Sewing classes in London NOW!

Hello all budding sew-ers out there!

We have scheduled lots of new courses for learning to sew for March, and wanted to let you know about the dates coming up!

All our Learn To Sew courses cover a huge host of sewing skills, including understanding, maintaining and setting up the sewing machines, the absolute basic stitches, to more skilled techniques such as inserting sips, attaching waistbands and making gathers, frills and button holes. The 1 day courses cover all these essential skills and more in 1 day, from 10 – 4.30, and the longer courses such as the Evening, Saturday daytime and weekday daytime courses cover even more techniques, such as various zips, elastication, and various hems.

See below for all the upcoming dates, times and prices, and let us know if you need any other information. Each course links back to the website, where you can book your place directly.

Next week we have a few places left on the 1 day intensive 12^th March, or the weekend 1 day intensive on the 16th - £95 – get in quick for those!

How to use a Sewing Machine  Various Trainers

A class for absolute beginners to learn the basic uses of a sewing machine. Learn about the machine parts and the up keep of the machine, about using the correct needles and threads and how to wind the bobbin, thread the machine correctly and adjust the tension. You will then learn how to start and finish, practice basic stitches, finish edges, hemming and make a buttonhole.

PLEASE NOTE: This workshop forms the first 2.5 hours of our longer learn to sew courses. There is an option to pay the balance and stay on for the longer course should you wish to continue.

DAY TIME     10.30am – 1pm 2.5 hours

Wednesday 12^th March

Wednesday 19^th March

Wednesday 26^th March

Monday  24th March

 Price £45 Inclusive of materials

EVENING     6.30- 9pm    2.5 hours

Monday  24th March

Price £45 Inclusive of materials

WEEK END    10.30 to 1pm  2.5 hours

Sunday 16^th March

Sunday 29th March

Price £45 Inclusive of materials

Learn to Sew - Saturday Morning     9 Places   Trainer Various

  A class for absolute beginners to learn the basic uses of a sewing machine. Learn about the machine parts and the up keep of the machine. Learn about using the correct needles and threads and to thread the machine correctly and adjust the tension. Learn basic stitches, how make a variety of seams and sew curves and corners. You will sew darts, insert zips, attach waistbands and facings, make gathers and frills and learn how to hem and finish a garment and how to make a button hole. You will also learn how to choose a commercial pattern, lay a pattern on fabric and cut out and mark, ready to sew

DAYTIME WEEK END

10am – 1.30pm 3 weeks 10.5 hours

Saturday 22nd March to Saturday 5th April

Price £170 inclusive of materials

Learn to Sew - Evening  9 Places   Trainer Karine Bono

A class for absolute beginners to learn the basic uses of a sewing machine. Learn about the machine parts and the up keep of the machine. Learn about using the correct needles and threads and to thread the machine correctly and adjust the tension. Learn basic stitches, how make a variety of seams and sew curves and corners. You will sew darts, insert zips, attach waistbands and facings, make gathers and frills and learn how to hem and finish a garment and how to make a button hole. You will also learn how to choose a commercial pattern, lay a pattern on fabric and cut out and mark, ready to sew.

EVENING

6.30- 8.30pm 6 weeks 12 hours

Monday 24th  March –  Monday 5th May  [missing 1 week for Easter]

Wednesday 19th March – Wednesday 16th April

Price £195 Inclusive of materials

Learn to Sew – 2 Day Weekends    9 Places   Various Trainers

  A  class for absolute beginners to learn the basic uses of a sewing machine. Learn about the machine parts and the up keep of the machine. Learn about using the correct needles and threads and to thread the machine correctly and adjust the tension. You will practice basic stitches, make a variety of seams, sew curves and corners, pivot and sew different types of darts and how to make gathers. On the second day you will learn how to insert different types of zips, attach waistbands and facings, and how to hem and finish a garment and how to mark and make button holes. You will also learn how to choose a commercial pattern, lay a pattern on fabric and cut out and mark, ready to sew.

