Sewing Techniques: Methods for Professional Finishing

Program Overview

This intensive, hands-on short course elevates sewing skills to a professional level. Participants focus on constructing shirts and trousers, covering advanced techniques like making collars, sleeves, and buttonholes. Upon completion, participants receive a certificate of attendance and are equipped with the skills to pursue careers in fashion or related fields.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This is a short course, not a degree program.

Outline:

• Course Content:
• Introduction:
The course aims to elevate sewing skills to a professional standard. Participants will learn techniques for making collars, cuffs, button stands, sleeves, plackets, and buttonholes.
• Specific Techniques:
• Sessions 1 & 2:
• Shirt Project: Examples of different shirts, samples of collars, cuffs, and button stands, fabrics used for shirts, cutting calico for a shirt, fusing fabric, learning about grainlines, fusing techniques, types of fusing.
• Collar and Collar Stand: Top collar fused, inner collar stand fused, sewing collar and collar stand together.
• Shoulders and Yolk: Sewing shoulders together, sewing the yoke.
• Sessions 3 & 4:
• Sleeve, Placket, Cuff, Button Stand, and Marking Buttonholes: Attaching sleeves to the body, sewing placket and cuff, sewing button stand, marking buttonholes.
• Examples of different buttonholes and sizes: Regular (shirts and dresses), Eyelet (jackets, trousers, and jeans).
• Trouser Project: Overlocking zip and zip guard, sewing zip to trouser front, sewing zip to zip guard, sewing pockets (curved and slanted), overlocking belt loops, pressing belt loops, topstitching belt loops, waistband construction, under stitching waistband, closure attaching jeans button.
• Final Session:
• Catch up and Finishing Off: Students can use the last session to cut fabric for a shirt (shirting fabric) to make during the session or at home.
• Garment Project: Students choose one of three patterns to sew, putting all learned skills into practice.
• Course Structure:
• Duration:
One week, Monday to Friday, 10 am - 4 pm.
• Class Size: Limited to 11 people.
• Teaching Format: Group demonstrations, handling samples, paper-based instructions, one-to-one feedback.
• Studio Access: Access to the university fabric store and professional fashion studios.
• Course Schedule:
• Sessions 1 & 2:
Focus on shirt project, collar and collar stand, shoulders and yoke.
• Sessions 3 & 4: Focus on sleeve, placket, cuff, button stand, buttonholes, trouser project, zip, pockets, belt loops, waistband.
• Final Session: Catch up, finishing off, garment project.

Teaching:

• Teaching Method: Hands-on, practical course.
• Tutor Profile: Taught by a senior technician at Nottingham Trent University with experience as a garment technologist and assistant designer for Alexander McQueen, Matthew Williamson, and Victoria Beckham.

Other:

• Course Culture: Promotes discussion, collaboration, experimentation, and idea sharing.
• Certificate of Attendance: Awarded upon successful completion of the course.
• Student Feedback: Positive testimonials from previous participants highlighting the course's effectiveness, enjoyable atmosphere, and the tutor's expertise.
• Materials: A lot of materials, spare equipment, and calico are supplied, but students need to bring their own tool kit.