Learn to sew
Kids Summer Sewing 9+yrs
£40 (for 2 sessions)
£60 (for 4 sessions)
£80 (for 6 sessions)
29 & 30 July
5 & 6 August
12 & 13 August
19 & 20 August
26 & 27 August
Beginner sewers – What do I do next?
OK, so if you now know where your machine’s flywheel is and know what a bobbin looks like, how to fill it and where it goes…. and perhaps getting to grips with how to sew a straight-ish line… then you might want to find a few projects that are not too hard and build some confidence using the skills you’ve learnt.
Tip: Don’t jump straight to a dress pattern as it’s important that you don’t get demotivated and throw your machine out the window!
Check out these 2 boards below on pinterest – I have gathered projects that are at the right level for beginners to sew a few projects from so that you can get a few wins under your belt:
Keeping motivated and doing smaller projects is best. Have fun!
99-year-old Woman sews a dress a day
Lillian Weber is 99-years-old and makes a dress for a small girl in Africa every single day.
By next May 6, when Lillian Weber celebrates her 100th birthday, her tally will reach 1,000 handmade dresses donated. In the past two years she’s finished more than 840 of them.
She may use just a single pattern but adorns each one with special decoration, ribbon or ruffle that makes the dress one-of-a-kind.
Purposeful sewing that makes a difference – love it!
New Sewing Café in Ealing
Sewing Café launch event
Saturday 5 July, 11am – 3pm
Pop in for a cup of tea with your family to see the café and meet other local sewing bees.
We now have space for a new sewing café that has all you need to get away from home chores so that you can get some sewing done or practice your new skills.
151 Brunswick road W5 1AH. No appointment is necessary for this event but please note that sessions are usually pre-booked online or by appointment.
I look forward to see you at the launch event.
Santa paid for my sewing classes
Ho ho ho! Why not put a few sewing classes onto your Christmas wish list this year? That way you’ve one New Years resolution already sorted.
- Choose which new 2014 classes you’d like to attend,
- then add the booking page URL’s to your wish list for friends & family.
Classes are £25 to £35 and a sewing group or two helps build confidence and are only £15 for a session. That’s £50 for a class and a sewing session! But hurry, before they’re booked up.
Or buy a new sewing machine to use in the classes if you don’t have one! You can rent a machine for £5 if you don’t have one but suggest you have your own.
Merry Christmas! I’ll be away in a warm country this Christmas til mid Jan!
Get creative: Freehand Machine Embroidery Class
Know how to use your sewing machine but want to get creative? Learn how to do decorative freehand embroidery designs with your sewing machine.
Great for card making, gifts picture in a frame, fun appliqué on a dress or pillowcase, customise an old item of clothing with these techniques. So get started: book online – Freehand Sewing Machine Embroidery class with teacher Katie (pics of her creations!). Class includes sewing machine set up, different techniques, ideas to get you designing and practice your technique.
Don’t know how to use your sewing machine yet? Book online – Sewing Machine Skills class.
New dates: Machine Sewing Skills class
Never touched a sewing machine before or a bit rusty and need to get your machine out the loft? Beginners & returners welcome.
Machine Sewing Skills class:
Tuesday, 16 July 9.30am-12.30pm
Thursday, 25 July 9.45am-12.45pm
Saturday, 3 August 3pm-6pm
Book classes & get details online>
Learn how to:
- thread a sewing machine
- sew in a straight line
- which stitches to use when
- troubleshooting
- understand the basic concepts of making things
- technique
- make something to take home too!
Dates for other classes on the way soon… let me know if there is any class your are particularly looking out for.
No machine, don’t worry, just hire a machine when you book online.
More machine sewing classes in Ealing
I’m excited to give you a run down of the latest classes.. doing the class timetable right now.. we have small classes of 4-6 people and offer classes on Saturdays, Tuesday & Thursday mornings and weekday evenings for the 2 hour classes. Why not spend the holiday making some beautiful things. Let me know which you’d like to join us for!
