With Ease - from pattern fitting to pattern drafting knit garments
For the curious sewist! Get the fit down and then hack the pattern into new designs (my favorite!)
With Ease runs from
August - November
I recorded a 7 minute audio introducing the this workshop
that you can download and listen to here!
Workshop Summary
Ok. Ready for this!? This is my favorite thing to teach, fitting and then hacking.
Because, honestly, we've all seen a commercial sewing pattern and thought to ourselves...hmmm, I wish it had this type of sleeve or this kind of neckline instead. OR, we've seen a garment in the wild or on pinterest and wanted to recreate it for ourselves. In fact, that's exactly how this class came to be. I stumbled upon this blue velvet inspiration image and wanted to create one for my own unique body...and show you how, and it snow balled from there!
I LOVE teaching you how to get a garment fitted well to your body and then empower you to take those basic shapes and turn them into something new! Allowing you to both gain confidence in sewing from a pattern and be the designer yourself!
In this live, 8-session, virtual workshop, I'll take you through choosing the right fabric, sewing with knits (it's almost all I sew with), choosing your size and making changes to the pattern before you begin, working on the fit and then...and this is the exciting part...using that pattern as a starting point for a new dresses! (not a dress fan? No worries, all of these designs could easily become tops or tunics!)
We'll begin with a gorgeous sleeveless one with a gathered neckline featuring a keyhole and a slimmer, midi-length skirt with sensual side slit! OOHHH. I made this dress last summer, and I get so many compliments on it. From strangers! I love wearing it with tall boots or sandals!
Next we'll make one of my long time favorites, a princess seam dress with pockets tucked securely into the side panel. No flopping or sagging pockets full of treasures! We'll also explore a flutter sleeve with this one.
And finally we'll make a surplice (or sewn-down wrap top) bodice with fabulous bishop sleeves and a slimmer pencil skirt. I've been making these tops (without the skirt) for years as a lovely layering piece over my dresses!
This workshop will be intimate and live and you can jump in at anytime with questions or comments. Just like you were at an in-person workshop, but from your own home. And there will be recordings!
The class will be held in 8 sessions, for a total of 12 hours of class time. You'll also have access to our private community where you can post pictures and videos, leaves messages or comments and both get assistance and connect with other students. I am also happy to answer email questions directly!
This workshop is going to seriously up your superhero sewing skills!
Workshop Dates -
*before class, work through the Getting Started section on the website and watch the three videos
Saturday, August 10th, 10am-12pm (EDT) - Class 1 - The basic knit dress pattern, choosing your size and sewing the trickier bits
Tuesday, August 27th, 5:30pm-6:30pm (EDT) - fitting class 1 - Basic knit dress - fitting and Q&A
Saturday, September 7th, 10am-12pm (EDT) - Class 2 - Gathered neck dress - drafting the pattern and sewing the neckline and side slit
Tuesday, September 24th, 5:30pm-6:30pm (EDT) - fitting class 2 - Gathered neck dress - fitting and Q&A
Saturday, October 5th, 10am-12pm (EDT) - Class 3 - The princess seam dress - drafting the pattern and sewing the pocket
Tuesday, October 22nd, 5:30pm-6:30pm (EDT) - fitting class 3 - Princess seam dress - fitting and Q&A
Saturday, November 2nd, 10am-12pm (EDT) - Class 4 - Wrap-top with pencil skirt - drafting the pattern and sewing the top and bishop sleeve
Tuesday, November 19th, 5:30pm-6:30pm (EST) - fitting class 4 - Wrap top dress - fitting and Q&A
The basic fit-n-flare dress
Everyone loves the simplicity and ease of a basic fit and flare dress (also called a skater dress!)...whether you prefer form-fitting at the waist or your dress to have a bit of ease!
This simple silhoutte is easy to embellish with hand stitches, a screen print on the bodice, varying sleeve lengths...the sky's the limit.
It's also a great place to start to fit your knit garment really well to your body, considering both the type of fabric you're using and the way you like your dress (or top!) to fit.
Did I say top? Yes I did. Any of the designs, including this one can be easily made into a top, tunic or dress!
Gathered Neck dress
The inspiration photo (blue velvet version) is something I found in my internet searches ages ago and had saved as something to "one day" make.
