Penland School of Craft 2024

Jul 17

Last month, we taught a two-week class at Penland School of Craft titled "Wardrobe Design/Build." Using our existing sewing patterns, we guided students of all skill levels in creating well-fitting garments with personalized design elements. Immersed in an environment dedicated to learning and honing craft-based art skills, we found the perfect setting for our ambitious class schedule. This supportive atmosphere fostered a dynamic circle of information sharing and idea generation, making the experience truly enriching for everyone involved.

*Our Wardrobe Design/Build class in some of their final looks*

The School

Founded in 1929 by Lucy Morgan, the Penland School of Craft in North Carolina began as an initiative to promote traditional Appalachian handcrafts and provide a means of livelihood for local women. Initially focused on weaving, Penland expanded its offerings over the years to include a wide range of craft disciplines, such as textiles, pottery, metalwork, glass, and book arts. The school quickly became renowned for its immersive workshops and commitment to fostering creativity and craftsmanship. Penland's picturesque setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains and its vibrant community of artists and educators have made it a hub for innovation and artistic development, attracting students and instructors from around the world. Today, Penland continues to honor its roots while embracing contemporary craft practices, serving as a beacon for the craft community.
The school offers students an immersive and enriching experience in a variety of craft disciplines, including ceramics, textiles, metalwork, glass, wood, photography, and book arts. With a focus on hands-on learning, Penland provides workshops led by expert instructors, fostering both technical skills and creative exploration. Students benefit from state-of-the-art facilities and a supportive community of like-minded individuals, encouraging collaboration and artistic growth. The school's beautiful location in the Blue Ridge Mountains further enhances the experience, providing a serene and inspiring backdrop for creativity. Additionally, Penland offers a range of programs, from short-term workshops to longer residencies, accommodating artists of all levels and allowing them to deepen their craft and expand their artistic horizons.

The Class

The class was designed not only to teach a few of our patterns but also to enrich each student's home sewing practice, instilling confidence in their ability to design for themselves. We started from the basics, sharing best practices such as cutting fabric on a layer of paper and making a muslin before using final fabrics—a method often overlooked. Students learned fundamental pattern-making skills, empowering them to bring their personal design preferences to life and supporting their ongoing sewing journeys.

Between demonstrations, we engaged in readings and discussions on creative practice, sustainability, and interactions with the retail industry. Our days included communal meals at the dining hall, slide presentations by instructors and student assistants, and mingling with students from other studios, all focused on deepening their understanding of specific mediums.

The Students

Since this class wasn't designed to teach the fundamentals of sewing, we were initially concerned about students who had never assembled a garment before. While several participants knew how to operate a sewing machine, they had never made a garment. These beginners, however, surprised us with their dedication, keeping pace with more experienced sewists. The class consisted of a diverse range of ages and life experiences, enriching our discussions and the exchange of tips, and creating a dynamic and vibrant learning environment.

A couple of months before arriving at Penland, we surveyed everyone and discovered that many had been sewing for decades, making us worry we might not have anything new to teach them. However, we quickly realized we had a lot to offer even seasoned sewists. With our fashion industry experience, we introduced garment-making techniques not commonly known to home sewists. Whether you're a home sewist or a fashion industry professional, there are countless ways to achieve the same results, and most of them are correct. Often, we stick to the methods we first learned and miss out on other effective techniques. These group learning experiences are fantastic because even as teachers, we picked up new sewing tips and tricks.

The Readings

Our syllabus prioritized each sewist's creative practice, aiming to empower them through the act of sewing. To set an inspired tone, we began with an excerpt from Rick Rubin's book, "The Creative Act". Throughout the class, we sprinkled in additional readings to enrich the student experience and encourage them to think more deeply about how their home sewing practice could serve them beyond just making clothing. These readings provided broader insights and perspectives, helping students see the wider impact and potential of their craft.

“Creativity is not a rare ability. It is not difficult to access. Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human. It’s our birthright. And it’s for all of us.”

— Rick Rubin, "The Creative Act"

The Creative Act, by Rick Rubins: explores the nature of creativity, presenting it as a fundamental way of being rather than just an activity. Rubin, a celebrated music producer, believes that everyone possesses inherent creativity, which can be accessed through a dedicated and consistent practice. The book delves into various key themes, illustrating how individuals can cultivate and harness their creative potential.

