Sewing Mastery: Shirts and Beyond — Advanced Garment Techniques

This course is all about finesse and precision—the skills that make your garments look professionally made.

By the end of this course, you will have built on your machine sewing skills and garment construction techniques following a commercial sewing pattern and have gained knowledge of different fabrics. 

You’ll master: 

• Commercial pattern instructions and information 

• Understanding sizing and alterations 

• Sewing buttonholes and buttons and attach sleeves, collars and cuffs.? 

• Measuring and pattern adaption techniques 

• Garment construction skills such as French seams, collars, cuffs and buttonholes. 

• Fabric overview and how to work with woven fabrics 

You’ll walk away with a beautifully finished garment and the confidence to take on more complex sewing challenges at home. 

Through a mix of hands-on sessions, step-by-step demonstrations, and personalised guidance from expert tutor Helen Cauvy-Foster, you’ll develop both technical skills and creative confidence. Expect group discussion, inspiration from professional techniques, and plenty of encouragement along the way. 
 

This advanced sewing course is ideal if you’ve completed Sewing Progression: Tunic Tops and Beyond or have similar experience. You should already be comfortable using a sewing machine and have completed at least one garment using a commercial pattern. 

Materials 

We’ll provide: 

• 1.5 metres of calico 

You’ll need: 

• A non-stretch woven fabric for your final garment (we’ll discuss options during week one — no need to buy anything yet—but you might like to explore options) 

A basic sewing kit, including: 

• Fabric and paper scissors 
• Pins and tape measure 
• Seam ripper (un-picker) 
• Tape measure 
• Un-picker 

In addition, a notebook, pencil and eraser may be useful for note-taking.? 

This course is a gateway to even more creative possibilities. Ready to go further? Explore follow-on options like: Cutting a Pattern from an Existing Garment