Where can I learn basic sewing skills

[midivydale]

Is there such a thing? I am forever spending a fortune on tailoring clothes mainly shortening trousers/skirts/dresses. I have always done this, I have ridiculously short legs. Anyway, with school uniforms coming up I was thinking that surely I should be able to learn to do this myself. Spending ?10 plus on shortening school uniform trousers just seem a terrible waste to me. I would like to learn. Have this (highly unrealistic) view of me pottering away at home late at night and enjoying it.

So, any classes for this sort of thing? Highly practical ones like I describe above?

[Mariamadeit]

stag and bow in forest hill have this sort of thing

[sillywoman]

Liberty used to run fab sewing courses, including one for beginners from their sewing school at the top of the store - might be worth investigating? Or, London School of Fashion on Oxford street?

[Pickle]

I think Morley College run classes like this, I remember a friend used to go one evening a week.

[midivydale]

Thank you everyone, plenty of "research" to be getting on with.

[Polly D]

Sew Over It in Clapham do courses, as do Village Haberdashery in West Hampstead (train goes direct to and from Nunhead).

Also check out sewing courses on Southward website, I know they used to put some on.

[klove]

Just walked past Sweaty Betty and the shop next to it has sign saying it's going to offer sewing classes and haberdashery. Could be just what you need very locally?

[LV0210]

Hi, please let me know how you get on as I am looking do the same as well. Thanks.

[BellendenBear]

Thomas Carlton centre near Peckham Rye station do evening sewing classes.

[minder]

I learned basic sewing skills from my Mum and also Kingsdale secondary school in the home economics department so have always done this by hand e.g. taking up skirts and trousers and it's always been ok.

Then again there is always something new to learn.

[midivydale]

Thanks everyone for all these tips, there are plenty of places out there it seems!

[nunheadmum]

Also there are lots of tutorials on YouTube and the web generally. I recently found a few aimed at men which presumed no previous knowledge and kept it all really clear.

I also did a course on machine sewing at Stag and Bow a year or two ago and found it really useful and quite a comfortable way to learn. The folk doing it were very understanding and it was a lovely mixed group - not all experienced homecrafty folk.

Practicing on the kids' school trousers is a great way to start as no one will mind if they're perfect or not, as long as it stays up!

[midivydale]

Thanks nunhead mum! May I ask if the course was useful for things like shortening trousers/skirts or was it more tailored (no pun intended) towards crafty stuff?

[nunheadmum]

We made a bag with an applique owl on it - so a bit crafty. But it used different techniques to create the seams etc so it was transferable to clothes.

Just remembered that there was a post on the Nunhead Parents' Network on Facebook (on 7th April - I searched for sewing on the group and it came up) offering a beginners sewing workshop. It may be worth checking out if they've got another one coming up. The email address was [email protected].

[PohSuan]

I recently did a clothes sewing course at the Thomas Calton centre in Peckham and I'm pretty sure the prospectus mentioned a sewing course specifically for altering clothes.

[womanofdulwich]

You just need wunderweb and an iron to take clothes up.😉

[midivydale]

womanofdulwich Wrote:

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> You just need wunderweb and an iron to take

> clothes up.😉

Ha!! I do use those but I prefer it stiched. X

[notapoppet]

I've been thinking about offering an evening of alteration advice and basic sewing skills as I do a lot of alterations professionally. With a few basic sewing skills and a bit of confidence it's amazing what you can do !

Let me know if you'd be interested in a small group lesson at my studio.

Sue 07894438163

[charcoal]

Hi,

Please check out the sewing classes starting next week in Peckham; they're run by Southwark Adult Learning Services.

Monday mornings 10-12 pm - sewing machine skills for beginners, 10 week course around ?80 for the term

Monday evenings 7-9 pm - clothes making

Tuesdays 10am - 12 pm - beginners clothes making

All info should be on Southwark council website, or telephone 020 7358 2100

Cheers,

Deborah

[midivydale]

Hi Deborah, is there an evening course for machine skills at all?

[Nunheadfamily]

A group has just started up at Nunhead green on Monday evenings I believe