Advanced Sewing Courses

Here is a brief guide to our 6 session advanced course. Each session is approximately 2 hours long. By the end of the workshop, participants will:

• Confidently construct complex garments from commercial or self-drafted patterns.
• Understand advanced fitting, tailoring, and finishing methods.
• Gain experience in specialist fabrics, linings, and embellishments.
• Produce at least one couture-quality finished garment or collection piece.

Objectives:

• Learn to plan complex projects independently.
• Master working with specialist and delicate fabrics.

Activities:

• Discuss fabric structure, drape, and directional nap (silk, satin, chiffon, wool, denim, lace).
• Demonstrate stabilising techniques: interfacing, underlining, stay stitching, and grainline control.
• Plan final project: jacket, dress, or tailored trousers.
• Create a project plan sheet (pattern, fabric, notions, timeline).

Skills Gained:

• Fabric analysis
• Project planning
• Professional preparation

Objectives:

• Perfect cutting accuracy and master complex pattern alterations.
• Explore drafting or combining patterns for custom designs.

Activities:

• Demonstrate pivot and slash methods for pattern alterations.
• Adjust patterns for design features (pleats, panels, princess seams).
• Mark and cut final garment fabric and lining accurately.
• Optional: introduce basic pattern drafting or draping on a mannequin.

Skills Gained:

• Pattern drafting
• Complex cutting
• Precision layout

Objectives:

• Learn methods for structure, shaping, and support in garments.
• Understand interlinings, canvases, and pad stitching.

Activities:

• Demonstrate pad stitching for lapels and collars.
• Construct darts, pleats, and boning for fitted garments.
• Create interfaced samples for reference.
• Begin construction of tailored garment (jacket, dress bodice, or trousers).

Skills Gained:

• Tailoring foundations
• Shaping
• Professional pressing

Objectives:

• Master complex fastenings and couture finishing details.
• Create invisible, bound, and lapped zips.

Activities:

• Insert concealed zips, bound buttonholes, and hand-finished closures.
• Apply linings using bagging or partial methods.
• Finish raw edges with bias binding, French seams, or Hong Kong finish.

Skills Gained:

• Professional closures
• Seam finishing
• Couture detail

Objectives:

• Learn how to fit garments professionally to the body.
• Identify and correct common fitting issues.

Activities:

• Conduct first garment fitting session (on self or model).
• Pin and mark adjustments (bust darts, waistline, hip shaping, sleeve head).
• Transfer adjustments to pattern or garment.
• Apply final structural and decorative stitching.

Skills Gained:

• Garment fitting
• Alteration techniques
• Precision finishing

Objectives:

• Complete and present a finished advanced-level garment.
• Demonstrate full process knowledge from concept to completion.

Activities:

• Final assembly, pressing, and finishing.
• Optional embellishment: piping, embroidery, lace overlay, or topstitch design.
• Group critique and photoshoot of completed garments.
• Reflection on skills, challenges, and future projects.

Skills Gained:

• Project execution
• Professional finishing
• Design presentation

• Sewing machine (domestic or industrial)
• Tailor’s shears & small scissors
• Tailor’s ham, sleeve roll, and pressing cloth
• Pattern paper or block templates
• Specialist needles and threads
• Interfacing, boning, lining fabric
• Tailored-weight fabrics (wool, suiting, or crepe)
• Zip, buttons, hooks & bars
• Embellishments (optional: beads, lace, trims)