Last summer I did just that, and I've LOVED it ever since! I get more compliments on this dress than any I can recall.
When I drafted it, I added a keyhole at the neck and made it out of green crushed velvet for New Year's Eve, navy blue modal for beach days and a vibrant red that I made into a top for hot summer days (or layered under a cardigan for a very interesting layer in cooler weather!)
The features I will show you how to draft from your fit and flare dress pattern -
- make a sleeved bodice sleeveless
- create style with gathers
- add interest to a neckline with a keyhole
- add a new seam line and a side slit into a A-line skirt
- decrease the volume of a skirt
Princess Seam Dress
I've been making this dress for years!
The pockets are simply the very best thing. They are just the right size and placement to tuck your hands into them, or the beach stones you find. The style lines skim your curves and it can be dressed up or down easily.
The features I will show you how to draft from your fit and flare dress pattern -
- take a waist seam out of a dress and create a waist-less dress
- add princess seams
- create pockets in a side panel
- add volume to a sleeve to create a flutter sleeve
Wrap Top Dress
I started making wrap top dresses (actually surplice tops, as the wraps are sewn down) when I became a nursing mama. But you and I both know how flattering they are for anyone. I actually hate true wrap tops as they move around and I find myself constantly fiddling with them.
For this design I sew them into the side seam and add a slim pencil-type skirt with cut-away pockets and bishop sleeves!
By the way...I make the wrap top all the time without a skirt and use it as a lovely layering piece over my dresses!
The features I will show you how to draft from your fit and flare dress pattern -
- turn a basic bodice into a wrap top and finish the edge
- remove volume from a skirt
- make bishop sleeves
- add cut-away pockets in a knit skirt (a fan favorite!)
You'll walk away with 4 dresses and the ability to...
- make a sleeved bodice sleeveless
- create style with gathers
- add interest to a neckline with a keyhole
- add a new seam line and a side slit into a A-line skirt
- decrease the volume of a skirt
- take a waist seam out of a dress and create a waist-less dress
- add princess seams
- create pockets in a side panel
- add volume to a sleeve to create a flutter sleeve
- turn a basic bodice into a wrap top and finish the edge
- add volume to a skirt
- make bishop sleeves
- add cut-away pockets in a knit skirt (a fan favorite!)
and all with comfortable and beloved knit fabrics!
What you will learn...
- how to choose your size and make fit adjustments before you begin (worth it's weight in gold!)
- how to sew knit fabrics and choose fabric for the kind of look you want
- fit a knit garment to your body, taking into account your style and fit preferences
- finish a knit neckline and hemming the garment
- pattern drafting or hacking! (taking an existing pattern and changing it into the garment of your dreams)
- how to manipulate the pattern and become the designer!
- dream big and make it happen!
skill level - adventurous beginner who's
sewn a few garments!
What you'll need for the workshop ...
- internet connection and a device to join the Zoom call on
- a sewing machine and all it's bits and pieces (don't have an owner's manual...get one, ASAP!)
- sewing kit - including bobbins, fabric shears, paper scissors, seam ripper
Materials
- Knit fabric for 4-5 dresses - the fit and flare dress requires 2-3 yards, as does each subsequent dress. (we'll talk more about fabric in our first class)
About the class
- Classes will be live and recorded.
- I will be teaching the classes from my home sewing studio and will provide a space to learn that is open, kind-hearted and full of more good information than you may want! ;-)
- Classes will be recorded and made available to watch within 24 hours.
- I will be available for questions via email or on our private community space. Please ask me questions (it makes me feel important!).
- This class is your time, so come with questions!
- You can join the classes via computer, tablet or phone, but the larger the screen the more easily you'll see what's happening.
- and to that end, I'll be using two cameras to ensure that you can see what's happening!
- The registration cost includes 12 hours of class time, access to the recorded videos, pre-recoprded videos, the basic pattern, and the ability to reach out to me for one-on-one help and a private community.
Course Pricing
Returns / Refunds
There are no refunds or returns on live virtual workshops. In order to have an intimate, personal sewing experience and have the kind of interaction I want us to have, the number of students that can enroll in the workshop is very limited. Once you register for the workshop your space is held for you whether you attend or not.
If you are unable to attend the live workshop, the recordings will be avilable to you as well as the community (for as long as it's live) and I always weclome email questions as you work on fit and construction.
