So Basically…

You'll learn how to make free fitting, basic garments that are simple to sew and easy to wear! You’ll be equipped with the knowledge to make your own patterns, and understand how to translate your own measurements into actual garments.

Check out my archives to see the cuts of the clothing I create. You’ll notice I’m able to make modern, comfortable clothing that isn’t constricting or complicated. This is the style of clothing design I’ll be teaching.

How The Course Works

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This course is broken down into 6 weekly pre-recorded lessons, and once a month "watch me make this" garment lessons (for a year - a total of 12 Make it With Me lessons will be added). ALL LESSONS ARE PRE-RECORDED.

Upon enrollment, once a week you'll be sent access to the pre-recorded lessons (includes videos and printable PDF's to follow along).

ADDITIONALLY: When you sign up, you'll get instant access to The Garment Drawing Mini-Workshop and The Story of Fabric: Beginner's Guide to get you started on your journey.

I'll be available to answer any questions via email!

YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE COURSE FOREVER

(or at least, as long as the internet exists :)

ALL LESSONS ARE PRE-RECORDED (you can watch on your own time)

F.A.Q.’s

You'll have access to the course materials forever!

I don’t know how to use my sewing machine / have never sewn… is this class for me? Since there are literally hundreds of styles of sewing machines, I cannot show you how to use your sewing machine BUT this class is designed for total beginners! Most all common machines can be looked up on YouTube for a tutorial on use and threading! Take some time before we start class to get intimate with your machine, and I’ll show you some tricks in class for how to use it to its fullest. You can technically hand sew many of these styles if you have lots of free time.

Sewing patterns freak me out. Do I need to know how to read them? No. I don’t even know how to read them. They freak me out, and I’ve been sewing for years. Let’s try something else entirely… we'll still make patterns, but they'll be waaaay simpler than what you're used to!

Can you suggest types of fabrics to purchase for the finished garments? Yes, natural flowing fabrics are definitely your best option - I always say the best quality you can afford, raw silk and cotton double gauze are my personal favorites, but since they can be so incredibly expensive I usually buy them in white from places like dharmatradingco or organiccottonplus and dye them. I splurge on fancy linen and hand-printed cottons from Maiwa.com, and silk crepe is a great fabric but not the easiest to sew, definitely a bit of a learning curve. I also love deadstock resources like fabscrap and swansons fabric, but again look for only the natural fabrics. I wrote an article on my blog with tips on fabric shopping, and another on my favorite fabrics sources, too! 

Can I sew knits using these skills? There's a snippet of info on sewing knits in the very last week, so you could technically use them in some cases, but really the class is geared towards wovens. 

Is this class just for women? This class is not meant for any specific social construct of gender; we will be making everything from tops to dresses to pants. If you don’t wear dresses, you’ll still learn plenty from that experience on how to make other garments!

Can I make patterns for my figure if I’m not a standard size or shape? Yes, oh absolutely yes. Thats kind of the whole reason I made this course :)

I can’t afford this class… do you have payment plans or scholarships? Payment plans are available, and have held a few spots for scholarships - just email me at [email protected] and we can try to work something out.

I DO NOT OFFER REFUNDS DUE TO THE DIGITAL NATURE OF ONLINE COURSES - please read ALL details and FAQ’s!!

(for the record, no one in the hundreds of people who have taken this class have ever asked for a refund, outside of scheduling conflicts - however, if you request a refund by January 1st, you’ll still be eligible for 90% refund)

Why I created this course…

I've been designing clothes since I was in elementary school , taught myself how to make them, then learned the "right" way in college while studying fashion design.

While there's so much value in what I had the privilege of learning, I quite honestly had a deep disgust for the basis of all that is "fashion" - the bodice.

The bodice is a patternmaking staple that is based on 1950's era clothing styles, tightly fitted and sculpted to the body regardless of human movements or the nature of fabric.

My clothes didn't look anything like that, and when I wear clothes like that, it hurts - AND designing clothing based on the bodice is usually a huge waste of fabric! (read more about my distaste for Eurocentric clothing here)

I wanted to offer a method for designing and sewing clothes that are boxy and free-fitting; based on both modern and ancient styles. And I wanted to do so in a way that wove the rich mythology and history that textiles hold, in order to remind us of their inherent value. To remind us of the value of the plants and animals they're made of, remind us of the value of the people processing these fibers along their route to fabric, remind us of the people who spend their lives transforming this fabric from a long rectangle to clothing that holds us through all the stages of our own lives.

Soft Work is an invitation to really study the make of cloth, and how cloth interacts with the body.

I want to encourage the creating of styles that feel good on your body and allow room to move and breathe.

I want you to make clothes that don't frivolously waste fabric, or become overcomplicated in design for no actual reason.

We'll learn simple, non-fitted styles and explore possibilities for making them as close to zero-waste as possible.

By applying the skills you learn in this course, you'll be able to stitch up garments for yourself and build up your own design skills.

The goal is to finish 1-6 garments depending on your availability - but to walk away from the course knowing how to then design, draft, and complete the creation of six basic styles - from tops, to dresses, to jackets, and even PANTS. Loose, boxy pants, but… still pants.