last year i finally got it together to debut the class i’d been dreaming of for several years: a year-long (well ok, 9 months) monthly day-long workshop in which we cover drafting and sewing an entire wardrobe of garments: skirt, t-shirt, shift dress, leggings, tunic and pants. because this was back in the Before Times, i thought it had to happen in person; therefore it was limited to students who live within a reasonable driving distance from my studio in Kerhonkson, NY. we got off to a great start but, of course, 2020 had a mind of its own and we ended up meeting virtually for all but a very few sessions.
at first this really threw us all for a loop, as it wasn’t what we expected or planned for. some of my students were already spending their entire workday on Zoom, so it wasn’t how they wanted to spend their leisure time too. but we muddled through and overall i think we all agree it was a success. the silver lining is that i now can offer it as a virtual class for 2021, which means geographical location is not a limitation!
the program will begin at the end of February, and run through November, skipping over the month of August. we’ll have one all-day class per month, hosted over Zoom as two 2-hour sessions. it will generally be the last Saturday of the month, though there are a few months where i have a conflict and it will be the previous Saturday. i’ll add the list of dates at the end of this post, so you can check against your calendar. class will run from 12pm-2pm EST, then a 2-hour break, then 4-6pm EST. there will also be an optional short Wednesday evening check-in between each session for sewing help or questions, from 6-7:30pm EST.
generally speaking, this will be an extended version of my 5-day intensive class in which we draft patterns, sew and fit muslins, correct the pattern, and then sew a *real* version of a skirt, T-shirt, and shift dress. i’ve always thought it would be nice to teach this in a less intense, more s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out format, with more time in between to process the info and keep playing with what you learn, in smaller increments. so i envision we will spend about 1 1/2 to 2 class sessions for each of those 3 projects, plus leggings, lounge pants, boxy tee (those 3 can all be mostly done in 1 day), plus a day of pattern manipulations and restyling (probably somewhere in the middle, so there are a few class sessions after to try out these techniques). by the end of the class, you will have at least 6 garments, or quite possibly more! since this is a new format, it may be adjusted a bit as things progress, but something like this:
Session 1: Boxy Tee (pattern / muslin / begin real garment)
Session 2: Leggings (pattern / muslin + real garment)
Session 3: A-line skirt (pattern / muslin / begin real garment)
Session 4: Pattern manipulation/re-styling (adding seams, slash + spread, grading), pockets and continue with real garments of skirt and boxy
Session 5: T-shirt (pattern / muslin / begin real garment)
Session 6: Shift Dress (pattern and muslin, maybe start real garment)
Session 7: Shift Dress (continue real garment) + collars, plackets, cuffs
Session 8: Lounge Pants (pattern, muslin and real garment)
Session 9: Finishing garments
minimum skill level required is what i call “Advanced Beginner”, meaning you know basic sewing and have made a few simple projects. previous garment-sewing or pattern-drafting experience are not needed. if you do have some garment skills and/or more sewing experience, that’s fine too and you can take on more challenging projects! the focus for this class will really be on the pattern-drafting. i will demonstrate the sewing techniques as needed, but the sewing will be generally fairly simple. most of the sewing will happen outside of class sessions.
the price for each month of class will be $80. i’m pricing this 9-month class equal to the price of 8 classes, because i know it’s likely for many that you may have to miss a session at some point. and because it’s a significant amount total ($640), i’ll divide that into two sections. the first payment of $320 is due by 2/20 to reserve your spot in class.
there is a minimum number of students needed to run the class, and i’m thinking a max of 16 students. spots will be first-come (i.e. paid!), first-served. i prefer payment by check in the mail (so old fashioned, i know! but it eliminates fees) but we can discuss other methods if needed.
hopefully i’ve covered all the basic info? email me (cal at calpatch dot com) to reserve your spot, or if you have questions!
CLASS DATES
Saturdays 12-2 and 4-6 EST: 2/27, 3/27, 4/24, 5/22, 6/19, 7/10, 9/25, 10/30, 11/20
Wednesday evening check-ins 6-7:30pm EST: 3/10, 4/14, 5/12, 6/9, 6/30, 7/28, 9/15, 10/6, 11/3
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