This course is designed especially for beginners to sewing. If you have never used a sewing machine before, or used one many a moon ago and would like to reacquaint yourself with sewing, then this course will give you the skills and confidence to get started sewing. Over the duration of this course you will learn about the sewing machine, how to sew a variety of different stitches, seams, how to, make button holes, hand stitching techniques to name a few. The objective is to equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to give you the confidence to work on many different sewing projects going forward and to make sure its a fun learning experience that leaves you wanting to sew more and more.
We will break about half way through each session for refreshments, as sewing is thirsty work for mind and body therefore it’s only natural that there will be plenty of tea, coffee and cake to keep us going!
This course will run over four weeks, made up of four, 3 hour sessions:
Session 1
- Learn the basics about the sewing machine and techniques
- Identify the parts of a sewing machine and become familiar with them
- Thread, wind a bobbin and adjust the machine through its various settings
- Identify and sew different machine stitches and seams, creating your own samples
- Overview of fabrics and different needles
Session 2
- Build on the skills from Session 1 and make beautiful Bunting
- Learn how to make pattern pieces
- Learn about grain lines and seam allowances
- How to lay and cut out your bunting
- How to sew sharp pointed corners
- Trimming down corners
- How to sew on Bias Binding
Materials required for Session 2:
You will need to bring 25cm lengths of various colours or prints of 100% cotton fabric of your bunting flags. 2.5 meters of 2.5cm wide bias binding in a matching colour as well as thread to match.
Session 3
- Build on the skills from Session 2 and make an Easy Square Shaped Tote Bag
- Learn to lay and cut out a pattern
- Pin and stitch pattern pieces together
- How to sew straps and sew on trims
- How to press out seams
- Learn finishing techniques – i.e. Overlocking
Materials required for Session 3:
You will need to bring 1 meter length of your choice of fabric for the tote bag and 2.40 meters of cotton tape / webbing – no wider than 1 inch and thread to match the fabric and trim of your choosing.
Session 4
- Build on the skills from Session 3 and make a 45cm x 45cm Envelope Cushion Cover with Button Closure
- Learn to measure and mark out fabric
- Use interfacing for rigidity
- How to position, mark out and sew button holes and buttons
- How to sew corners
- How to finish the seams using an over locker
Materials required for Session 4:
You will need to bring 60cm length of your choice of fabric for the cushion cover, plus 3 medium sized buttons and thread to match. If you wish to make the back of the cushion in a different fabric, make sure you purchase another length of 60cm for the back.1 x 50cm x 50cm cushion inner.
Level: 1 – Beginner
Course Length: Four, 3 hour sessions
Max in a class: 5
Price: £175
The course fee excludes patterns, however if you would like to purchase the Eli-B Tote Bag & Cushion Cover patterns for your personal use beyond the course, these are £7.50 each. Please let me know which patterns you would like at the time of booking so we can set them aside for you. We have found that clients have preferred to take up this option as it has equipped them to practice what they have learned in class by making more bags and cushions, which also make great gifts.
Please bring along to your first lesson and all subsequent lessons, your sewing machine (if you have one), pins, sewing machine needles, snipping scissors, tape measure, seam ripper, tailors chalk or erasable fabric marking pen, bobbins and dressmaking scissors as well as hand sewing needles as well as fabrics and threads etc.
After making your booking we will send you the invoice for attendance on the course and the list of specific fabric and haberdashery requirements for each week.
If you need help putting together a starter kit, please let me know and I will be happy to put one together for you. Our standard starter kit is £60 and contains:
- Dressmaking Scissors
- Snip Scissors
- Dressmakers Tape Measure
- Pins
- Seam Ripper
- Taylors Chalk
- Erasable Marking Pen
- Bobbins
- Large Safety Pin
- Sewing Machine Needles
- One Reel of Thread
- a Packet of Hand Sewing Needles
I also carry a stock of fabrics and haberdashery should you wish to purchase on the day (card payment facility available) or you can also browse and buy fabrics at our online fabric shop.