INTRODUCTION TO MACHINE SEWING
Our classes are a great starting block for aspiring sewers - whether you just want to master some basic sewing techniques or you’re keen to begin the journey towards making your own clothes. If you’ve never used a sewing machine before or are feeling a bit rusty, sign up for a single session or a course of six and learn all the skills necessary to confidently embark on your own machine sewn projects.
Choose either our Single 3 Hour Classes and make a simple sewn project. No need to bring anything, use Ray Stitch fabric and take away something that’s yours to keep and admire forever! Or enrol on our 6 Week Course which offers more intensive teaching, running for three hours each week they cover a wide range of valuable sewing skills to set you up for more advanced classes.
SOFT FURNISHINGS
Making soft furnishings is a great way to better your sewing machine skills and improve your confidence. We have recently launched a new class teaching how to make a custom Box Cushion Cover (for seating) and we are developing another for how to make curtains. Watch this space!
MAKING CLOTHES
If you already know your way around a sewing machine and are keen to start making your own clothes then look no further! We offer courses and one day workshops where you can learn all the skills you will need.
INTRO TO DRESSMAKING 6 WEEK COURSE
An essential starting block and highly popular – every year we guide and teach over three hundred fledgling sewers until they are fully equipped with skills and confidence to create their own garments independently.
INTRODUCTION TO SEWING WITH STRETCH 4 WEEK COURSE
An intensive programme aimed at further extending your material skills. If you have already sewn with woven fabric and would like to expand your repertoire then this course will teach you the special techniques required for successful stretch garments. This course has also been designed to invite male students who want to start making mens clothing.
ONE DAY WORKSHOPS
For anybody who is a confident machine sewer looking to develop their garment construction skills. We offer classes from beginner to advanced level to improve your confidence with sewing patterns and help build upon your techniques. Speak to our staff if you need help choosing an appropriate level or even better, come into the shop and be inspired by the garments we have made-up and the irresistible choice of fabrics!
SHORT COURSES
Follow on from our introduction courses and intermediate workshops. You will learn to make more complex garments that take a little longer to complete such as shirts, jeans & coats. During the weekly sessions we teach more advanced techniques and processes to ensure you gain the most professional finish.
PATTERN CUTTING
Once you have mastered the basics of garment construction and know how to use a sewing pattern then you might want to achieve a better fit for your garments. For this we offer Introductory to Advanced level classes to teach you about creating blocks and drafting patterns. There is the option for you to choose to learn traditional methods or use the more modern Telestia Method which uses a unique template that eliminates the need for a lot of maths and difficult calculations.
We also offer our popular Recreate The Pattern For Your Favourite Garment class which compliments all of our Pattern Cutting classes. You will ‘trace off’ your favourite garment without opening any seams or deconstructing it in any way. You will learn how to create an exact copy of the pattern pieces so you can make it over and over again.
HAND STITCHING, WEAVING & QUILT MAKING
We hold a plethora of creative workshops that explore new and traditional craft processes including hand stitching, blackwork, darning, sashiko, boro, shibori, hand quilting, patchwork and hand weaving. So why not come and enjoy a slower pace, meet like minded people and learn a new skill in our beautiful, light and well equipped workshop.
Celia Pym