About
Garment alterations are a fun and empowering way to level up your sewing skills and expand your wardrobe options. Professional tailor Lauren Taylor is here to guide you through the entire process of this essential skill set! Whether you're working with handmade, ready-to-wear, vintage or thrifted clothing, this class will teach you how to see flaws in garments as exciting opportunities for improvement.
What you can expect to learn:
- Effective seam ripping techniques for a variety of stitches, including straight stitches, serged finishes, and chainstitches
- How to assess a garment's fit and style and how to determine what changes need to be made
- How to take apart a garment, look inside, and determine the best method for executing whatever adjustments need to be made based on the construction of the original garment
- Basic garment repair
- How to determine whether a garment can successfully be altered or repaired, best practices for using trial-and-error to approach for alterations on existing garments, and how to troubleshoot any problems that may arise.
Details:
- There are a limited number of sewing machines available to use in the studio. If you'd like to use a BARN sewing machine rather than bringing your own, be sure to reserve it when you register for the class by checking the box labelled "Sewing Machine Reservation."
Details
You should bring a variety of garments for altering, thread to match the projects you bring, and any notions you may need. Notion suggestions include fusible interfacing, extra fabric (matching or contrast – be sure to prewash before class!), buttons, zippers, elastic, patches.
Techniques covered in class will be determined by the garments that are brought in by students. Don't know what to bring? Here are some suggestions of topics that can be covered:
- Altering a garment for a better fit.
- Making design changes to a garment – shortening or removing sleeves, changing necklines, or collars, adding or removing style ease/volume, adding or removing pockets.
- Changing hemlines – topstitched, blind, rolled, using the original hem or jeans.
- Garment repairs – holes, split seams, tears, replacing elastic, replacing buttons, replacing broken zippers, adding patches and repairing worn fabric.
- Making a garment smaller or bigger.
- Repairing or replacing garment lining.
- Garments for friends, family members, loved ones, etc.
Prerequisites
This class can accommodate most skill levels, from beginner to professional. Beginners need to have a general understanding of clothing construction and the process of assembling a garment (including pressing, maintaining accurate seam allowances, sewing curved and straight seams, finishing seams, etc.). You should be able to work independently with minimal instruction.
Class Policies
Ages 14 and up are welcome.
