MENDING & ALTERING
YOUR OWN CLOTHES
We’re really excited about this one!
Feeling good about the way you present yourself is priceless. Knowing how to alter your own clothes to achieve that, is incredibly empowering!
How many times have you tried on something cool and thought: it’s totally perfect except for this one thing…well now you’ll be able to FIX IT!
From cropping a top to tapering your pants to patching a hole, “mending and altering” can mean a lot of different things. This 6 week class provides an overview of basic alteration methods with the opportunity to practice each new technique.
We’ll talk about your personal alteration goals, the different types of alterations, what to look for when shopping vintage or secondhand clothes, how to do a fitting, when to take it to a tailor, how to approach different fabrics, and lots of hacks, tips and tricks from our years as a tailor shop!
We’re partnering with First Kiss Tattoo and Vintage (right across the street!) for this class - during the entire 6 week class, you’ll receive 20% off their entire shop! And after the last class we’ll host a little Champage & Shopping Fête in their boutique with on the spot fittings and consults.
Class Break-Down & Learnings:
Each week has a different area of focus. You’ll bring your personal garments, we’ll do fittings, learn how to think about fit, and how to execute your vision.
The first hour of class is learning techniques, lecture, demonstration. The second hour is practicing what you’ve learned on personal garments or creating your own sewing samples.
Week #1/6
Discuss different types of alterations, what is possible, how to shop vintage
When to fix, when to let it go
Hand sewing and repair techniques
How to sew a button
Patching techniques
Week #2/6
Hems: wovens
How to do a fitting: what to look at, things to consider, how to visualize, how to pin
Hemming techniques for jeans, dress pants, button-up shirts, etc.
Create samples of euro-hem, doublefold hem, singlefold hem, blind hem
Week #3/6
Hems: knits
How to do a fitting: what to look at, things to consider, how to visualize, how to pin
Hemming techniques for knits, t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc.
Create samples of different knit hems
Week #4/6
Taking-in bottoms: tapering pants, jeans, skirts
How to fit + pin
Tricks, hacks, quick-fixes and high-end techniques
Week #5/6
Taking-in tops, shirts
How to fit + pin
Using contour darts
Tricks, hacks, quick-fixes and high-end techniques
Week #6/6
Choose your own adventure: keep working on personal garments with our expert assistance
Anything that you want to learn that we haven’t covered yet
Bring in your more challenging garments and we’ll discuss options!
Champagne & Shopping! After class, we go for a celebratory field trip across the street to First Kiss Tattoo and Vintage. We will help you with on the spot fittings + consults with any vintage finds and you can enjoy 20% off the entire store.
Skill Level: The more comfortable you are with sewing, the more you will get out of this course! You should be comfortable on the machine: you have ideally completed our beginner courses OR equivalent (comfortable sewing 1/2” seams, doublefold hems, using a zig zag stitch, edge-stitching, pivoting).
Class Size: 6 people
How Long: 6 classes @ 2.5 hours each = 15 hours total
Where: The Neon Needle Studio @ Bloor + Christie (647A Bloor Street West)
Cost: $700 + HST [Includes Mending Kit (snips, needles, safety pins, thread, sashiko thread, buttons, sample fabrics), use of various notions, 3-ring binder and page sleeves to maintain sewing samples, notes].
UPCOMING DATES:
Interested in a private workshop?
Private workshops are available for groups of 2 or more.
Get in touch and we will book your group in.