Class Offerings
January 2025 (beginning 1/13/2025)

Bodice Sloper With Sleeve (Moulage)

The student will learn how to draft a pattern from measurements that fits the figure exactly. This is the moulage - no wearing ease added. Upon completion of the draft, the student will make a muslin test garment to check and adjust the fit. The student then creates a pattern, based upon that moulage, that includes wearing ease. This is the bodice sloper or bodice block and can be used as a starting point to create blouses, dresses, jackets, and coats. Once you have the bodice sloper, you will create an accompanying sleeve sloper. The sloper with sleeve will be sewn up in muslin and fitted as well.

The Classic Sheath

The sheath dress is a flattering silhouette for many body types. In this class you'll learn to draft a classic timeless sheath dress, with its figure-flattering vertical panels and narrow silhouette. The first of two will be drafted with princess seams and then we'll draft a 4-panel dress, perfect for color blocking. We will create a sleeveless, as well a sleeved version, and teach design options for necklines and sleeves. For those of you who want to take your dress out for a spin, we’ll teach you how to create a fit and flare silhouette.

Fitting is an integral part of the class. Be sure you have a well-fitting bodice sloper before you enroll.

Note: This is 1/2 of the previous class Dresses: Day to Evening, but is now a stand alone class.

Knit Bodice Sloper with Sleeve

The student will learn how to draft a basic knit bodice sloper with sleeve from measurements. We will then draft knit torso slopers in all stretch categories; minimal, moderate, very stretchy, super stretchy, and four-way stretch. These slopers form the foundation for tops, dresses, jackets and sweaters. Students will make test garments for basic sloper and sleeve. These will be fitted and any changes will be transferred to the patterns.

This was formerly called Knits: Drafting a Torso Foundation.

Pants: Beyond the Basics

In this class, you'll use your pant sloper to create several different silhouette of pants. You'll draft a classic pleated trouser, with pockets and a waistband, a palazzo pant, cargo pants with pockets, a contoured pant, a wrap pant and various types of shorts.  You'll learn how to draft, and mix and match, elements such as waistbands, waist facings, fly-front and other zippers and pockets, pockets, pockets.

Ready to Wear Jacket - The Sienna

Lynda will teach you to make a ready-to-wear jacket, using the Sienna Jacket by Closet Core Patterns as a demo. The Sienna by Closet Core Patterns is a chic utility jacket inspired by vintage French workwear. It has a slightly dropped shoulder, notched collar and pockets galore. There are 3 views for this pattern, one that hits at mid-thigh, another at upper-thigh and a third that is a short jacket with a button closure.

Using the Sienna pattern, Lynda will change the order of construction and add such details as a machine tailored collar, machine tailored lapel, drafting and installing lining by machine. The skills you'll learn can be applied to any number of other projects. Other work coats patterns these techniques could apply to are the Merchant & Mills Foreman Coat, Paynter Jacket or Ottoline Jacket, the Friday Pattern Company Ilford Jacket, or the free Fabric Store Paola Jacket.

We will end the class, as we end all classes, with a virtual student showcase! The image shown here is a coat made by Kay Hallows, one of Lynda's students in 2023. You can see a blog post about the class by clicking on this link.

Sleeves: Draft and Sew

This new class complements others that have been offered, e.g. Drafting a Classic Shirt, Drafting a Jacket/Coat, Drafting Dresses. It will give you more tools in your toolbox to be able to draft the clothes of your dreams. Think raglan sleeve, lantern, pleated, petal sleeve with gathers, kimono sleeve and more. We ask that you have either a closely-fitted blouse pattern that fits well, or a bodice sloper with sleeve. (You'll have to make adjustments to the bodice and sleeve for some of these sleeves!)

Lynda will demonstrate sewing techniques specific to these sleeve types.

Tailoring Part I

Tailoring I is the first in a three-part series of classes designed to construct a tailored jacket, from creating a muslin version to ensure proper fit through building all of the interior structure to placing the collar on (final step in class - buttons and buttonholes are up to you). Join me in this fantastic journey that will not only result in a beautiful, well-fitting tailored jacket, but will improve your sewing skills overall.

Tailoring Part III

The third class in the tailoring series follows on the heels of Tailoring Part 2, in which you created the internal structure of your jacket, sewed the side seams together (not the shoulder seams) and hemmed it.

In this final class, you will add the lining and prepare the under- and upper-collars to add as the final step. (Buttons and buttonholes are not included in this class.)