Open Sewing / Patchwork Quilting

Returning students and seasoned sewers are welcome on this sociable supported stitching session, where you can either work on your self-directed projects or choose to sew along with our chosen project. Cass will be on hand throughout to help you with your projects, and will assist with taking body measurements, adjusting the flat pattern to fit your specific body shape, seams and seam finishes, sleeves, darts, pockets, pleats and gathers, or whatever other issues you might encounter. She will also be on hand with valuable techniques and tips for a more sustainable making practice. Our Open Sewing blocks offer the same expert guidance as our taught classes, but with no programmed course structure, letting you work on your own projects. This past term students have made meaningful patchwork quilts, explored sustainability in sewing, and stitched garments in all shapes and sizes from dungarees to ball gowns!

Our optional set project this term will be patchwork quilting. Quilting is a wonderfully therapeutic past time that encourages playfulness with colour, shape and stitch. You’ll be be given the choice to work from a pre-existing quilting pattern or develop one of your own, and you’ll leave with your very own double bed sized quilt.  We’ll work at a manageable pace through the process of making a quilt, starting with colour choices and pattern layout, right through to the layering, binding and finally hand-finishing.

These intermediate level open sewing sessions are for ‘beyond beginners’ and improvers, which means it’s suitable for returning students, or anyone with previous experience of basic sewing and garment making. We have a Janaome 230DC computerised (with speed control) sewing machine available for each student; although you can bring your own if you like. And don’t worry if you might miss one or two classes: we’ve plenty of opportunities to catch up through our additional Sunday Stitchery Sessions or private tuition.

Course cost includes: 

• 10 x 3-hour lessons
• Use of 230DC Janome computerized sewing machine each
• Use of 6234XL overlocker (shared between students)
• Janome Coverpro 2000CPX (shared between students)

Course cost excludes:

• Cost of patterns
• Cost of fabric and haberdashery