Inspired by the art and dress reform movements of the early 1900s, Sabine Bolk and Sarah Pedlow invite you to explore the history of clothing reform and create your own ready-to-wear collar.

In 1899, the Vereeniging voor Verbetering van Vrouwenkleeding (Association for the Improvement of Women’s Clothing, V.v.V.v.V.) was founded in the Netherlands. Drawing on the German Reform movement, it advocated for women’s (and children’s) dress that allowed greater freedom of movement, was easier to wash, and made from more natural fabrics. Decoration was often concentrated on removable parts of the garment, such as collars. Crafts associated with De Nieuwe Kunst (the Dutch Art & Crafts movement), including batik and embroidery, were incorporated into these designs.

In Austria, the Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshop) also supported dress reform while developing innovative designs in clothing and the applied arts. Dedicated to the artistic production of functional objects, from textiles to furniture, the Werkstätte became a pioneer of modern design, influencing later movements such as Bauhaus and Art Deco.

This two-day workshop introduces batik and embroidery within the context of these Dutch and Austrian movements. On day one, learn the basics of batik using a canting (wax pen) to draw your own motif in hot wax on cotton. On the second day, continue by embroidering your dyed batik piece to create your unique collar. No embroidery experience is needed.

Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 1 and 2
11:00am - 4:00pm
De Wilg, Utrecht

Workshop includes materials, coffee/tea, and a special Indonesian vegetarian lunch each day.

€275 $325 USD Payment here on my website is conducted in USD. Locals, please email me to register and pay in Euros by bank transfer.

We will email you the details a couple weeks before the workshop.

Sabine Bolk (1984) is a Dutch artist and batik researcher who has been traveling to Indonesia since 2009. On her blog The journey to Batik she writes about her journeys and research on makers and wearers in past and present. Sabine writes articles, organises events, gives talks, presentations and workshops to promote, preserve and protect batik. 

Images: 1. Example collar on Indonesian batik with embroidery by Sarah. 2 and 3. Batik examples by Sabine. 4. Embroidery by Sarah. 5. Portrait of Sabine Bolk.