10.30 to 4.pm.  2 days 11 hours including break

Saturday  5th and Sunday 6th April

Price £195 including materials

Learn to Sew 1 Day Intensive   16  places  Please note if more that 9 people book then the class will be split into 2 with 2 teachers. There will never be more than 9 people in a class.    Various Trainers

A class for absolute beginners to learn the basic uses of a sewing machine. Learn about the machine parts and the up keep of the machine. Learn about using the correct needles and threads and to thread the machine correctly and adjust the tension. Learn basic stitches, how make an open and closed seam and sew curves and corners. You will sew darts, insert a zip, attach a facings, make a hem and a button hole. You will also learn how to choose a commercial pattern, lay a pattern on fabric and cut out and mark, ready to sew   

WEEKEND

10.30am – 4.pm. 1 day 6 hours including break

Sunday 16th March

Saturday 29th March

Price £95 includes materials

DAY TIME

10.30am – 4pm. 1 day 6 hours including break

Wednesday 12th March

Monday  24th March

Price £95 includes materials

East End Manufacturing X Fashion Antidote!

East End Manufacturing X Fashion Antidote!

Image from http://www.eastendmanufacturing.com/

 

We're working with a local factory in Mile End on our upcoming Stretch Fabric course. Working alongside the factory means that we can offer hand on experience within the factory to our students, and there will be an opportunity for paid and unpaid positions for successful students upon completion of the course.

 

The company, East End Manufacturing, have been looking for talented and skilled seamstresses, and coming up short. That's where we come in, teaching our budding seamstresses all the essential skills in sewing and construction with stretch fabrics, so they're experts ready to go straight into work.

 

Image from http://www.eastendmanufacturing.com/

 

Image from http://www.eastendmanufacturing.com/

 

Their last premises was opened by Boris Johnson last year, to celebrate the return of manufacturing to Londons East End. They've just settled into a much bigger location in Mile End, which we're excited about getting our students into!

 

Being able to offer the opportunity for work experience and even paid permanent positions at the end of one of our courses is a huge step for us, and something we have been working towards for years. It cements the idea that our courses are skill focussed and over a real progression route to getting ahead in the fashion and textiles industry, and we can't wait to get started! See the full info about the course here: Professional Cutting and Construction for Stretch Garments.

 

The Great British Sewing Bee - Focus back on sewing!

Who's been watching the British sewing bee on the BBC? We've been getting lots of calls from people who have been inspired by the show, and are now looking to learn to sew, and this makes us very happy!



A dress made on the Great British Sewing Bee programme

The show is really bringing a mainstream focus back to home-dressmaking and personal sewing skills, which is exactly what we want at Fashion Antidote.

Workshops and classes all over the UK are booming with first time sewers and makers, learning to stitch their own clothes and furnishings. Programmes like The British Sewing Bee are great for promoting DIY sewing skills and making your own clothes. We especially love how this show in particular is advocating the real practical skills that go into making a garment, and the time it takes to make a simple garment like a skirt. It throws into harsh perspective the low prices on much of fast fashion, and hopefully goes some way to promote quality over quantity!

We've got lots of sewing courses for the complete beginner, home dressmaker, or fashion entrepreneur. Get started with learning to sew, and then why not tackle our Simple Skirt or Simple Dress courses? We'll get you stitching in no time.

The Sewing Bee website has some great video's with sewing tips on - have a look at this shift dress how to:

Good Lookin' Skirts - Make a skirt at Fashion Antidote

Fancy learning to make a skirt like these nice little numbers? Pencil or A-line, patterned or plain, the skirt is a valuable garment to be able to make and a handy wardrobe staple! Our runs from our Brick Lane studio on the 25th November, from 10:00 - 16:30 and is £95. See the site here for more info.

