UPCYCLE YOUR OWN FESTIVAL SHIRT OR TOTE BAG

Start with a pre-loved shirt and rework it into something you’ll wear straight away.

You’ll choose your base, then customise it using trims, stitching, and simple up-cycling techniques – adding recycled fringing, panels, or small details that change the feel completely. Some people keep it subtle, others go all in. And for younger kids, up-cycled tote bags are on offer as a simpler item to customise.

You’ll be shown how to work with the materials and build your design so it holds together properly – using a mix of hand stitching, embroidery, and (where possible) sewing machines. If machines aren’t in use, the focus shifts to hand techniques and construction.

You don’t need a plan before you start. You’ll shape it as you go, with guidance on what works and how to get a clean finish.

By the end, you’ll have a shirt you can put straight on – something you’ve made yourself, ready for the rest of the weekend.

Gaby Owens is a London-based designer-maker who loves reworking preloved menswear into playful, contemporary pieces for her popular fashion brand, Grandpa’s Shirts.

• Suitable for all ages. All experience levels welcome.