2 hour classes cost £25 – Tuesday/ Thursday evenings
3 hour classes cost £35 – Tuesday/ Thursday 10am-1pm or Saturday 10.30am-1.30pm / 3am-6pm
(Current prices expiring 30 Sept 2013)
…for all levels
Supervised Sewing Groups – 3 hour session, £15 bring own project
Know how to use your machine but lack confidence to start (or finish) a project on your own? Join us for cake, tea and most importantly advice and guidance at hand.
…for beginners:
- Machine sewing skills – 3 hour class, £35 (Skill: Beginners/ Refreshers)
Threading the machine, sewing in a straight line, which stitches to use when, technique, troubleshooting, basic concepts of making things. Hire a machine for £5 or dust yours off and get back into the swing of things again.
- Cutting & choosing fabrics – 2 hour class, £25 (Skill: Beginners)
Understanding different fabrics: characteristics, buying, cutting, how much to buy. Which needles, thread, foot pressure to use. (Related class: Following a pattern for intermediate)
- Alterations – 2 hour class, £25
All skill levels. Find out how to tackle those repairs & alterations you didn’t think you could do yourself! Take garments in/out, hemming, darning, broken zips, etc.
- PJ bottoms – 3 hour class, £35 bring own fabric (Skill: Beginners)
Make a pair of comfy, chilling-out-on-the-couch PJ bottoms.
- Zips & button holes – 2 hour class, £25 (Skill: Beginners)
Zips made easy! Make neat buttonholes on your machine easily.
- Make a little girl’s dress – 3 hour class, £35 bring own fabric
Make a little girl’s dress pillowcase dress or pinafore including button hole.
…for intermediates:
- Following a pattern – 3 hour class, £35 bring own fabric
Learn what all the abbreviations and terms mean. How to cut the fabric out and steps in using a clothing pattern. Including basics of sizing a pattern to your measurements.
- Curtains – 2 hour class, £25
Learn and practice the basics of making your own lined hanging curtains and save hundreds of pounds. Fabric calculations also included.
- Little girl’s dress theory only – 2 hour class, £25
Learn the basics of making little girl’s dresses which are size adjustable ideas and tricks to make them fit for longer.
See you soon for a cuppa tea and some sewing!
Let’s get sewing – it’s almost … Christmas!
Many of you have said that you haven’t sewn for years and would like to get back into it – so I have added a Machine sewing refresher session to the list of classes. Perhaps you could sew new Christmas stockings for the family or even make a few gifts for friends.
Here’s a list of classes before Christmas but the dates aren’t set in stone so do let me know if you’d like to do a class on a different date.
Supervised Sewing Groups– 3 hour session, £15 bring own project
Know how to use your machine but lack confidence to start (or finish) a project on your own? Join us for cake, tea and most importantly advice and guidance at hand.
…for all levels Saturdays 13 October, 10 November, 1 December – 10-1pm
Group sewing classes:
Machine sewing refresher session – 3 hour class, £30 bring own fabric
Can sew, but not touched your machine for many moons? How to thread your machine and make a cushion to get you back into the swing of things again. 13 October or 10 November – 2-5pm
…for beginners:
Alterations – 2 hour class, £25 (Skill: Beginners)
All skill levels. Find out how to tackle those repairs & alterations you didn’t think you could do yourself! Take garments in/out, hemming, darning, broken zips, etc. 17 November – 2.30-4.30pm
PJ bottoms – 3 hour class, £25 bring own fabric
(Skill: Beginners)
Make a pair of comfy, chilling-out-on-the-couch PJ bottoms. 20 Oct 2-5pm or 15 Dec 10-1pm
Short fur cape – 2.5 hour class, £25 bring own fabric
(Skill: Beginners)
Look totally glam this winter! Easy-to-make pattern. 24 Nov 10-12.30pm or 8 Dec 2.30-5pm
Zips & button holes – 2 hour class, £25 (Skill: Beginners)
Zips made easy! Make neat buttonholes on your machine easily. 20 Oct 11-1pm or 15 Dec 2-4pm
…for intermediates:
Little girl’s dresses – 2.5 hour class, £25 bring own fabric
Learn the basics of making little dresses with size adjustable ideas and tricks. Start making a one of the designs you like. 24 November 2-4.30pm
Curtains and cushions – 2.5 hour class, £25 bring own fabric
Save hundreds by learning to make your own lined hanging curtains. Fabric calculations explained. Make a cushion and learn about trimmings. 8 December 10.30-1pm
Following a pattern – 3 hour class, £25 bring own fabric (and pattern is optional)
Learn what all the abbreviations and terms mean. How to cut the fabric out and general ‘how-to’ follow a clothing pattern. 1 December 2-5pm
Refresher session & cushion
Can sew, but not touched your sewing machine in many moons? 3 hours away from the chores – remember how to thread your machine and make a cushion to get you back into the swing of things again. Tea, cake and lots of tips at hand. Book now for Saturday 13 October, 2-5pm @W13 8JE
Road trip! The Knitting and Stitching Show
Sewtember class dates
Supervised Sewing Groups:
Wanna get back into sewing or build confidence working on a project on your own? Bring your own project and machine, I’m around to guide you if you get stuck – and of course there’s tea and cake!
