Have you resolved to learn a new skill in 2025?
Immerse yourself in the deeply gratifying experience of hand sewing with Tiffany Downs in this comprehensive four part series. Calm your mind and unleash your creativity without the constraints of a sewing machine, electricity, or space. Under Tiffany’s guidance, you will dive into the history of hand sewing, explore her antique collection of hand sewn garments, and learn how the stitches of the past shape our understanding of craftsmanship and beauty today.
Tiffany’s approach to hand sewing will offer you the foundational skills to explore your sense of personal expression in a community of like minded sewists. Let your hands lead the way and fearlessly create, finding joy in every stitch!
This class has been developed with the beginner hand stitcher in mind.
**All classes of this series will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to all registrants following the live session.
The Series
Hand Sewing I
Many seasoned stitchers agree that the choices you make in sewing notions and materials will influence your project considerably. This class will inform your first steps and decision making. Tiffany will cover picking thread and fabric with deeper consideration of strength, material, and color. You will learn and practice the foundational stitches used in most hand sewn projects.
In this class you will learn how to:
- Make informed material decisions
- Thread your needle
- Use a pincushion
- Stitch a running stitch
- Stitch a basting stitch
- Stitch a close stitch
- Applications of these stitches for your sewing practice
- Use pins and chalk to guide straight lines
Friday, January 10th, 2025
3pm – 5:30pm ET
Hand Sewing II: Seams and Hems
In this class, familiarize yourself with seams and hems, techniques used to create durable and neat finished lines and edges. In the process, learn to appreciate another aspect of hand sewing – the freedom to remove, redo, and alter stitching.
In this class, you will learn how to:
- Press a seam
- Fix a broken seam
- Stitch a backstitch
- Pinning and hemming fabric
- Applications of these stitches for your sewing practice
Friday, January 17th, 2025
12pm – 2:30pm ET
Hand Sewing III: Pinking and Felling
Hand-sewing offers endless opportunities for personalization. In this class, learn about making your own seam tape to close seams. Add pinking and felling to your newfound stitching skills, and learn about ways to take care of your hands and body while stitching.
In this class you will learn how to:
- Use a thimble
- Learn how to take care of your hands when stitching
- Close seams with seam tape
- Create your own seam tape
- Pinking techniques
- Felling techniques
Friday, January 24th, 2025
12pm-2:30pm ET
Hand Sewing IV: Closure Techniques
The zipper wasn’t invented until 1850s and it took about 20 years before the fashion industry began promoting it. Historic garments had simple yet beautiful closures like snaps, hooks and eyes, and drawstrings. Have you finished a project and then felt overwhelmed by the options for closures? This class will demystify a few of the many useful closure techniques and you will gain an understanding of their most useful applications.
In this class you will make a few samples and learn how to:
- Fold fabric to create channels for ties
- Sew on snaps
- Use hook and eye
- Incorporate elastic waistbands
Friday, January 31st, 2025
12-2:30pm ET
Suggested Materials List:
- Full spool of thread
- Sewing needle set
- Chalk
- Straight edge or ruler
- Pins & Pincushion
- Seam ripper
- Thimble
- Snips
- Pinking shears (optional)
- 4 pieces of 12 inch fabric scrap
- Hook and eyes
- Sewing snaps
- Sewing elastic
- Optional: Iron and Ironing Board
Join us for the Beginner Hand Sewing series or pick and choose the skills that you would like to learn or improve upon!
The Beginner Hand Sewing Materials Package will get you started with the fundamental tools. Please refer to the series material list above for specific materials required.
OUR TEACHER
Tiffany Downs
A history nerd with needles and thread sewing since she was seven. Avid collector of antique and vintage garments. Passionate about slow living and the art of using our hands. Spending several years sewing clothing, creating recipes, gardening and drawing portraits. A student of art for a short period of time in a University but forever a creative student of life.
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