Intro to Garment Making Course - 6 Weekly Sessions or 3 Day Intensive
Every year we guide and teach hundreds of fledgling sewists and equip them with the skills and confidence to progress to more advanced dressmaking and feel they can work through sewing patterns without assistance.
This course will enable students to complete a minimum of 2 garments and, if time allows, start a third project of their choice.
Learn or cover in class:
- How to read and use commercial patterns and unravel the language of dressmaking.
- How to use pattern sizing and fabric guides
- How to prepare fabric
- Necklines - attach facings or ribbing.
- Set-in Sleeves
- Waistbands
- Zips
- Finishing hems and seams
Level 3: Students for this course must already know how to thread up a sewing machine and have experience making a couple of simple sewn items such as tote bags, cushions, pencil cases etc. This course can follow on from any of our Level 2 classes.
Materials: All sewing patterns are included, and each pattern has other garments and variants of style which you can try at home after you complete your course. For this course you are only required to bring fabric for the garments. The machines, equipment & sundry materials, such as basic thread colours and interfacing are provided.
Fabric requirements for your first project - a choice of top with set in sleeves - are below.
WEEKS 1 & 2: Top
Top Option 1: Women’s New Look 6543
Fabric 45”/115cm wide: - All sizes 1.6m
Fabric 60”/ 150cm wide: - All sizes 1.1m
Plus 10mm button
Top Option 2: Unisex Top - Merchant and Mills - The Tee
Size 36: 1.2m (All fabric widths)
Size 38-40: 2m (Fabric 110cm/120cm wide) or 1.2m (Fabric 140cm+ wide)
Size 42-46 - 2.1m (Fabric 110cm / 120cm wide) or 1.25m (Fabric 140cm+ wide)
Plus 10cm of Ribbing (all sizes)
Fabric Recommendations: Linen, soft cottons, chambray, cotton poplin, lawn, shirting, quilting or medium weight cotton prints.
WEEKS 3 - 6: Discuss options with your teacher in class.
Homework: Some homework may be required during the course, this will involve cutting the paper patterns & fabric and catching up on a bit sewing if needs be.
Booking a class at Ray Stitch entitles you to 10% off everything in-store for one week where our team are happy to help and advise on fabric.
What next? Upon completing this course, we offer a range of advanced dressmaking classes including; various day dress and trouser making classes, sewing with silk, jacket making, Introduction to Overlocker and Sewing with Stretch courses for those wishing to learn to use stretch fabrics. We also teach advanced techniques classes, couture and tailoring techniques workshops, for those who would like to extend their knowledge and achieve a professional finish.
We also run regular freestyle sewing and dressmaking; for those who either need some help with a project they have on the go or want to make or learn something specific that we don’t cover in any of the group classes.