Once settled into the serene, mountain-lined campus of Penland and given the mental space to get creative, we introduced an excerpt from "Dictionary of Dress" by Judith Clark and Adam Phillips to inspire their imaginations. We then asked each student to reflect on the wardrobe planning exercise from the first day and use their insights to define their personal style term. They then crafted a creative and unique definition for that term.

The Concise Dictionary of Dress, by Judith Clark & Adam Phillips: this book takes a unique look at fashion through the perspectives of psychoanalysis, literature, art, and couture. It's set up like a dictionary, with unconventional and thought-provoking definitions for fashion terms like "armor," "loose," and "provocative." These definitions are paired with photos of installations created by Clark, displayed at the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Blythe House. This combination of words and visuals creates a deep, engaging dialogue. The book highlights how fashion can reflect complex emotions and societal norms, making it a fascinating read for anyone interested in the deeper meanings behind what we wear.

After a week of settling into the Penland campus, we gathered outside the Lily Loom textile building to discuss an important chapter from Weaver of the Southern Highlands titled "Appalachian School and Penland Weavers." This chapter outlines the history and origins of the Penland School of Craft. We felt it was essential to highlight how each of us represents a vital link in the 95-year legacy of artists and makers, continuing the rich tradition that Penland embodies.

*Photo by The University Press of Kentucky*

Weaver of the Southern Highlands, by Philis Alvic: The chapter "Appalachian School and Penland Weavers" from Weavers of the Southern Highlands explores the beginnings and growth of the Penland School of Craft. Established by Lucy Morgan in the early 1920s, the school initially focused on reviving hand-weaving and creating income opportunities for local women. Over time, it transformed into a thriving craft community renowned for its weaving programs and diverse range of crafts. The chapter emphasizes Morgan’s innovative leadership, the formation of the Penland Weavers and Potters cooperative, and the school's significant role in the Appalachian craft revival movement

Our final discussion aimed to spark a conversation about how each student wanted to engage with the retail ready-to-wear industry and how this interaction would impact their home sewing practice. We shared our perspectives on Lidewij Edelkoort's Anti-Fashion manifesto, which stirred passionate feelings about sustainability, inclusivity, and authenticity. This dialogue encouraged the students to reflect deeply on their values and the future direction of their sewing endeavors.

Anti_Fashion a manifesto for the next decade, by Lidewij Edelkoort: a critique of the current fashion industry, highlighting its numerous flaws and advocating for a fundamental shift in how fashion is perceived and produced. Edelkoort argues that the fashion system is obsolete, having become a parody of itself with its focus on trends and commercialism over substance and innovation. She emphasizes that education in fashion is misguided, manufacturing is exploitative, and marketing is superficial, contributing to a cycle that prioritizes profit over creativity and sustainability.

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The Patterns

We integrated four of our sewing patterns into the syllabus, using them as a foundation for students to personalize their designs and fit. We began each session by demonstrating the most challenging steps of each pattern, followed by guiding the students through creating a muslin for fitting purposes. This process allowed us to assist them with adjusting the original pattern to fit correctly and to support their unique design ideas.

As part of the wardrobe planning exercise, students completed a "Make Sheet" introduced on the first day. This sheet guided them to consider all garment details—such as closures, stitch length, and seam finishings—before cutting into the final fabric. By planning these elements at the outset, students were able to fully envision and actualize their design goals.

We kicked off with the Bumper Jumper, a versatile sewing pattern offering endless customization possibilities. We showcased various online inspiration to inspire students and encouraged them to consider how the garment would fit into their lives. Leveraging our pattern-making expertise, we guided them through adjustments like altering necklines, converting the jumpsuit into a dress, adding patch pockets, and applying different shaping techniques to the waistline. This hands-on approach allowed students to tailor the pattern to their unique styles and needs.