Saturdays – 10am-1pm – 3 hour session, £15 @ W13 8JE
1 September, 13 October, 10 November
Group sewing classes:
Can sew but wanna learn a specific skill? These pay-as-you-go style classes teach a specific skill. Feel free to suggest other classes which I’ll include in the schedule in the next few months.
Sewing refresher session – Get back into sewing – 3 hour class, £30 fabric provided (or bring your own)
Can sew, but not touched your machine for many moons? How to thread your machine and make a cushion to get you back into the swing of things again.
Saturday 1 September – 2-5pm @ W13 8JE
Zips & button holes – 2 hour class, £25
Zips made easy! Make neat button holes on your machine. Discover different ways to insert a zip – bring one to have a try on.
Saturday 29 September – 11am-1pm @ W13 8JE
Alterations – 2 hour class, £25
All skill levels. Find out how to tackle those repairs & alterations you didn’t think you could do yourself! Take garments in/out, hemming, darning, broken zips, etc.
Saturday 29 September – 2.30-4.30pm @ W13 8JE
Classes in the (possible) mix for the next few months:
(Please register interest so I can schedule classes you’d like to attend.)
PJ bottoms – 3 hour class, £25 bring own fabric
Make a pair of comfy, chilling-out-on-the-couch PJ bottoms. Easy pattern so join us!
Short fur cape – 2.5 hour class, £25 bring own fabric
Look totally glam this winter! Easy to make pattern.
Following a pattern – 3 hour class, £25 bring own fabric (and pattern is optional)
Learn what all the abbreviations and terms mean. How to cut the fabric out and general ‘how-to’ follow a clothing pattern.
Little girl’s dresses – 3 hour class, £25 bring own fabric
Learn the basics of making little dresses with size adjustable ideas and tricks. Start making one of the designs you like.
Curtains and cushions – 2.5 hour class, £25 bring own fabric
Save hundreds by learning to make your own lined hanging curtains. Fabric calculations explained. Make a cushion and learn about trimmings.
Zips & button holes class: Pull over now a zip up!
Zips & button holes class THIS Saturday 2-4pm – book in now.
I simply don’t wear pull overs as much as I wear cardigans and zip up jumpers. So when I saw this pull over I almost didn’t buy it BUT instead, I sliced it open up the centre front and sewed a zip in – using my zipper foot on my machine to get right in as close next to the zip as possible.
I wear it all the time so I plan on chopping all my old pull overs open as well… beware, snip snip snip!Handbag compartmentalisation
Check out group class dates and book or express interest. Classes start this weekend.
Classes: Zips & button holes, Cushions and curtains, Alterations, Little girl’s dresses.
So this bag was simply a big hole and everything just bundled into a mess at the bottom. Need some dividers here!
I now have a bag with 2 big divisions and I have more options to put the contents.
Get your sewing class on!
At last – here’s the list of classes I’ve spoken to you all about. Get your bookings in by email.
Supervised Sewing Groups:
Wanna get back into sewing or build confidence working on a project on your own? Bring your own project and machine, I’m around to guide you if you get stuck – and of course there’s tea and cake!
