In the words of Clare-Louise Hardy (Great British Sewing Bee) 'Sewing is a bit like cooking - there are some basic skills you'll need to learn. Jumping into a class to make, for example, a tailored garment is like making souffle` when you've never even scrambled an egg.
If you are thinking of becoming the next Stella McCartney, then you should invest a good chunk of time and money on a long course. If your end point is to be a fashion or costume designer then you'll need a broad skills base that you can't pick up at a weekend course.
However, if you are looking to discover a new hobby, or fancy learning to sew just for the sheer pleasure, find a fabulous short workshop that will give you the start you need. Many of these classes, including my own, result in a finished project by the end of the class, giving you a real confidence boost.
Be honest with yourself about how skilled you currently are. Most classes have a list of pre-requisite skills. If you have tinkered with a sewing machine but never actually made anything, then signing up for an advance class will leave you feeling left behind and out of your depth and may well put you off sewing.
Attending a night school programme is really cost effective (in some states - research yours) way to learn. they are run with large groups, you won't get masses of individual attention, they allow you to learn slowly generally over 10 -16 weeks.
If you want a more intensive quick start to learning to sew, then short private workshops may suit you better. These can be more expensive (do your research) but are usually stand alone workshops over a couple of weeks rather than a term. They have small groups, giving you more personal attention from the tutor.
A shared passion is a great way to make friends too, classmates are likely to be local to that class too. Which increases the chance for coffee or fabric shopping trips after class.
Learning to sew will take time, so be realistic about what you'll get from your classes. In one afternoon, you'll never get that wedding dress made from scratch! Expect to make some mistakes - unpicking is part of sewing and at some point you'll have to do it!
In Darwin there is choice on where to learn sewing. So whatever you want to sew for, there is a class out there for you - it just pays to research.
Happy hunting and happy stitching
Leanne xx
