From knowing how to use a sewing machine to becoming a confident, independent sewer

Our Children’s Sewing Course is all about building on the skills children already have and showing them just how much more they can do.

Every project has been chosen for a reason. Some introduce a completely new technique, some bring several skills together, and others deliberately give children the chance to practise something they have learned before with a little less help from us.

As we move through the course, the projects become more challenging and we gradually step back. The aim isn’t simply to finish a lovely collection of things — although they certainly will! — it’s to help children understand their sewing well enough to start making decisions, solving problems and eventually planning projects for themselves.

Here’s where our sewing journey will take us…

Box Bag

We start with a project that brings together lots of useful sewing skills straight away. Children will work with accurate cutting, a zip, top stitching, lining and boxed corners while getting used to working carefully and following a project through from individual pieces to a finished bag.

It’s also a great opportunity for us to see what everyone already knows and where they might need a little extra help before we move on.

Halloween Cauldron Bag

A bit of seasonal fun, but with plenty of learning hidden inside it!

Children will work with heavier interfacing to give the bag its shape and begin thinking about how the materials we put inside a project can completely change its structure and finished appearance.

Pyjama Bottoms

Our first proper step into dressmaking.

Children will learn how to take measurements, choose the correct pattern size, understand grainline, recognise pattern markings and notches, trace a pattern for reuse and cut their fabric accurately.

We’ll also make a French seam sample before using the technique in the pyjama bottoms, then move on to construction, an elastic casing and a neat double-fold hem.

Fabric Snowflake

Not every sewing skill needs a sewing machine!

Our Fabric Snowflake gives us a completely different type of session, working with fabric and Bondaweb to build the design before constructing the finished snowflake.

It’s a lovely creative break between some of our bigger projects while still encouraging accuracy, patience and careful construction.

Christmas Placemat

This project introduces our Sew & Fold technique as well as wadding, backing and binding.

Children will learn more about straight-grain and bias binding, why curved projects need something different, how to create mitred corners and how to finish their binding neatly by hand.

Half Apron

There is lots packed into what looks like a fairly simple project!

We’ll make a turned patch pocket, stay stitch a curved edge before it has the chance to stretch out of shape, and learn how to gather a ruffle by hand before distributing that fullness evenly around the apron.

It’s another project where accurate preparation makes a huge difference to the finished result.

Ruffle Skirt

Now we start building further on our dressmaking skills.

Children will use their own measurements and some sewing maths to work out what they need, learn how fabric choice affects the finished garment and use two rows of machine gathering to create their ruffles.

They’ll also make a multi-channel waistband, sewing accurately at presser-foot-width intervals before threading elastic through alternate channels.

Pleated Skirt

This is an important step — the children will work from their first PDF garment pattern.

They’ll print and assemble the pattern, identify and cut their size and learn why choosing a suitable fabric matters when we want pleats to hold their shape.

We’ll also tackle inserting a zip, making an automatic buttonhole and even sewing the button on by machine.

Fabric Flowers

After some of our bigger dressmaking projects, this gives us a smaller creative project while introducing a very useful new way of working.

Instead of cutting out the pieces first and then sewing with a seam allowance, children will trace the shapes onto their prepared fabric, sew directly on the traced line and then cut them out.

It’s a simple change, but an important technique to understand.

Fabric Bowls & Baskets Day

By now, the children have a growing collection of skills — so this is a chance to start using them.

Rather than introducing lots of new techniques, we’ll encourage them to follow instructions, refer back to their Sewing Portfolio, make decisions and work more independently.

The question starts changing from “What do I do next?” to “Where could I find out what to do next?”

Cross Body Bag

This project brings together lots of skills children have already learned while adding some new materials and bag-making techniques.

We’ll use wadding, make a zip pocket and patch pocket, and work with D-rings, swivel clips, a slider and webbing to create the strap.

The new challenges are sewing with vinyl for the base of the bag and adding a magnetic closure. Children will also learn when we need a stronger 110 needle and why a longer stitch works better for top stitching heavier materials.

Upcycled Jeans Bag

Now we turn the design decisions over to them.

Children will have time before the session to plan their bag, draw their ideas and decide on their finished measurements. Then comes one of the really important lessons in designing something yourself: if you want your finished bag to measure a certain size, you can’t simply cut your fabric to that size — you need to add your seam allowance.

They’ll use an old pair of jeans, incorporate existing features such as pockets if they wish and make their own design decisions as they create their bag.

Summer Dress

This is where lots of our dressmaking knowledge comes together in one larger project.

We’ll work with a proper dressmaking pattern and revisit accurate cutting, pattern markings and fabric preparation while learning about stay stitching, interfacing, facings and understitching.

We’ll also work with an elasticated waist, finish the sleeveless armholes with bought double-fold bias binding and create a neat hem.

By this point, many of the techniques that once needed a full explanation should be becoming familiar.

My Project

And this is what we’ve been working towards.

For the final part of the course, children will choose a project they would like to make and begin planning how to tackle it themselves.

They’ll need to think about the pattern or design, measurements, seam allowances, fabric, equipment, construction order and which techniques they already know.

Their Sewing Portfolio will be there to help. We’ll be there to help too — but hopefully we won’t be their first port of call anymore.

Our aim isn’t for them to finish the course knowing everything about sewing.

It’s for them to see something they would love to make and, instead of thinking:

“I don’t know how to do that.”

to think:

“I think I know how to start.”

Ready for the Next Step?

If your child already knows the basics of using a sewing machine and would love to develop their skills, take on bigger projects and become a more confident and independent sewer, we would love to welcome them to our Children’s Sewing Course.