Saturdays – 10am-1pm – 3 hour session, £15 @ W13 8JE
14 July, 4 August, 1 September
Group classes:
Can sew but wanna learn a specific skill? These pay-as-you-go style classes teach a specific skill. Feel free to suggest other classes which I’ll include in the schedule in the next few months.
Alterations – 2 hour class, £25
All skill levels. Find out how to tackle those repairs & alterations you didn’t think you could do yourself!
Take garments in/out, hemming, darning, broken zips, etc.
Monday 16 July – 7-9pm (possibly 7.45 – 9.45 depending on venue, W13 8JE or W13 9SS)
Zips & button holes – 2 hour class, £25
Zips made easy! Make neat button holes on your machine easily.
Saturday 28 July – 2-4pm @ W13 8JE
Little girl’s dresses – 2.5 hour class, £25 bring own fabric
Learn the basics of making little dresses with size adjustable ideas and tricks. Start making one of the designs you like.
Saturday 14 July – 2-4.30pm @ W13 8JE
Curtains and cushions – 2.5 hour class, £25 bring own fabric
Save hundreds by learning to make your own lined hanging curtains. Fabric calculations explained. Make a cushion and learn about trimmings.
Saturday 28 July – 10.30am-1pm @ W13 8JE
What’s cooking for Jubilee?
Ingredients:
1x Dish cloth (with a fun design or colour)
2-4 meters Ribbon to match1 reel Thread to match
Method:
- Hold the dish cloth to up to your body as you would like the apron to be positioned when finished.
- Pin the desired positions for the waist ties and measure the desired length.
- Measure the length of the neck strap at the correct height. If you making a gift you could add neck ties to be tied instead of a neck strap. Pin the position of the neck strap/ties.
[Optional: if the dish cloth is too wide across the bust you could add a pleat to the top left and right, under the neck strap positions.] - Cut the ribbon to the measured lengths and pin and sew in place.
- Remember to edge the ends of the ties to prevent fraying.
Ta daaaa! Have a fun weekend!
Sewing projects for beginners
Making something you can use or simply something beautiful is very satisfying. But getting half way through a sewing project that is taking A LOT longer than anticipated is horrible – it takes a long time to get the motivation to finish the project or start a new one.
So… make sure the project you start is one that is mostly within your skill but is still a bit of a challenge and allow enough time as I find sewing takes longer than you think. I’d much rather have too many items that are completed than a heap of uncompleted projects starring you in the face! (Having said that – I think of the heap of my own alterations that I never seem to get to!)
Here are a few easy sewing project ideas for beginners:
- Bunting is perfect accessory or gift this year – with the Olympics and Queen’s Jubilee. Fabulous in different brightly coloured fabrics stitched onto ribbon or bias (binding).
- Scatter cushions for the lounge or your bedroom – you can add pretty lace, frills or piping as you advance too.
- Tote bags are handy and practical – fold the bottom of the bag in a few inches before stitching to create a wider base. (Your mum said she’d like one for Mother’s day.)
And we’re off… (stitch, stitch, stitch)
Well done to Shilpa for beautifully making a hot water bottle cover as her first sewing project at the first of our Supervised Sewing Groups.
If you are not confident sewing on your own and need some guidance or just want to get away from – why not join us for the next Supervised Sewing Group on 3 December. Call me to book a spot!
It’s great to see people getting excited about sewing and getting right stuck into projects. It’s not too late to make some bespoke Christmas presents! Contact me for some fab ideas.
It’s been a long time…
…but I’ve been busy developing another way to get more confidence in sewing as I find it takes people a while. So you can now join other creative people in a group setting and sew on your own projects with me at hand to advise (whilst feeding you cake).
Really experience working on a variety of projects gives you the confidence to regularly take on (and finish) projects on your own. Also getting out of the house and away from chores and responsibilities helps to get those projects done and you learning from others in the group too.
Why not pop along to Supervised Sewing Groups – only £5 for your 1st session!
Currently 1st Saturday each month, 10am – 1pm @ £15 (discounts when you bring a friend)
Let me know when would suit you as we may have others interested too.