*FInal Bumper Jumpers by Hila and Kimberley*

We quickly moved on to the Gable Shirt, introducing a range of sewing techniques to our beginner sewists, such as setting in sleeves and binding a neckline. This pattern provided an excellent opportunity to delve into fundamental pattern-making skills that students could use long after the class. We broke down the anatomy of a sleeve and collar, offering a crash course in pattern making to equip them with the knowledge to create new styles of sleeves and collars for any button-up shirt pattern in the future.

*Libby teaching sleeve assembly of the Gable Shirt*

*Jonnie teaching collar and sleeve patternmaking*

We demonstrated how to adjust the collar height and the spread between the collar points, as well as how to draft a Peter Pan collar. Students learned to apply a single pattern-making technique to create multiple collar styles. The same approach was used for sleeves: we transformed the long sleeve from the Gable Shirt into a short sleeve and then evolved it into three additional sleeve styles, all compatible with the original shirt pattern. While some students opted to make the Gable Shirt as designed, others enthusiastically applied their newfound skills to create unique looks. They presented their ideas, and we helped them devise a plan to achieve their vision. Once confident in their patterns, they made another muslin to test their adjustments.

*Sleeve and neckline variations by Julie and Julie*

Our highly anticipated sewing pattern, the Shop Pant, made it’s debut before the end of the week as we taught best practices for fitting pants. Students began with the closest size from our size chart, based on their measurements, and started fitting muslins before the weekend. Everyone was determined to leave the class with a perfectly fitting pant pattern, so many worked diligently throughout the weekend to complete their fittings and be ready to sew the final fabric the following week. Before they began cutting their final fabrics, we demonstrated key steps in the Shop Pant assembly process. We had a larger audience than usual for the fly front demonstration, as many sewists find this part of pant-making intimidating. We hope our demo eased their nerves and encouraged them to give it a try.

*Jonnie and Libby teaching the Shop Pant construction*

*Our studio assistant, Ruth, teaching how to attach the waistband to the Shop Pant*

We set them loose, and several of them were able to complete their final pair before the second week ended. Most of them created a full muslin before cutting into their final fabric, demonstrating the value of taking the time to test with muslins. Testing not only the fit of the pattern but also all the sewing steps proved to be crucial for ensuring the final garment met their expectations.

*Julie’s perfect pattern matching and Carol’s striped details*

The Hip Pack was offered as a “bonus” pattern. While the first three patterns were already ambitious, we knew some experienced sewists would have time for it. The whole class was in for a treat when our co-founder, Leigh, stopped by to teach the demo. As the designer of the pattern and an experienced bag designer, she was the perfect instructor. We provided all the necessary materials, including straps, zippers, buckles, and slides, so participants could start making the bag right away or take everything with them for their first project outside of the class.

*Cut Hip Pack pieces ready for Leigh’s demo*

*Jan’s Hip Pack made with rip stop nylon and neon yellow details*

The Final Day

Toward the end of the session, we were all running out of steam, but we had some fun events planned to keep us energized. Each student shared what they made along with their unique term and definition, inspired by readings from The Concise Dictionary of Dress. Next, we cleaned up the studio for the incoming session and steamed all the finished garments for a quick photoshoot on the knoll. It was a wonderful moment to celebrate the students' hard work and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Shortly after the shoot, the entire school showcased their work during a show and tell, allowing everyone to see what each studio had been focused on for the past few weeks. We displayed one item from each student, inspiring others to see the possibilities of making clothing for themselves. The final event was an auction dedicated to raising funds for scholarships. Open Studio donated several items, and the Hip Pack made by Leigh during the demo sold for $125, much to our delight.

*Wardrobe Design/Build class in front of the Lily Loom textile building*

We dedicated considerable time to developing this class, aiming to help home sewists view their hobby as a deeply personal and creative act. Although we were uncertain about the impact of each syllabus element, we were pleasantly surprised to hear how much of it each person found useful and wanted to continue using in the future. From sewing tips to understanding personal style preferences, the class was rich with information sharing. Sewing is often a solitary activity, so it was rare and rewarding to immerse ourselves in an environment focused solely on one craft for an extended period. We look forward to finding more opportunities to teach this class again or offer shorter versions of it. We find the act of sewing for oneself incredibly empowering and hope to continue creating environments where individuals can gain confidence in their ideas and skills.

The Full Length Video

Open Studio Patterns