Machine Sewing for Beginners - Fabric Books and Journals - High Pavement, Sutton-in-Ashfield - Adult Learning

High Pavement Learning Centre, Sutton-in-Ashfield

Date	28 February - 4 April 2025
Sessions	Fridays: 1:15pm - 3:45pm
No. sessions	6
Venue	High Pavement Learning Centre, Sutton-in-Ashfield View venue details View on Google Maps
For ages	19+
Group size	5 - 8
Cost	FREE - £45.50

About this course

This course is for anyone who wants to learn to use a sewing machine, even if you have never touched one before. We will learn all about our machine from threading up, filling a bobbin and beginning to stitch, adding pockets, buttons and embellishments and in the process make a wonderful textile book full of stitches, fabric and memories. As you learn to sew you will create a fabric book full of texture and new techniques with space to add your own creative twist.

This course your gateway to new and exciting sewing adventures.

We will start by getting to grips with our machine and making the first of our book pages. We will then start to create decoration for these pages using hand and machine stitching, appliqué, embroidery and embellishment. We will create pockets and make closures from ties and buttons.

We will cover basic printing and experiment by adding paper, photographs and found objects to our journals.

By the end of the course, you will:

Have a handmade, personal fabric journal of at least ten pages, the journal is easily expanded and added to in the future
Be able to work safely and confidently with a sewing machine
Understand the importance of using the correct needles, feet and thread for the project
Start to understand your own creative process
Understand how simple patterns are used
Create pockets and closures
Use bindings and create ties
Have an understanding of different types of fabric and thread and be able to choose the correct ones for the project
Have a practical understanding of the process of free machine embroidery.

Resources required by attendees:

You will not need everything on the first day of the course

1 meter of plain fabric, calico or white/cream sheeting for book pages
Fabric cotton or polycotton woven fabric, not stretch. Patterned or plain, old bed linen is good as are duvet covers and old clothes
Lots of fabric scraps
Polyester Thread – to match or contrast your fabric
Hand sewing kit can come in handy with pins, needles and scissors

After week one :

Bondaweb or Mistyfuse (optional)
Paper scraps, old letters (photocopies of anything precious – we will be cutting them up) Bits of old jewelry, keyrings any bits and bobs you might want to include
Bias binding
Beads and buttons for decoration
Elastic, ribbon, embroidery thread or braid for decoration (not essential)
Any other fabric, thread or decorative items you might like to use
Fabric glue

Suggested Reading for the course:

Very Easy Guide to Using Your Sewing Machine by Wendy Gardiner. Publication 2013  ISBN 13/EAN: 9781844488285
Fabric Memory Books. Lesley Riley. ISBN 13/EAN: 9781579909857
Fragmentation and Repair. Shelley Rhodes. 2021. ISBN 13/EAN: 9781849946100
Connected Cloth. Cas Holms and Anne Kelly. 2013. ISBN 13/EAN: 9781849940436
Dressmaking: The Easy Guide by Hellen Rhiannon. Publication: 23 June 2023 ISBN 13/EAN: 9781782218913

Booking your place and fee information

If you are in receipt of certain benefits you will be offered the course for free, however if you have a financial barrier which may prevent you from enrolling on the course, please visit our webpage for further information https://www.inspireculture.org.uk/skills-learning/funding-your-courses/

To secure your place on the course BOTH the following must be done:

Complete the EVENTBRITE BOOKING.
Complete our INSPIRE ONLINE ENROLMENT FORM for each person attending the course.

You should be redirected to the Inspire Online Enrolment Form after completing the Eventbrite booking. If you are not redirected, please use the link supplied in the Eventbrite booking confirmation email.

To book and enrol on one of our courses, you must have been living in England and have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years.

Some exceptions may apply if you are living in England with evidence of the right to remain and are from an EEU/EEAU country (completion of a questionnaire will be required).

As we no longer receive funding for our ESFA-funded courses for learners living in the devolved areas listed below, full cost fees would apply to these courses if you live in these areas: