As part of Kilkenny Arts Office’s community arts and climate action 2025 programme we continue to deliver projects as part of our Waste Not Want Not programme. This programme is a natural progression and development of our 2023 and 2024 programme, where we worked with individuals and groups to upcycle and re-purpose waste fabrics, saving it from landfill and giving new life. The 2024 programme included skills-based workshops, such as alterations and repair, repurposing denim, basic sewing skills, sashiko and embroidery. We also hosted a very successful Repair day which coincided with International Repair day
The Arts Office has a longstanding history of running environmentally friendly / climate action-based community programmes, notably Three Bags Full, Born to Knit and Making Space, which ran from 2011 – 2013. All of these projects sourced specific waste streams and designed and delivered community projects, ensuring that these waste materials remained in the system whilst at the same time creating new communities, and building local building confidence and capacity.
Sewing Seeds is a four‑season creative programme exploring circular design, textile waste streams, and community education and connection through making, reflection, and environmental action. Spring, Summer, and Autumn will be led by a different artist whose practice aligns with a phase of the fashion cycle: production, consumption and care, and waste and disposal. Participants may join one, two, or all four blocks. Winter will see the participants self-direct, all the while supported by the Arts Office.
The programme combines hands‑on making, seasonal awareness, and real‑world environmental engagement. Each block includes a Generate Day, a series of artist‑led workshops, and an Activate Day with a local eco‑group. Winter is held as a quieter period for reflection and future thinking where participants will continue to explore techniques learned in the previous three seasons. These sessions will be book-ended by an artist who will support the conversations and explorations of the previous blocks, focussing on topics such as ‘Wintering’ and Eco-practices. The programme aligns with the Earth charter Pillars.
Objectives:
- Educate the community about the principles of the circular economy in textiles and the textile industry.
- Motivate changes in behaviour in respect of textile use and consumption a
- Encourage and teach skills and knowledge around sustainable practices such as recycling, upcycling, and responsible consumption.
- Inspire creativity and innovation in the use of textile materials.
- Foster awareness, community engagement, conversation and collaboration
Booking Details:
Participants may join one, two, or all four blocks. Please specify which blocks you wish to book on to by emailing Ann Carroll : ann.carroll@kilkennycoco.ie
Subsidies cost as follows:
1 season €50 / 2 seasons € 90
3 seasons €120 / 4 seasons €150
Materials:
The project has been designed around existing textile waste streams that the Arts Office has access to. These include out of date pull-up banners, wool packing, fleece, the selvedge edge from the weaving industry, waste denim accessed from local charity shops, fabric, sample books and interior design fabrics, such a tweed, sofa upholstery, heavy cottons and curtain fabrics. These are the materials around which the project has been designed.
Seasonal Blocks
Spring – Textile Production
Waste Stream: untreated wool and wool packing
Seasonal Lens: growth, light, care
Participants explore wool as a regenerative material through felting, spinning, dyeing, and creating objects that support growing—such as kneelers, planters, and seed‑starting aids.
Summer – Consumption, Use & Material Care
Waste Stream: linens, cottons, natural fibres, denims, offcuts
Seasonal Lens: abundance, active use
Participants transform textile waste into functional summer items—totes, pouches, placemats—using sewing, flower printing, weaving, and upcycling.
Autumn – Waste & Disposal
Waste Stream: upholstery fabrics, banners, stored scraps
Seasonal Lens: harvesting, storing, letting go
Participants reimagine textile waste into durable seasonal pieces such as harvest aprons, waxed wraps, baskets, textile bowls, and repaired winter garments.
Generate Days
Each season begins with a simple make using the identified waste stream, paired with guided conversation about the season, materials, and participants’ own experiences. These days build connection and set the creative and reflective tone.
Participant Benefits
– Hands‑on skills in sewing, mending, upcycling, and circular design
– Understanding of material life cycles and sustainable textile practices
– Connection to seasonal rhythms and local environmental action
– A supportive creative community and shared learning journey
– Pathways to ongoing involvement with local eco‑groups
Accessibility
The programme has been streamlined to four seasonal blocks. Participants may join any single block or complete all four for a deeper, interconnected learning experience.
