Description
Mon 8 – Fri 12 July (5 days)
10am – 4pm
Join us for a five day long fitting masterclass, where we will create a sewing pattern master, based on your body shape, that you can use to adapt any pattern for your future sewing projects. We’re all different shapes and sizes. Thankfully. But when it comes to making clothes from a commercial pattern, this can sometimes make things tricky.
This is Cassandra’s most in-depth Fitting Masterclass to date: she’s going to take five days to equip you with a tried and tested method for getting great fit every time. You’ll come away with a paper pattern and wearable toile (garment sample), adjusted to your body, that you can use time and time again on your own projects. As always, the workshop is hands-on and student focused. People of all genders, sizes, and backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to attend this course.
Method
You will learn a unique fitting method, utilising horizontal and vertical balance lines to visually draw the eye to recognised fitting issues. The method is iterative, starting with adjustments to the paper pattern and the construction of a toile (a fitting sample). The toile is then used to determine further adjustments, which are transferred back to the paper pattern. This process, and the pattern created, can then be used as a template for tackling future fitting issues, modifying commercial patterns, or designing your own garments. During the workshop you’ll also be using scaled pattern samples to practice techniques. At the end of the course you’ll take away a completed comprehensive sample book on paper pattern adjustments, which can be used for future reference.
You’ll be using our in-house Fitting Pattern to create your toiles, learning additional techniques at each stage:
- Cup size and bust adjustments
- Fitting the shoulders, including forward rotating shoulders
- Shortening or lengthening the bodice
- Determining the correct armhole size
- Rounded back and sway back adjustments
- Fitting the sleeve
- Fitting the skirt
- Pattern drafting techniques for designing a top, based on the adjusted bodice
Course cost includes:
- Cost of pattern
- Use of 230DC Janome computerized sewing machine each
- Use of 6234XL overlocker (shared between students)
- Handouts for resource book
Course cost excludes:
- Cost of fabric and haberdashery
Skill level: Beyond Beginner. If you’ve taken one of our Sewing Clothes for Beginners classes, or you’ve made at least one garment in the past you’re good to go!
About Your Tutor
Cassandra Belanger has 13 years of experience hosting workshops in sustainable design, textiles and garment construction. Her work is an invitation to a more sustainable future and education is at the centre of her creative practice. She is the founder of The Stitchery Studio, is co-founder and Director of the Zero Waste Design Collective and a founding member of Sustainable Fashion Scotland. She is the Resident Sewing Instructor at the Central Scottish School of Craft and a Fashion and Textile Lecturer at Glasgow West College. Her research interests center around sustainable fashion and textile design education and fashion systems for a post growth economy. Her design and teaching practice explores issues such as zero waste, waste colonialism, transparency, colour therapy, feminism, sizeism, and body image.
- Tea and coffee are provided but participants should bring their own lunch and utensils
- This class is suitable for over 18s, younger crafters may be accommodated if accompanied by a participating adult but please contact us before booking
- If the workshop you were looking at is fully booked drop us an email and we’ll add you to the waiting list. We will add extra dates to our most popular workshops too, join the mailing list to be the first to know
- All of our workshops are held in our accessible studio at Craft Central, High Street, Dunblane, FK15 0EE
- If you need to cancel or reschedule your workshop we need at least three weeks notice and a cancellation fee applies. Please read our cancellation policy before booking
- Deposit payments are available on this course. 50% deposit secures your space, and the remaining balance is due three weeks before the course commences.
