a tightening screw that can take a screwdriver not just be hand tightened. The hoop can be bound with tape or unbound.
• Screwdriver for hoop if possible
• A small item (or items) which have sentimental attachment and/or evoke memories for example of a place, a person or an event. These could be nature based, textile based, a household object or a personal item etc. but should be no bigger than something that would fit into a small shoebox but could be much smaller. Please do not bring anything of great monetary value. NB the memory you choose to work with should be something you are happy to share with the group.
• Machine threads in a selection of colours that may represent your memory/ object in some way or just be favourites. These do not have to be a perfect colour match to your object. They do not have to be specialist embroidery threads, Coats Moon threads will work fine, but better quality threads such as Guttermann will give a nicer finish. Try to include a neutral beige or light grey if possible and 5-10 other colours to play with. You may want to include a variegated thread if you already have any already in.
• Small personal sewing kit including a pair of snips or small scissors, a pair of fabric scissors and a stitch ripper.
• Spectacles for sewing if you need them!

• Very small scraps of fabric that have meaning to you that you may want to incorporate
• Notebook and pencil

• Enough Solufleece to have a practice session and to complete their box
• Enough cotton organdie to create a complete box
• A Schmetz machine embroidery needle (most modern machines take these needles, if your machine is very old or a non domestic one that uses a different needle system you must supply your own)
• A water erasable  marking pen

About the Tutor

As a textile artist and designer/maker, my work captures fading memories and narratives and stitches them into something new and tangible to take into the future. 

I love to use free machine embroidery but also experiment with other techniques such as print and textile manipulation. 

I returned to study after home educating my children and graduated from Bradford School of Art in 2023, gaining a distinction in Textiles Practice. I was also awarded the travel award for excellence in textile design from Bradford Textile Society and was sponsored by Madeira Threads for my final FdA collection.

Please bring your own lunch.  There will be tea / coffee and biscuits provided.
NB.  All electrical equipment you bring to the workshop, MUST have a current PAT certificate.

Booking Terms and Conditions:
The fee is non-refundable if you cancel (unless another person can take your place.)
We occasionally have a waiting list for a workshop and if that is the case your place would be offered to the next person on the list. If there isn’t a waiting list then you might know someone who could take your place.

With this in mind, please let Bookings know as soon as possible if you are unable to attend.
Bookings queries please email bookings@texgroup.org.uk