Sewing is at the heart of all we wear everyday from morning to night, yet we never think about the story behind each garment or product we touch.  I started to teach sewing skills to people five years ago now.  It was in answer to the question most makers get asked “Why is ‘it’ so expensive?” The ‘it’ being something handmade, crafted and in my case the altering/ repairing of clothes. 

I wanted to give people the ability to sew for themselves, because it isn’t someone’s fault that they are shorter than the high street average fit. I would happily go out of business altering people’s clothes to teach everyone how to sew and make their own. Making is about the expression of self and through colour, shape and texture a simple metre of cloth can be transformed into something YOU made and beautiful. 

Through these classes the joy of craft and skill can be experienced with techniques that you can use for life.

Ready to go? Book your session today

Why Take Sewing Classes?

Personalised Instruction:  Each of my classes are private unless you choose to bring a friend or family member to enjoy the experience together.  This way you get 100% of my attention and you can bring projects that may be halfway through to trouble shoot.  Equally I get a lot of people wanting to make a project from start to finish with me.  The project can get stored in my studio or taken away for you to work on in-between. I always say if you do not need me to watch you sew a straight line then you do not need to pay me to watch.

Building Confidence:  There are Garment Making Bundle classes that are one-hour sessions that allow you to build up your own class style.  So, if you just want an hour to go through sewing a zip, we can do that.  If you want to sew for six hours because you live outside of London and this is a day trip, we can do that, bring some lunch and we will crack on. These classes are discounted after three hours to encourage the longevity of learning for those who are serious about building on their new skills. 

Sustainability and Creativity:  Let your new skills be a force for good.  By customising clothing you already own you will be saving money and the planet.  A study on renting clothes showed that by renting 10% of clothes over buying people could save 160,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide in the UK alone. Fast fashion: How clothes are linked to climate change – BBC News

Doesn’t that feel good – using natural cloth, thread and reducing on wastage through more thoughtful cutting are all great ways to reduce your sewing footprint and money too. 

There’s another good article here on the Good on You website about reducing your carbon footprint.

What You’ll Learn in My Sewing Skills Classes

Learn to sew basics and threading a sewing machine:  Starting with threading the sewing machine, I will do this first talking you through the set up.  Then you will get a go to put my words into action.  I do also have a video of this part on my YouTube channel The Ethical Tailor – YouTube. Here is the threading a sewing machine video.

From this we will go through sewing in a straight line, what the role of the bobbin is, thread tension, the dials and the difference of stitch functions. This is an hour session with the aim for you to feel confident to start sewing and practice more. Then when you want to leap up from that I have a tote bag or travel pouch making project class.

Learn to make a tote bag or travel pouch:  This class is a great beginner’s project class and one that I have created through students asking for a good next step project. You can bring your own cloth and fastenings or use the patchwork off-cut cloth I have created. This is a two hour session, bring a friend and have some creative fun.

Learn the Art of Alterations:  This is the OG class I created. Come learn my trade and gain the confidence to alter you own clothes. This is a two hour session that can cover one or two alteration points on a garment. You will be surprised by how long it takes. Bring your own garment to alter.

Learn to Copy your Favourite Garment:  Do you have a piece of clothing that you love and want to recreate it? Well then this is the class for you. Bring your garment along and I will show you how to transform it on to paper. This session is two hours and will only cover transferring the made garment on to paper. From this you will then be able to make it in cloth either at home or with my help through booking the garment making bundles. 

Book your session today 

Learn to Pattern Make:  Learn to make a fit block. A fit block is a paper pattern that fits only you.  We are all unique and that should be celebrated.  This class will allow you to make a fit block that is shaped to you for use in garment making from the fit block or for use to better shape an existing pattern. 

I will go through the drawing out of a fit block, front and back torso or trousers pattern. From this we will discuss different techniques in styling and shaping. This class can be intense for some people and does require an understanding of a garments overall shape. The class is two hours and all equipment is provided.

Learn to Make a Garment Bundle:  This class is structure free to allow for people to trouble shoot and take time over each step. They are hourly sessions that can be built up to a days worth or spread out over weeks or months. After three hours there is a discount on my hourly rate with a year for each bundle to be used. Bring everything you need to get started.

Rent a Sewing Machine:  You can also rent a sewing machine for use within my studio.  If you find it hard to concentrate at home or do not have the room for a sewing machine, then come a get creative within my studio. Machine are rented by the hour with discounts for the more hours you book within that day.  There are two sewing machines with some differing functions, an overlocker and iron that can all be used.  Plus a small cutting area with all equipment and an array of coloured threads to use. 

If you wish to use the far larger cutting table please get in contact as I use that to teach on so it will need to be booked out separately. Please note that by renting a sewing machine this means you do not require my help, please book the Learn to Sew class if you do require set up help. I will be doing my own client work or teaching otherwise.

Book your session today 

P.s. There is a Green Friday offer on from 29^th November to 22^nd December 2024 with 10% off all in-person classes, excluding the Make a Garment class, virtual classes and Rent a Sewing Machine.