Description
Tuesdays: 18 Apr – 28 Jun
6pm – 9pm
£320
(11 weekly classes)
Craft Central, High Street, Dunblane
Workshop Description:
Making your own clothes is about learning to BE YOURSELF. Choose your own fabric; fit it to your own unique body; express your own unique style. If you’re tired of wearing low quality, ill-fitting and generic hi-street clothing, then this course is your opportunity to break from the herd.
Led by Stitchery Founder Cassandra Belanger, this is an 11 week, in-depth introduction to making your own clothing in our welcoming and well equipped Dunblane Studio. The course is intended to equip you with a comprehensive set of basic skills that you can develop and apply to a range of clothing types. Learn how to use a sewing machine, work with paper patterns, and understand different fabrics. We’ll practice basic techniques on small samples, then apply them to constructing a simple top. Students will be walked through the process of making a garment with sustainability in mind. We’ll talk about fibres, textile production, and textile waste amongst other important topics. You will be encouraged to develop a practice of zero waste sewing. Finally, you’ll make your own unique garment from a selection of curated patterns in a fabric of your choice.
This class is suitable for absolute beginners, or anyone with limited experience who wants to firm up the basics. We have a Janaome 230DC computerised (with speed control) sewing machine available for each student; but you can bring your own if you like. And don’t worry if you might miss one or two classes: we’ve plenty of opportunities to catch up through our additional Sunday Sewing Sessions or private tuition.
Outcomes
- A basic set of sewing skills; a basic understanding of how to make clothes; and the confidence to go on and try more.
- An item of clothing made by you, to fit your body and in the fabric and style of your choice.
- A sample book, made by you and full of the techniques you’ve learned as part of the course. Use this for future reference.
- An understanding of how to make clothes that consider the impact on people and the planet.
- An understanding of zero waste sewing.
- A Making Clothes for Beginners e-book for future reference.
Course cost includes:
- 11 x 3-hour lessons
- Use of 230DC Janome computerized sewing machine each
- Use of 6234XL overlocker (shared between students)
Course cost excludes:
- Cost of pattern
- Cost of fabric and haberdashery
Topics Covered:
- How to use a sewing pattern (including zero waste sewing patterns)
- Taking body measurement and determining pattern size
- How to cut fabric
- Parts of the sewing machine
- Sewing basic stitches and seams
- Bust adjustments
- Fitting tips
- Darts, gathering and pleats
- In-seam pockets
- Sewing a lapped zipper
- Sewing a button and buttonhole
- Seam finishes
- Hems
Student Testimonials
“This was a wonderful (re)introduction to the basics of sewing, presented with a really helpful step-by-step approach, and has given me the confidence to read and understand patterns, and use the techniques learned to sew a well-fitting item of clothing!”
Sarah, Student Testimonial, 2021
“I would recommend this wonderful course to everyone! I found the classes really detailed but accessible. Cassandra is a lovely and extremely knowledgeable teacher. I’ll be signing up for more sewing with Stitchery in the future!”
Katherine, Student Testimonial, 2021
About Your Tutor
Cassandra’s work is an invitation to a more sustainable future. It challenges home sewists, designers and educators to think through the social and environmental impacts of their practice, exploring issues such as zero waste, transparency, embedded storytelling, feminism, sizism, and body image.
Originally from Western Canada, Cassandra currently runs The Stitchery Studio in Glasgow, Scotland, which offers private tuition and pop-up workshops, educating both home sewers and designers on the topics of making a zero waste wardrobe, garment construction, machining skills, sustainable design processes, garment fitting and patchwork quilting, all with an approach to encouraging sustainable thinking and zero waste sewing. She is also the co-founder of the Zero Waste Design Online Collective that develops online education resources in the field of zero waste design and systems thinking in fashion.
