Thread Den

Learn to Sew Melbourne

Sewing Journal

Looking for activities in isolation or quarantine?

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Having to be on your own for any length of time is hard work. We wanted to provide an opportunity for those who find themselves in this position to participate in our online workshops at a reduced price.

If you have been directed to isolate at home or you must go into quarantine (at home or in a facility) you can receive a 50% discount on our online workshops.

To receive the discount you will need to provide a medical certificate or copy of the directive from your State Health Department/Ministry indicating that you are required to isolate. It needs to include your name and your desired workshop needs to fall within 5 days before or after the dates that you are required to isolate/quarantine.

Get in touch with us to find out more.

Until then stay safe.

The pleasant findings from our online workshops:

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As we run more an more online workshops and private lessons, we are finding that there a lot of pleasant advantages to this delivery mode and we wanted to share them with you.

You can learn in the comfort of your own home, we’ve had students snuggled up on the couch, professionally setup at their work from home desks, cleverly tucked away in their crafting corner or bolstered by pillows in their comfy beds! 

Tardiness is avoided because you don’t have to plan your public transport trip, or juggle travel time and parking, then finding the venue. It’s never been easier to avoid being late to class.

While we’re all further apart, this delivery method means we’ve never been closer! By using multiple cameras you get to see what your teacher is doing in different ways. See your teacher like she’s at your kitchen table, or view what she’s doing as if you were peering right over their shoulder.  

You can access new support, you still have your detailed handouts and we’re adding more video references on YouTube. During class we can share more references during discussions.

With our teacher and host model for workshops it’s focused and allows you to engage with teachers and the other participants. We have a host who liaises throughout the class via the chat, relaying questions without interrupting the teacher’s audio. 

Pre-made fabric face masks

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The teachers of Thread Den are making fabric face masks for their loved ones and also selling them:

  • Amy Macdonald – crochet and sewing teacher; via instagram.
  • Amy S – now in sunny Queensland; via website – olasol.
  • Alannah – now a school art teacher; via Etsy – The House of Arax.
  • Danielle – Thread Den owner; fancy ‘going out masks’ via online store.
  • Jenni – sewing and drafting teacher; bulk corporate orders (50+). Contact her via her email.
  • Meagan – sewing teacher; via instagram.

Or Sew Your Own Simple Face Mask:

YouTube You can check out our video making face masks.

Get the free pattern we used from Birch Creative. 

Check out Victoria State Government  for advice on supplies and instructions to make a rectangular cloth mask.

Simple Face Mask Banner

Victorian Yarn Stores

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A lovely little list of yarn stores located in Victoria – because we want to support our local craft family during these crazy COVID times. This is a shorter repost from a journal entry made back in 2018 – read it in full here.  

Bellemae Yarns

Some of the accessories are seriously swoon worthy

Bendigo Woollen Mills

We love the value of their 200g balls

Craftee Cottage

They stock our favourite Clover Amour hooks and loads of other brands at very good prices

Dairing Yarn

Really interesting and unique yarns available here

Fibresmith

Make sure you check out the Good Stuff section on their website

Handweavers & Spinners Guild of Victoria

Mail orders available via email

Hook and Hop

Super cool t shirt yarns!

Janique of Chelsea – Wool World

Little Woolie Makes

Located on The Peninsula in Hastings.

Maker Maker

If you live near Brunswick East you can get your yarn delivered by bicycle

Mooroolbark Wool – The Aussie Knitting Co

Morris & Sons

Possibly the biggest range in Australia

Rose’s Knitting Centre

Sunspun

Range focuses on natural and sustainable fibres

The Wool Shop – Creativity to Go

Was selling via eBay – moving to an online store

Wangaratta Woollen Mills

They can create a custom worsted yarn from your fibre!

Wondoflex

The well organised online store is a dream to find your way in

Woolarium

Free shipping on orders over $50

Woollybutt

Lots of free patterns from their own exclusive designs

Wool Baa

There are heaps of their own pattern downloads available at great prices

Yarn + Co

A fellow Fitzroy neighbourhood friend – Note now online only

Yarn Barn

1/2/4/8 PLY yarn specialist

Yarn Me Calm

Yarning Place

New Online Workshops

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We have started offering online workshops! This week we added a whole new class to our line up – How to Use Your Sewing Machine.

