Date/Time
Date - 13/05/2018
10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Location
Knowle Village Hall, Solihull

Duration - 7 hours

This workshop is suitable for those who have used a sewing machine before and can confidently thread the machine and bobbin. If you need a beginners class or a refresher then have a look at beginners classes available.

Come and learn how to sew a dress.

“The Bettine dress features a blousy bodice with scoop neckline, kimono sleeves, turn-up cuffs, elasticated waistline, and tulip skirt. Simple to sew, with no fiddly darts, fastenings or set-in sleeves, the plain skirt version is the perfect first dress project for beginners. More experienced? Try the pocket skirt version and optional cuff tabs. A comfortable, wearable dress you’ll want to throw on everyday”.

You will learn:

How to take essential body measurements and select your pattern size
How to identify pattern pieces required
How to lengthen/shorten pattern pieces if required
How to accurately cut out pattern pieces
How to identify the grainline of the fabric and lay out pattern pieces correctly
How to cut fabric accurately
How to apply interfacing to structure fabric and aid stability
How to sew the dress with tuition along the way

What is included:

Full individual use of Janome sewing machines
Use of sewing tools
Elastic and interfacing
Full tuition to make your garment
Paper pattern to take home and step by step instruction booklet worth £12.50
Tea/coffee and yummy cake!!

You will need to bring:

Fabric : - 2m x 150cm wide i.e. if the fabric is 150cm wide you will need a maximum of 2.3m

or 3m x 115cm wide i.e. if the fabric is 115cm wide you will need a maximum of 3m

If you are particularly tall and think you may need to lengthen your pattern, you may need to allow for slightly more fabric.

Matching thread - there will be a selection of threads available for you to use but feel free to bring your own if you prefer.
Optional - 2 x 1.5-2cm (5/8-3/4 inch) buttons for cuff tabs if you choose to sew that version.
Lunch - please bring your own packed lunch with you or feel free to pop to the local shop/cafe in Knowle to buy something.

Fabric suggestions:

Light to medium weight drapey fabrics such as viscose (rayon), cotton voile, lawn or chambray.

The drape is really important i.e. how the fabric hangs- you don’t want fabric that is too stiff as it won’t hang right around the bust/waist.

Please give me a call if you are in any doubt about fabric choices or suggestions of where to buy from.

**It is recommended to pre wash your fabric before the workshop as it is likely to shrink a little in the first wash.**

Cost £70

(This includes a paper pattern worth £12.50 to use in the class and take home with you to use again)

Lorna says:

“I love the Bettine pattern. There are no fiddly fastenings or darts to worry about. It’s really comfortable, you can just chuck it on and your outfit is sorted! It looks great over tights or leggings in the Autumn/Winter. I also wear mine with a long sleeved jersey top underneath to layer up. In a Summery lightweight fabric it would look gorgeous with flip flops, sandals or pumps. I have 3 Bettine dresses and have another one in the pipeline! Make sure you don’t get fabric that is too stiff - the fabric needs to have some drape in it i.e. needs to be a bit floppy enough so it hangs right with not too much bulk around the middle!! It’s a great dress for showcasing quirky prints but if you don’t want to stress about matching stripes or patterns then choose a plain fabric or one with smallish print/a print that doesn’t require matching/lining up.”

My versions: