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Course intent

Learn essential sewing skills needed to help you on your journey to finding employment. Build your knowledge and practise to create clothes on this structured learning programme. You will learn how to sew a medium-weight plain fabric skirt and a blouse. All the class will be following the same pattern.

What will I learn?

On this structured learning programme, you will learn how to:

• Sew a simple, plain fabric skirt (not a patterned fabric)
• Sew a blouse
• Choose the right fabric
• Take body measurements
• Select the right size on the pattern
• Trace your pattern to your size
• Make fit adjustments to the pattern
• Follow the instructions on the sewing pattern
• Lay and cut out pattern pieces as efficiently as possible
• Press and preparation to ensure a neat finish
• The use and application of interfacing
• Sew darts
• Seam finishes
• Insert a zipper

Who is this course for? Is there anything I need to know before joining?

This course is for people who are looking to upskill for employment. It is for those who have completed Stage 1 OR who know how to:

• Thread and use a sewing machine, using basic machine feet and stitches
• Fix the stitching at the beginning and end of a seam

If you have never used a sewing machine, this course is not suitable for you.

What do I need to bring to the first class? Will there be any extra costs?

You need to bring:

• Skirt and blouse pattern Butterick B7002
• A notebook and pen
• 2B pencil and good eraser such as Staedler
• Glue stick (like Pritt)
• Magic tape
• Paper scissors
• Some cotton (old sheet, pillowcase for instance) fabric to sew samples with
• Glass head pins
• Cloth tape measure
• Good quality sewing machine thread to practice with, such as Gutermann
• Fabric pen

After the first lesson your tutor will advise you on what you need to buy, but this will include:

• Red and blue colour pencils (for fitting on pattern)
• Plain colour fabric, (not check tartan or with a pattern). Your tutor will advise you on which fabric and where to buy
• Invisible zip and a spare zip to practice on
• Hook and eye
• Good quality Sewing thread to match your fabric
• Interfacing

And a basic sewing kit:

• Good quality fabric cutting scissors
• Fiskars needlework scissors
• Snips/Seam ripper set
• Heat erasable pens in different colours
• Washi Tape (pk 12)

You will receive an email with a list before the first class with links giving details so that you have a clear idea which are the best things to buy. If you completed Stage 1, you will already have most of the things that you need.

Your tutor will discuss where to get materials needed for the rest of your course.

What can I do when I finish the course?

This programme has 3 stages in one academic year. Learners can progress through the stages supported by the HPT funding scheme. After this, you can progress onto further learning, gaining additional skills towards employment.

For Terms & Conditions, please visit the dedicated page on our website

Additional Information

We welcome learners with additional needs and disabilities. When you enrol, please let us know if you would like to discuss your extra support needs with a member of the Supported Learning Team who will then contact you as soon as possible. If you are enrolling within 10 days of the course start date, we may not be able to contact you before your first class.

How to enrol

You can't currently enrol online for this course, so please call 0300 200 1044 to express your interest or to make an enquiry for further information.

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