A3439 - Creative Essentials: clothes making techniques and fit made easy

Header
Start Date: 23/09/2026      End Date: 25/11/2026        Start Time: 19:00      End Time: 21:00        Hours per Week: 2.00      No of Weeks: 9
Fees:      £144.00 (tuition)     £253.00 (overseas)     £60.00 (concessionary)
Tutor: Janet Ayoola        No of Places: 4
Shadwell Centre

Course Overview

Course Overview
Learn the step by step process used in making a garment while building fundamental clothes making skills in a supportive environment. You will make a garment of your choice using a commercial pattern, your own body measurements, and straightforward pattern adjustment techniques to achieve a better fit.
You will be guided at your own pace through the correct fabric cutting methods, a wide range of stitch and seam types, adjustments, fastening and pressing techniques to ensure your garment looks its best. You will build a personal reference library of stitched samples and seams that you can keep and use in future projects. To benefit your learning there will be some work to do outside of the classroom, homework will benefit your knowledge and skills development.
By the end of the course, you will feel confident selecting the correct stitch and seam for different purposes, understand the basics of reading and using a pattern, and be well equipped to make a garment independently.
No previous experience is required.
This course forms part of the Essentials Repeat Pathway, enabling you to rejoin the course with tutor guidance to reinforce skills, build confidence, and consolidate techniques through repetition before progressing to more advanced or creative work.

What will you learn and be able to do?

What will you learn and be able to do?
* Measure your body accurately and use a commercial sewing pattern, apply simple pattern adjustment techniques to improve garment fit.
* Cut and prepare fabric correctly, follow pattern layouts and best practice for grain, accuracy, and fabric handling.
* Identify and use a range of different sewing equipment, select correct dressmaking scissors, dressmaking pins and threads
* Construct a garment step‑by‑step, including assembling components, inserting simple fastenings, and applying basic finishing methods.
* Create and use a personal reference library of stitched samples, supporting independent clothes making beyond the course.
* empty
* empty
* empty
* empty
* empty

Entry requirements

Entry requirements
None
Prosp User 8

Equipment required

Equipment required
For the first lesson you need to bring a note book and pencil. You will also be given a list of equipment that you require for the course.
Prosp User 9

How will you know you are making progress?

How will you know you are making progress?
You will have an ‘Individual Learning Plan’ where the course learning outcomes are shown and where you can set your own learning goals and monitor your own progress.
You will need to evaluate your own progress and manage your time.
Your tutor will give ongoing feedback and will keep you informed of your progress.
Prosp User 12
At the beginning of the course the tutor will carry out an initial assessment to help identify the level of experience, knowledge or skills in this area.
The tutor will also carry out informal assessments to check your understanding, there is no exam.
You will complete a self-assessment at the beginning, middle and end of the course.
Your tutor will let you know how you are getting on throughout the course to you will help you work to your full potential.
At the end of the course you will receive written feedback.
Prosp User 11

Progress opportunities - your next steps

Progress opportunities - your next steps
This course forms part of the Essentials Repeat Pathway, enabling you to rejoin the course with tutor guidance to reinforce skills, build confidence, and consolidate techniques through repetition before progressing to Explore level courses. Please see our website for further information or speak with your tutor.
Your tutor will support you in researching these and other courses outside of Idea Store Learning.
Prosp User 10

Other info

Other info
We have high expectations regarding attendance and punctuality. We expect 100% attendance for all scheduled sessions and that you do so punctually and are ready to start learning at the start of the class.
We acknowledge the rare occasions when that will not be possible, please inform us before the class by emailing ideastoreadmin@towerhamlets.gov.uk.
Prosp User 13

Extra Support

Extra Support
If you have declared a learning difficulty, disability or support need whilst enrolling and you require support/assistance in class or to complete your course, please discuss your needs with your tutor at the first lesson.
If you intend to take an examination and feel you have an additional learning need or special requirements, you must declare them to your tutor within the first 2 weeks of your course.
If you are studying in an online group, then you can arrange a one-to-one online discussion with your tutor, after the session, or by email.
Where we aim to make reasonable adjustments to support our learners, please note we are unable to provide any type of in class or in person support if your course takes place online.
Prosp User 14