Beginners Sewing Day

Friday September 18th | 10am-4pm

Thursday October 15th | 10am-4pm

New to sewing, or has your sewing machine been gathering dust for a little too long? This relaxed one-day class is all about helping you build your confidence and get sewing again.

Our Back to Basics Sewing Day is perfect for complete beginners, as well as anyone who has sewn before but hasn’t picked up their hobby for a while and would love a friendly refresher.

Perhaps you learnt to sew years ago and have forgotten where to start. Maybe you own a sewing machine but have never really got to grips with it. Or perhaps you simply want to go back over the basics before tackling projects on your own again.

Wherever you’re starting from, we’ll work through everything together, step by step.

We’ll begin by getting comfortable with the sewing machine – setting it up, threading it correctly, winding and inserting a bobbin, and looking at the stitches and settings you’re most likely to use.

Then we’ll move on to our project for the day: the Merchant & Mills Sturdy Tote. (All supplies are included in the class payment)

This is a brilliant project for building your sewing skills and confidence, but it also gives you the opportunity to experience something really important – working with a proper paper sewing pattern.

We’ll look at the pattern together, talk through the information and markings you’ll find on it, and show you how to use the instructions to work your way through a project from start to finish.

If the idea of opening a sewing pattern and knowing what to do next feels a little daunting, this is the perfect opportunity to learn in a relaxed and supportive setting.

During the day we'll cover:

• Setting up and threading your sewing machine
• Winding and inserting a bobbin
• Straight stitching and basic machine settings
• Choosing the right needle 
• Seam allowances and accurate sewing
• Cutting and preparing your fabric
• Understanding a paper sewing pattern
• Recognising common pattern markings and terminology
• Following sewing instructions step by step
• Constructing your Merchant & Mills Sturdy Tote

By the end of the day, you’ll have a gorgeous Sturdy Tote to take home, but more importantly, you’ll have practised the core skills you need to tackle future sewing projects with much more confidence.

There’s no pressure to sew quickly and no expectation that you should already know everything. This day is about asking questions, refreshing forgotten skills, learning new ones and enjoying sewing in a relaxed, friendly environment.

This one-day workshop is a brilliant way to build your sewing skills and confidence, giving you a great foundation to go on and enjoy more classes here at The Makers Studio.