The right choice of fabric for leggings will make or break their success. So we put together this guide to looking for the right fabrics.
Sewing Course for Young Adults
Seams Legit
Learn to sew from scratch in six weeks.
In the lead up to Melbourne Fashion Week learn about sewing machines, jargon, fabrics, tools and a lot more with us! at the Melbourne City Library. In this focused course, learn to sew on a domestic sewing machine, meet people working in the fashion industry and running their own small businesses and make three items to take home.
- Saturdays, 12pm to 1:30pm; 4 August, 11 August, 18 August, 25 August, 1 September & 8 September.
- Cost: $20, participants will need to supply some materials.
- The course runs for six weeks and participants must commit to all six sessions.
- For 15 to 30 years, bookings essential.
Activity Space, City Library – 253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
03 9658 9500
Queries: youngadults@melbourne.vic.gov.au
melbourne.vic.gov.au/libraries
The Difference Between Knits & Wovens
Fabrics fall generally in two categories: Knits and Wovens. In a nutshell your t shirts are made from knits and your button up shirts are made from wovens.
Woven fabric is produced through weaving two sets of yarn. Examples include button up shirts, trousers, jeans, denim jackets.
Knit fabric is produced by interloping (or knitting) one set of yarn. Examples include leggings, t shirts, sweaters, underwear.
Does it matter?
In The Bag
In a 4 hour workshop, students created stunning tote bags from leather. They learnt how to work with light leathers on a domestic sewing machine. What a fab’ way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Workshop Description.
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Amazing A Line Skirts
Over 5 hours these gorgeous students made their own A Line skirts. The skirt waist is finished with a facing, they learnt to insert a lapped zip, use the overlockers, sew back waist darts and hem. This is the workshop that they did – The Simple A Line Skirt.
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| Sewing Lessons:
This photo demonstrates two things: 1) Always press your projects. The skirt on the left hasn’t had a final press and looks terrible. 2) Don’t ask a cheeky ten year old boy to take a photo of your matching A Line skirts!
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A trio of Sigma Dresses
The Dress with POCKETS! These lovely Sigma dresses were made in our May 18 workshop with Jenni. A beautiful floral theme was in play.
Nice work ladies.
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Types of Pattern Making Paper
- Card
– popular for the durability of the pattern pieces you can draft and the ease of tracing around. If you have a favourite paper pattern that you use a lot, trace it onto pattern card and it will last you much longer.
- Dash cross guided paper – has a gloss finish to allow magic tape to come off without tearing, dash cross markings make grading and general drafting a dream, light enough to see commercial patterns placed underneath.
High Waisted Knickers
We made our glamorous high waisted knickers and even an extra two pairs in some sassy leopard print for the Thread Den balcony! Read the class description.
 Vintage fabric central panel feature with hot pink knit |
 White and silver dot knit with cream knit |
Where to now?
If you have completed the Sewing Basics Course – congratulations! Well done on jumping in and getting to know the machines and the basics of sewing.
Don’t let everything you’ve learnt go to the dark recesses of your mind. If you don’t keep using your new skills they’ll windup back there with the knowledge of how long to boil an egg with soft, medium or hard yolk (every time I have to look it up… EVERY time).
So let’s look at projects, resources and information to keep you going!
A Dress With POCKETS
The best thing about learning to make your own clothes – is putting pockets in everything you make!