We know that people often buy machines but things don’t go to plan and sometimes that shiny new machines doesn’t make it out of the box. Or, those bird’s nest threads underneath your fabric and other things that go wrong were just too much frustration – we get it and we’re here to help.  This newest workshop is a 2 hour workshop to give you the confidence to start to play around on your new sewing machine.

Check out this new workshop and our other online classes – click here.

Online Workshop How to Use Your Sewing Machine

Sew a simple face mask

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YouTube Watch it on YouTube – click here.

We’ve put together a video to help with making face masks. We’ve kept it simple so you can make these for yourself and your family.

We used this pattern from Birch Creative – click here.

The face mask made in the video is from a pillow case. The high thread count makes for a good tight weave fabric and this was a cotton poly-blend. Also we opted for three layers of fabric. For extra options on the ties, we popped two ties on each side. We couldn’t decide if ties around the back of the head or behind the ears was most comfortable, so we’ve allowed for both options.

Victoria State Government advice on supplies and instructions to make a rectangular cloth mask – click here.

Simple Face Mask Banner

All workshops suspended

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Covid19 Advice

Metropolitan Melbourne is going back into lockdown for six weeks and Thread Den will be postponing all group workshops. 

It is possible to have one-on-one private lessons and our video chat lessons are available – read about those here.

All students currently enrolled in classes will receive a cancellation notice and then a transfer notice. With 50+ workshops currently in our timetable, it will take a day or two to work through these notifications. 

Know about #SecretPyjamas?

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Let's make comfy clothes

Join the revolution… many of us are incorporating our pyjamas in our everyday wardrobe. Our love of loungewear has grown super strong in lockdown! So take your favourite PJs pattern and choose a tizzy fabric, then wear them with a blazer and heels!

Check out out Pyjama Pants pattern – click here. It’s unisex, has pockets, a separate waistband and slight boot leg shape (also with a boxers variation).

Calming, creative & soulful skills

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relaxing hobbies

If you are looking for ways to unwind, relax, make the stress of your day stop, crochet or knitting could be your hobby. Let our teachers Lorena and Amy show you how these handcrafts encourage imagination and develop your artistic side. Stimulate the logical part of your brain, distract the chatty bit in the back and calm yourself with these creative therapies. 

“Spending time on an activity that you enjoy can improve your mental health and wellbeing. Research shows that people with hobbies are less likely to suffer from stress, low mood, and depression. Activities that get you out and about can make you feel happier and more relaxed. Group activities like team sports can improve your communication skills and relationships with others.”

Read more from Head Health a resource from the Australian Government – click here.

Workshop phased reopening

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After a lonely ten weeks of shutdown, Thread Den is finally getting back into the workshop!

Making a COVID-SAFE workshop:

The footprint of the workshop allows for Thread Den to have 26 people onsite, or 13 in each workroom and maintain physical distancing regulations. New protocols have also been introduced covering cleaning, the approach to teaching and the introduction of loads of sanitiser and disinfectant.

Danielle, Thread Den’s owner explained:

“Our biggest change and an exciting improvement was changing our sewing workroom to now house six individual sewing stations. They are 4x4metres and are each kitted out with their own sewing machine, an overlocker, a steam generator iron, shears, sewing kits and all the required tools for a class.” 

An investment has been made to create a space that is achieving social distance regulations, but still feels nurturing to students and providing every support possible while they learn to sew. Past students and Thread Den’s members will see many more tools, new appliances, machinery and furniture. New protocols to establish a COVID-Safe workshop have been implemented and there has been a reduction in the maximum class size from 8 down to 6 students for all workshops.

You can take a peek at the ongoing progress on our Instagram.

Not everything kicks off at the same time, read on for details of the phased workshop schedule for June, July and August…

[Read more…] about Workshop phased reopening