Dressmaking St George & Sutherland Community College

Dressmaking

Have you ever wanted to take up or re kindle sewing? Learn how to sew your own clothes and fit them to your body in this creative, and hands on fun class. You will learn how to master your own sewing machine as we cover various sewing techniques including seams, darts, zips, buttonholes and much more. You will also make your own skirt using a commercial pattern and fit it to your body. By the end of this course, you will be able to confidently use the skills learnt to continue to grow on your sewing journey. You will also have created a visual sewing technique book to keep as a reference for future sewing projects.

Course Outline:

  • Introduction to the course
  • Measuring your body and learning pattern reading
  • Determining your pattern size and cutting out your pattern
  • Discussing best fabric and notions to buy
  • Pattern placement on fabric (including grainlines), cutting the pattern out on your fabric
  • Setting up your machine and understanding your machine instruction manual
  • Sewing Skills – practice exercises including zips, seams, finishes, darts, pin stitch, top stitch, under stitch, automatic buttonhole feature, the importance of pressing
  • Begin skirt making
  • Sewing and fitting – Modifying the skirt to fit your body
  • Finishing off skirt
  • Modifying the skirt pattern to fit your body ready for your next project
  • Create visual reference book

Learning Outcomes:

  • Body measuring, reading patterns. Altering a commercial pattern to fit your body.
  • Understanding fabric types and suitability for pattern
  • How to lay patterns on fabric correctly – grainlines, facings and interfacings, the importance of notches
  • How to insert different zipper types
  • Sewing techniques such as seam finishes, hem finishes, darts, pin stitch, top stitch, under stitch, buttonholes
  • Sewing and clipping around curves
  • Importance of pressing as you go
  • How to master your own sewing machine including threading your machine. Understanding your sewing machine manual and trouble shooting.
  • Creating a visual reference book to use for future sewing projects

What to bring:

  • A4 lecture pad, pen and pencil
  • A4 display folder with plastic sleeves
  • Sewing machine (including foot pedal and manual)
  • Tape measure, fabric scissors, paper scissors, thread clippers, tailors chalk, pearl head pins and pin cushion (optional)
  • 1 Metre of calico
  • 1 invisible zip (approx. 18cm) 1 regular zip (approx. 18cm) – These will be used for your visual reference book
  • Either New Look Pattern 6053 or New Look Pattern 6843
  • On the first night we will discuss types of fabric to buy for your skirt as well as any other accessories.

Other Information:

  • To ensure resources are ready for you at the start of your course, we ask you ideally enrol at least one week before the course commences.
  • All courses need a minimum number of students to run ("we try our hardest to get those") . If your course does not have enough students it will be cancelled before the commencement and you will be informed.

This course has no current classes. Please the waiting list.