My Ella holds sustainable textiles and funky junk workshops run by Helen O’Sullivan (nee Helen Ball) and sometimes her crafty friends. Helen is a part-time secondary Design & Technology teacher specialising in Fashion & Textiles, in addition to Food & Nutrition and ICT. Helen has also worked in the dynamic fashion industry for over 12 years from high street to alternative fashions for eco-companies such as TRAIDremade, Si:Su Designs, RSPCA Llys Nini/Ennini, Blysia Lingerie and currently designs and makes sustainable wedding dresses for her label Aria Bridal UK. Helen has worked with schools, colleges and youth groups around South Wales since 2008 and in 2010 set up My-Ella (STW) working on a self-employed basis. She has coordinated and taught accredited courses to various comprehensive school students, in particular disaffected students and worked with organisations such as Agored Cymru, SCVS and OCN. She has also held workshops at UK wide festival goers at Nozstock, Wood, Truck, Wychwood, Endorse It In Dorset and End Of The Road. Helen is available for eco-fashion workshops at after-school groups, community centres, festivals/events, throughout the UK. Equipped with her strong sustainability ethics, she utilises her skills to teach the principles of upcycling and using eco-fabrics. The informative workshops show how we can all get involved (in a fun and creative way!) to save clothes and textiles from landfill. Workshops take place at your own location and are for up to 20 people. Depending on the duration of the workshop, attendees can learn appliqué techniques, how to turn a drab old t-shirt into a summer smock vest, make a CD purse, create a fabric keyring, print over stained fabrics, basic sewing skills and more! Workshops can be held for adults, teachers, youth/community group leaders who want to learn new skills or wish to pass on the skills to children and young people in their groups or can be taught directly to the children and young people within a school/youth club setting. Helen is fully DBS checked on the update service.
