Join Claire-Louise Hardie and learn how to tailor your very own fit buddy with an adjustable mannequin and begin making garments exactly the way you want.
“Arrived at the class not knowing anything about toile construction…in my head it was a thing that very experienced people did…Came away confident with my new found skill. Let the fun being!”
Frustrated that you can never find patterns in styles you like, or do you find your body is not a standard size?
Frustrated that you can never get a perfect fit on your own?
Why not create your own body double fit buddy?
Over this weekend course you will measure yourself and transform your own adjustable mannequin into the ultimate dressmakers best friend.
You must have made a couple of garments using a pattern on your own before attending this class, and feel confident sewing and working unaided
The first part of the class will be dedicated to some artful shaping and padding, sculpting your mannequin to mirror your unique body shape.
Using a torso block pattern, you’ll then sew up a “toile” or mock up which will be expertly fitted to your body.
Following your first fit, adjustments are applied to your toile and block pattern. The toile is then re-fitted to you for a truly great fit.
Your fitted toile is then used to refine and fine tune the padding on your mannequin. The calico toile forms a neat mannequin cover that smoothes the wadding applied when sculpting your fit buddy.
Your now customised pattern block allows you to start drafting your own patterns in any style you like. You’ll be shown a couple of tricks for using a block to aide fitting commercial patterns
In this class you will learn:
• How to take your own accurate body measurements and adjust the corresponding parts of your mannequin.
• How to pad and shape your mannequin so it’s an accurate fit buddy
• Making a muslin or toile (a mock-up version of your pattern)
• Simple fitting adjustments and assessments
Our sewing classes are relaxed and friendly, taking place at our beautiful studio at Holme Grange Craft Village in Wokingham, Berkshire. Students get to use our brand new digital Janome sewing machines and class sizes are capped to ensure everyone gets the time and attention they need.