COVID Announcements
COVID affected enrolments
Looking for activities in isolation or quarantine?
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.
Pre-made fabric face masks
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:
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.

All workshops suspended
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.
Workshop phased reopening
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 reopeningHow do video lessons work?
Perhaps you have seen that we are offering private video lessons and you are wondered how video lessons could work for you?
Here is the start of a lesson plan developed for a student making a pair of pants:
Lesson 1 (60 minutes)
Homework – cutting out pattern pieces and preparing fabric.
Lesson 2 (60 minutes)
- folding fabric
- placing down pattern pieces
- discussing cutting technique and pattern markings
Homework – cutting out fabric
Lesson 3 (60 minutes)
- fusing interfacing
- discussing finishing options
- how to thread machine
- making machine adjustments and stitching remnants to check settings
Homework – finishing identified edges
etc…
This student has sent through the details of their pattern and they’d like 60 minute video lessons held daily.
When would you like to learn?
Depending on how much time you have and how regularly you would like your lessons, they could be: one a day, one a week, or even one in the morning and one in the afternoon to really smash out a project!
20 March Covid19
We have today decided to suspend our current timetable for four weeks.
All adult workshops will be rescheduled for four weeks time.
The school holiday program will be rescheduled for the June/July school holidays.
While we can maintain the 4 metre square directive for indoor gatherings, people have been asked to avoid unnecessary travel which means our students shouldn’t be travelling to our venue.
We are offering video private lessons and you can read more here.
19March Covid19 Update
We are following Government advice and staying up-to-date with news alerts.
Students will receive email updates either;
a) as the workshop comes up, or
b) as advice changes the status of our workshops.
Today we are advising:
As our classes are no more than 8 students and 1 teacher we have decided to go ahead.
We have increased cleaning of all surfaces and equipment. There is sanitizer (and of course a bathroom with soap) available also.
18 March Covid19 Update
We are following Government advice and staying up-to-date with news alerts.
Students will receive email updates either;
a) as the workshop comes up, or
b) as advice changes the status of our workshops.
Today we are advising:
As our classes are no more than 8 students and 1 teacher we have decided to go ahead.
We have increased cleaning of all surfaces and equipment. There is sanitizer (and of course a bathroom with soap) available also.