Better Dressmaking

Sorry you are too late, this event has been and gone!

Learn loads of tips and techniques to make your home sewing look less – well- ‘homemade’ at this 10 week Better Dressmaking Course run by Artisan Stitch!

About Better Dressmaking

Listed Under Arts and Crafts Events / Learning Events / Workshops Events

Learn tips and techniques to make your home sewing look less – well – ‘homemade’

Thursday 24/04/2025 - Thursday 26/06/2025

Course Description:

Level: Intermediate. You need to have had some experience of dressmaking with knowledge of a variety of garment-construction techniques.

Do your seams look wrinkled or puckered? Do your facings refuse to lie flat, and are you tired of wonky zips? Or do you even avoid zips altogether? Yes? Then this is the course to help you raise your sewing game.

I’ve observed a few areas where home dressmakers commonly struggle, and rolled them all up into 'Better Dressmaking'. First developed as a 3-day Summer School, it's now available in regular weekly sessions. Week by week, it will teach you loads more tips and tricks to improve the fit and finish of your home dressmaking projects and avoid that ‘homemade’ look that is the downfall of many sewing projects.

Through a series of tutorials, and practical sessions, you’ll be working samples of each technique, so you can practise the skills learnt in that session. We'll start with getting the groundwork right. How to choose the best size of pattern, and making some common adjustments for a perfect fit. Then I'll teach you the lingo of pattern terminology. I'll show you how to improve the appearance of your seams with pressing and trimming, and adding the WOW factor with perfectly straight and even topstitching. Darts, interfacing, buttonholes, zips, sleeves and waistbands are covered too. Each session expands on the skills learnt in the previous one, building your knowledge and technical ability over the 10 weeks (25 hours in total). By the end of the course, you’ll have a library of new techniques at your fingertips to take home so your sewing will be more 'high end' than 'high street'.

I've been sewing since I was a child (and that's a lot of years’ experience!). During that time, I've made every mistake in the book and learnt how to avoid them. Now you can benefit from my mistakes and learn to sew like a pro as I share my expert tips. I wish I'd known all this stuff when I started to sew.

Artisan Stitch won a Certificate of Excellence in January 2019 and is rated 'Best sewing classes in Edinburgh'. The UK Enterprise Award followed for Best sewing classes 2020 then Best Private Sewing Education & Tuition in 2021. Scotland Prestige Awards followed in each of the 3 consecutive years from 2022/23 to 2024/25. Artisan Stitch is the only course provider in Edinburgh, and one of only two in Scotland, that is recommended by Queen Margaret University for sewing tuition.

Who is this aimed at?
Home dressmakers who’d like to achieve a better fit and finish to their home sewing projects
You must have had some dressmaking experience and be familiar with using commercial paper patterns and basic garment construction. i.e. if you've used patterns to make at least 1 or 2 items but would like to improve the fit and finish.

What will I learn?
How to choose the best size(s) of pattern to achieve a good fit
Understanding pattern terminology
How to do some common pattern alterations
Learn different seam types and when to use them
How to take up hems
Neatening and finishing techniques
Edge stitching and top stitching to add impact
Perfect darts
Make machined buttonholes and sew on buttons
How to sew in a concealed zip
Avoid stretched necklines
Choosing and using interfacing
How to change the shape of a neckline
How to make facings lie flat
Setting in a sleeve

One day, all dressmaking will be taught like this!

Course arrangements

All fabrics needed for the course are provided. Sewing machines are available for your use or you can bring your own if you have one. Please remember your power cable/foot control, spare needles, feet, instruction manual.

You will need your basic sewing kit of: fabric shears, paper scissors and small trimming/embroidery scissors, pins, tape measure (cm), chalk pencils or fabric marking pens, notebook.

You will also need some items for the paper pattern work: a dressmakers' curved ruler, mechanical pencil, rubber, small glue stick, 3 coloured pencils (a cheap childrens' set is fine)

Cost £315 (includes all fabrics, zip, interfacing etc)

If you enjoy this course, then you may be interested in the sequel 'Dressmaking techniques: Beyond the Basics' which will be running as a 3-day Summer School in July/August 2025.

Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.

All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.

GOT AN EVENT TO SHARE? It's free to post your events on What's On Edinburgh, click here to find out more!

Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Edinburgh? Just hit 'Like' on our Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our Twitter account and you're all set!

Other Events at Artisan Stitch

This curtain-making class, run by Artisan Stitch on 27th August, will give you the skills and confidence to make your own professional-looking curtains.

Similar events you might like...

Family Print Club

Selected dates between 26th January 2025 - 30th November 2025

Edinburgh Printmakers, Edinburgh East

Edinburgh Printmakers' Family Print Club is perfect for children as they explore lots of different printmaking techniques and have fun as well!

Crafts, Games, Soup!

Selected dates between 31st January 2025 - 19th December 2025

Priestfield Parish Church, Edinburgh South

Enjoy crafts? Or enjoy a boardgame? Or simply would appreciate being in the company of others in a warm, relaxed space with a bowl of soup? Then this is the space for you!

Ocean Terminal Market

Selected dates between 1st February 2025 - 7th September 2025

Ocean Terminal, Leith

Ocean Terminal Market is a fantastic monthly weekend market with a great range of arts, crafts, food and drinks!

Men Drawing Men Edinburgh

Selected dates between 1st February 2025 - 12th December 2025

The Salisbury Centre, Edinburgh South

This monthly untutored life drawing group at The Salisbury Centre gives men the opportunity to come along and draw a male Life model in a friendly, supportive drawing group.