Sewing in Steps

Seven levels of instruction...

Start with a basic skirt and advance step by step to a tailored jacket.

Sewing gives you the opportunity to exercise your creativity and to make unique clothing while achieving a perfect fit.  Sewing is not difficult.  Fitting is difficult, which is why you benefit from the assistance of a trained sewing instructor.

In the Learn to Sew/You Can Make It® classes, people with no prior experience can begin with the basics and build their skills through seven levels of increasing difficulty.  Those who already have sewing skills can jump in at any level and learn couturier techniques.

Men can sew, too!  Suitable mens clothes will be substituted for the projects: shorts for skirts and shirts for blouses.

You will progress at your own pace and along the way you will create garments that are stylish and that fit!

Learn to identify your figure type . . . and how to select the most flattering styles for your body profile

Learn all about patterns, sizes, guide sheets

Learn how to lay out fabric, cut, mark and sew

Learn how to operate a sewing machine

You will make a classic gathered skirt with elasticized waistline.

Level 1 - Classic Skirt

Level 2 - Classic Skirt

Learn the design features that create fit: darts, tucks and pleats

Learn to fit your own waist and hips

Learn the different types of closures: buttons, snaps, zippers, hooks & eyes, Velcro

Learn how to copy design features from ready-to-wear clothes

You will make a classic fitted skirt with zipper and separate waistband

Level 3 – Blouse

Learn to discriminate with design features: sleeves or not, collars or not, pockets or not

Learn different styles of front closures and different styles of sleeves

Work with embellishments: ruffles, lace, piping, edgings

Learn special seams for delicate fabrics

You will make a classic easy-fit blouse with sleeves and collar

Learn how to match plaids and work with large prints and one-way designs

Learn the many design possibilities of stripes

Learn to insert zippers in fabrics that must be matched

Work with piping and stitched elastic

You will make a classic jumper with center back zipper

Level 4 - Classic Dress or Jumper

Level 5 - Pants/Shorts

Learn how to fit pants

Learn all about napped fabrics— corduroy and velvet— and other specialty fabrics

Learn to insert lapped and invisible zippers

Learn the durable welt and flat-fell seams

You will make a pair of pants with front lapped zipper and pockets

Level 6 – Tailored Blouse

Learn tailoring techniques for soft garments

Learn all about setting in sleeves

Learn to make neck bands and pointed collars

Learn all about closures

You will make a classic tailored blouse with collar, button down front, and set in sleeves with placket and buttoned cuffs

Learn the fundamentals of tailoring

Learn to make welt pockets and bound buttonholes

Learn the basics of lining a garment

You will make a classic blazer jacket with lining, button front, welt pockets and notched collar

Level 7 – Tailored Jacket

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