Sewing Courses

I ran my first UK sewing course last year in collaboration with Jayne Edwards at her beautiful country home, Gaddens Manor in The New Forest, England; it proved to be a huge success! For the past 10 years I have been teaching Residential Couture Sewing Courses in Palm Springs, California with Claire Shaeffer and in North Bay, Ontario with Kathryn Brenne, so now it is wonderful to be able to do this much closer to home! In 2017 Jayne and I plan to offer two courses. Come and enjoy a five-day sewing holiday with like-minded sewers. You will have the unique opportunity to study with me, a Couturier with over 35 years experience, in a class of no more than 10 students, in beautiful and relaxing surroundings. The workshop will begin with a traditional English afternoon tea at 4.00 pm on the Sunday followed by a light supper that evening. You will have the opportunity to meet me, Jayne and all the other students. Classes will then run from 9am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

June 4th – 9th 2017 
The Perfect Body Double and Draping a Tailored Jacket

Over the many years I have been making Couture clothes for private clients, I have developed a method of padding a stand to create the perfect replica of the client’s body from which to work. On this course we will work from a display mannequin, as shown and learn how to pad and cover it to replicate exactly your own body! I will show you how to take accurate body measurements using my measurement chart and then pad the stand to build up an exact body double. Finally, a calico cover is created to give your stand that professional finish. Having made your body double, I will then show you how to drape a tailored jacket on your bespoke stand, creating your unique couture pattern. All the techniques you will need to make this padded stand and drape a tailored jacket will be shown and all the processes are described and photographed in the book that is provided with the course. You go home with a perfect replica of you and a unique jacket pattern for next time!

June 18th – 23rd 2017
The Couture Lace Jacket Project. Lace from Solstiss

I have designed and draped this jacket pattern for this project using a French lace from Calais, trimmed with pure silk duchess satin and lined with pure silk organza. Students will have the opportunity to try on a muslin toile before receiving their own copy of the pattern. The project will include many hand skills used in the Couture: trace tacking a pattern; learning to hand appliqué lace; working with lace and silk organza; making a pad stitched Couture collar. You will be shown all the hand stiches and techniques you will need to make this lace jacket and all the processes are described and photographed in the book that is provided with the course.

The Gaddens Sewing School is a newly built, fully equipped studio space where students will enjoy the use of Janome sewing machines as well as Kai scissors. All sewing tools are provided in individual sewing kits. We will create the atmosphere of a Couture Workroom with large covered tables. Students will learn hand-sewing skills as they sit together in the workroom and sew.

SUPPLIES
All supplies required to make the project are included in the cost of the workshop:

Body Double Course
• Mannequin display stand
• Polyester wadding
• Calico to cover stand and make toile
• Sewing thread
• Basting cotton
• Needles
• Project booklet with complete instructions and process photos

Lace Jacket Course
• Lace in choice of colour from Solstiss, Calais, France.
• Pure silk duchess satin and pure silk organza to match.
• Calico Couture pattern in 5 sizes.
• Sewing thread
• Basting cotton
• Needles
• Project booklet with complete instructions and process photos

BED AND BREAKFAST
We can offer a shared room, some en-suite, with breakfast, morning and afternoon breaks, as well as a sit down lunch each day. A welcome tea and light supper will take place on Sunday prior to the workshop and there will be a farewell dinner on the Thursday evening at a top local restaurant.
We will try our best to work with any known food allergies. However, if you are on a very restricted diet, you may wish to supply your own food. Students will be free Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings to explore the local pubs and restaurants or have a snack at Gaddens in the studio kitchen.

FEES
The cost of the BODY DOUBLE COURSE will be £1,350.00
The cost of the LACE JACKET COURSE will be £1,650.00

Both courses will include:
• Accommodation in a shared room for 5 nights
• Breakfast, tea breaks and lunch
• The Sunday tea and supper and Thursday dinner
• All tuition and all supplies for the course

LOCATION
Gaddens Manor Sewing School is located in the New Forest National Park, Hampshire, England. It is just over an hour from London Heathrow Airport and 20 minutes from Bournemouth and Southampton Airports. There is ample car parking at Gaddens Manor.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN EITHER OF THESE THIS COURSES, PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINKS ABOVE TO FILL OUT THE EMAIL FORM.