109 Courses

Learn how to care for your sewing machine.

A dressmaking day at Stitching Kitchen learn to fit a bodice and adjust a bodice block with Emma Smith

Creative textiles skills workshop for textiles enthusiasts and teachers

In a small way we can change the world! Come and spend sometime creating morsbags with friendly like minded sewists.

Beginners sewing clothes workshop - create pyjama bottoms using Tilly and the buttons Jaimie pattern (included in cost of workshop)

Learn Traditional Leather Craft, Saddle Stitching And Leather Goods Construction Skills A week-long masterclass offering an in-depth experience of traditional leather craft skills and hand sewing techniques, merging theory with hands-on learning. Dates/times: Five consecutive days - Mon-Fri 10am-5pm Understand the uniqueness of vegetable-tanned leather and the amazing long lasting products that can be created with this material. Proficiently handle traditional hand tools, master various hand-sewing techniques, and understand pattern drafting for the creation of handmade goods. You will gain insights into the technical aspects of leatherworking, including preparation, marking, cutting, gluing, reinforcing, skiving, debossing, finishing, and more. You will create a finished leather bag as well as personalised samples to take home for reference in your future projects.You will conclude the masterclass with the ability to craft entirely handmade leather items and master essential skills such as cutting, finishing, and saddle stitching. You will be taught by a prototype maker and manufacturer with 20 years of experience in this field. Participants also receive valuable handouts and curated lists of leather and tool suppliers for ongoing reference. Leather, Vegan Leather, And Hand Tools: Overview of leather types, tanning, finishing, and best uses Understanding vegetable-tanned leather, how to use it, and how to finish it Importance of choosing the right materials and tools for projects Leather preparation, pattern placement and marking Understanding the cutting of thin and thick leathers and selecting the right cutting tools Using leather punches, skiving, beveling and creasing Finishing leather edges: burnishing and inking Utilising leather glues, tapes and reinforcements Exploration of prototyping and manufacturing leather goods, encompassing varied working methods, machines, and tools. Hand Sewing/saddle Stitching: Saddle stitching leather and understanding related tools and materialsUnderstanding thread types and needle sizes Correctly sewing various leather types, ranging from thin to very thick Sewing straight lines, curves and three-dimensional parts Producing various seams and seam finishes Construction techniques: Sewing and finishing a simple zip on leather Cutting, assembling and sewing simple straps/handles Constructing and sewing common gussets Leather Goods Making: Understanding the basics of pattern making for hand-sewn items and how this differs from machine sewing pattern drafting. Creating a finalised hand sewn leather bag from our designs, choosing colour, materials, reinforcements, hardware and trimmings. By the end of the tuition, you will have: – Developed confidence in utilising specific tools for leather preparation, marking, finishing, cutting and fastening fittings. – Acquired an understanding of working with diverse leather types and thicknesses, with the ability to source and select appropriate tools and materials for your projects. – Mastered essential leather sewing techniques, troubleshooting common sewing issues, and handling challenges such as curves, multiple layers of leather, and three-dimensional objects. – Learned to sew fundamental bag components like simple zips and gussets. – Built confidence in hand sewing, using patterns, and gaining the skills to independently create simple leather items

An Essential Sewing & Making Skills Course for Teachers of GCSE & A Level Fashion & Textiles for both Art & Design and D&T.

A starting class covering the absolute basics of free motion embroidery with plenty of hints and tips to get your started with this very satisfying technique.

A dressmaking day at Stitching Kitchen learn to fit trousers with Emma Smith

LEATHER CRAFT AND LEATHER SEWING TECHNIQUES: WHAT IS THIS COURSE ABOUT? This is a theoretical and practical introductory group tuition during which you will be taught common, essential leather crafting and sewing techniques and understand how working with leather differs from working with vegan leather or fabric.You will be taught how to correctly use hand tools, how to sew leather by hand and understand the most common finishing and construction techniques used in bag and accessory making. You will learn about different types of leather and understand how to select the correct type of material(s) for your project. You will receive an overview of the technical aspects of working with leather and constructing bags and accessories such as inking, burninshing, marking, cutting, gluing, reinforcing, skiving, debossing and more.You will learn how to saddle stitch, select the appropriate tools for this sewing technique, and produce your own samples of work to take home with you.You will receive relevant, useful and informative handouts as well as lists of leather and tool suppliers. At the end of the lesson, you will have the choice to create a simple hand-sewn leather item, such as a simple purse or card holder, to take home with you, or to practice more techniques.This is a professional course delivered by a prototype maker and manufacturer, with the aim of providing an overview and hands-on experience on more common leather working practices. At the end of the tuition you will have: – Gained an understanding of leather types, tanning methods, leather characteristics and the best uses for specific projects. – Gained confidence in using specific tools for preparing, marking, finishing, cutting leather and fastening fittings. – Understood and practiced leather craft techniques such as inking, beveling and burnishing techniques – Understood what it means to work with different leather types and thicknesses and have the ability to source and select the correct tools and materials for your projects. – Understood how to manipulate leather using tools, reinforcement, stabilisers and stiffeners in crucial areas of bags and accessories. – Gained confidence in sewing by hand and obtained the skills to realise some simple leather items independently. WHAT WILL BE TAUGHT?Below is a list of topics covered during the classes: LEATHER, VEGAN LEATHER AND HAND TOOLS: – Understanding leather: overviews on types of leather, tanning, finishings and best use– Vegan leathers: an overview on different types and features – Understanding how to choose the right materials for your project and the appropriate tools for those materials – Leather preparing, pattern placement and marking on leather – Cutting complex shapes using a variety of tools – Using leather punches – Understanding the use of skiving, beveling and creasing – Finishing leather edges: painting vs burnishing – Using various leather glues and tapes – Understand the use of reinforcements, fusings and stabilisers to back leather – Prototyping and manufacturing leather goods: mentions of different working methods, machines and tools HAND SEWING: – To understand the different options, characteristics, and proper application of the tools used in saddle stitching – To learn the basics of saddle stitching leather and understood the different the tools and materials used in the technique CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES: – To create a small, simple hand stitched leather item to take home with you INCLUDED IN THE COURSE: You will be provided with useful digital and paper handouts which contain:– A list of tools and materials used during the lesson(s), including a description of what they are and how they are used– A list of recommended suppliers for both leather and fittings (physically in London and online)– A glossary containing essential key words related to the topic of the lesson– A glossary containing information about leather types and characteristics WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS? This course is suitable for total beginners, beginners with some experience and intermediate.You should be able to use measurements and understand verbal and written English instructions.   ARE THERE ANY OTHER COSTS? IS THERE ANYTHING I NEED TO BRING? Materials are included.Feel free to bring a notepad, if you would like to take some notes, we will provide the rest. HOW LONG IS THIS TUITION? This tuition will require up to 12 hours to complete. We aim to provide customised and high quality tuition services and by only allowing up to 6 students at a time, we are able to focus on each person needs and interests.As every student has a different level of ability and previous experience, this course might lead some students to complete the core aspects of the lesson in a shorter time frame than others.Students who complete the course early will be welcome to stay and use the studio facilities to exercise on the topics of the lesson.