Class Pictures - Inside our classes

   

Forget the rain - Learn to make a lovely summer dress - new dates

Make a Dress for Summer

Chase away the rainy weather by making a summer dress.  This workshop is for those with intermediate sewing skills who have already made at least 2 other garments previously. Using a commercial pattern, you will lay, mark and pin pattern to fabric and cut out. You will sew seams and darts, make tucks, insert a concealed zip, attach a lining, hem, press and finish your dress ready to wear. You will be given a pattern to use and go home with you, there are 2 silhouettes to choose from either with a full skirt or a straight skirt, with or without sleeves. You just need to bring fabric. EVENING 14TH - 28TH MAY EVERY MONDAY FOR 3 WEEKS 6.30 - 9.00 - 7.5 HOURS - £135 15TH - 29TH MAY EVERY TUESDAY FOR 3 WEEKS 6.30 - 9.00 - 7.5 HOURS - £135

Loving East London

This shop front illustration has recently popped up right around the corner from us - we saw the process of the painting going up last week and the finished product is so striking. Never a dull minute in our creative corner of London.

We like to make the most of being based in such a creatively rich area, by integrating tours and trips around the local markets, studios, shops boutiques and exhibitions in with our regular short courses.

We call these our Fashion Days Out, and they are exactly that, a chance to get out about in London visiting the most amazing and inspiring fashion destinations. Based on either Vintage fashion or InsideLondon fashion and culture, our Fashion Days Out make the most of our wonderful city and combine lectures, talks and sewing skills with guided tours and visits (and a fair bit of shopping)

Have a peek at the site for more about these fabulous weekends and for details on how to book.

Special event coming up?

We can also tailor days or weekends to you – if you’d like to organise a Fashion Day Out with a group for a special event, birthday, anniversary, celebration or part of a holiday – we can tailor a package to your interests and find a date to suit you. We just need confirmation of a group size of at least 8. Call for more details on 02073753235 or email info@fashonantidote.com

January & February courses

JANUARY COURSES

FEBRUARY COURSES

SEWING SKILLS

PATTERN CUTTING

GARMENT CONSTRUCTION

FASHION DRAWING

FASHION DESIGN

FASHION STYLING

FASHION BUSINESS

Want a resolution you can stick to? Come and learn with Fashion Antidote.

NEW SKILLS FOR THE NEW YEAR

We know how it is. With Christmas fast on the approach, everything else gets left on the backburner. Yoga classes can wait, scrap the pricey no-carb-only-green-and-eco eating regime and don’t even think about that recycling pledge. The pressures of Christmas can be a bit daunting, and tend to take over our lives at this time of year. The result of which is a rather jolly, indulgent few days, but inevitably a rather slimmer bank balance, slightly tighter belt and that vague air of guilt over what we’ve forgotten or neglected.

And the appropriate solution to this post-Christmas slump is full set of sturdy New Years Resolutions, thought up with the best intentions, but all too soon forgotten as life gets in the way. 

So how about a resolution that you can stick to. Something that will not only take the sting out of the after Christmas guilt but also provide you with lifelong skills and a new talent, maybe to help further your career, to get ahead at uni, to start your own business, or even save you a few pennies.

 

Come to Fashion Antidote and learn to sew. Save money by learning to make alterations, or make your ownclothes, and unleash your creativity on your wardrobe. If you’re after a career in fashion we have professional level technical courses in Pattern Cutting, Garment Construction, Styling, Design and Business. Add these skills to your CV and get that job, or progress from an amateur dressmaker to having your own small fashion business.

 Want a resolution you can stick to? Come and learn with Fashion Antidote.

Fresh New Courses

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN A NEW SKILL?

We've got lots of new dates and courses up on the website, everything from sewing skills to business classes. 

 

We've got new Garment Construction dates; pop into our studio to learn to make a skirt, dress or shirt from a commercial pattern. We've also made a new Bring your own project class; come and use our studio and top facilities, including cutting tables, machines, over lockers and mannequins and get some experienced help with a tricky project.

There are lots more, check out the website for a full listing, and we're also on HotCourses.

Making frocks with the Summer School

The studio is full today and our Summer School is now in full swing, students busy pinning, sizing, cutting and sewing. Today they're focusing on the make a dress section of the garment construction package, cant wait to see the results!