Introduction to dress making

Join me in making a simple skirt or dress in these two-weekend-day sewing sessions.

The class takes place over two days. The first day is all about learning to read a pattern, learning to adjust it to your size and fit and starting on a sample. You will then cut out your fabric on the second day and start sewing it all up, learning about interfacing, pressing, seam allowances, understitching and top stitching, and hemming along the way.

The pattern and use of a sewing machine, all tools, and interfacing is included in the price.

You will need to bring 2.5m of fabric (please nothing too light coloured, flimsy, lacy, silky or otherwise difficult to work with fabric and no knits pls), a 22" invisible zip in a matching colour if we are making the skirt, and a spool of thread (Guterman or Coats) to match. I do have tons of baby cord in red, light bright blue, brown and lipstick pink which you are welcome to use as well as pink, beige, olive and blue wool and grey and red whale cord (these are good for the skirt but not the dress) which you are very welcome to use for free (or a donation to Eat or Heat in the form of tins and cans of food would't ever go amiss). Don't buy anything too expensive or precious for your first project!

You will need to be able to sew, thread up the machine and wind up bobbins independently before joining this class but you don't need to be fantastic. Please join a beginners class first if your knowledge is patchy or rusty as you will waste precious sewing time (mine and yours) if you need help with the real basics.

The class is approximately 12 hours long. Approximately as we will carry on (within reason!) until we have finished so we may overrun slightly or we may finish slightly early.

You will also get a copy of my sewing handbook to take home (RRP£15) so you won't have to take notes!

Level 2