Learning to sew....

[shesparkles]

I'm just putting a toe in the water to find out what people think....

If we believe what the press and t'internet say, there is an upsurge in the popularity of sewing at the moment, lots of shops are selling low prices sewing machines etc, but on a couple of forums I frequent, I've seen a lot of people saying that they have the machine, but where can they learn...

I've been sewing/dressmaking/curtainmaking for years and years. I have a good technical knowledge as well as the practical experience.
I work part time but have lots of time off, and was thinking of setting up a tutorial service where I could teach people to sew on a 1 to 1 basis, in their own homes.

I'd be interested to hear people's opinions on this-would it be more appealing than going to a class, or would people prefer to learn in more of a class situation?

Like I say, it's just the start of an idea....for now!

@purplepidjin & frazzled, fancy a cuppa/sewing/craft chat then?? Daytime or evening?

Your welcome over to me, I'll have the 2 bairns with me.

x

Thanks for all the encouragement, I'm going to make a few phone calls tomorrow and see if I can get things started [eek]

I would definitely have some sessions like this if it were available in my area.

I would like to make a quilt, mongramme some towels, learn how to put a zip in properly and re-learn how to make a lined skirt.

I'm self taught but in the last year have been on a few adult learning courses run by the council, saturday one day-ers and now a dressmaking 11 week course. They're probably going to be your competition. They're being scaled back in the next 12 months due to budget cuts and the fact that they were subsidised.

Kryshees, I think I've just bought one of your items on Folksy, but I'm not stalking you honest!

Yay, shesparkles best of luck!

I make clothes for SN kids in my spare time and just run it through a facebook page and the occasional Pm here when something's come up on a topic. I've been going about three months and am averaging an order a week or so whether it's trousers, dribble bibs or a weighted blanket. It just goes to show that there IS a market for little niche things out there

@flutterbye...was it the brooch!? Packed and ready for the post office!

Feel free to stalk away.

shesparkles Yeah again! Good luk, I def think there is a market for it!

Thank you, Kryshees and Flutterbye, you have inspired me to open a Folksy shop

ooo @purplepidjin....I'm off to find you there!

Ah, whats your folksy name!?

I'm SewCrafty if you were asking me. I bought the pink/maroon, charm/key ring for a friends b'day. Thanks.

Ah it was you then! Its gone out recorded delivery, wrapped in yellow tissue paper all pretty for you.

Hope they like it!
x

I'm mimapants - special clothes for special children I've listed some of my crochet, the sewing is all make-to-order lol although I might pop some dribble bibs up (I make big pretty ones for older kids)

Cool, found you both!

Kryshees - would love a cuppa and craft chat, its just when to fit it in! I will have the whole summer off work though so perhaps we could think about a MN crafting meet up with something for the kids to do?

I am off to nose at all your folksy pages

sounds good to me frazzledblob! :D

Not sure if this is too late to be helpful but I'm halfway through a total beginner dressmaking course and I'm loving it! I would suggest though, that to make it financially viable you'd need to do small groups rather than 1-to-1. I pay £20 a lesson, for about 2.5 hours and there are 4 of us on the course. We get plenty of 1-to-1 attention when needed but we can also get on with sewing a seam etc while she focuses on each of us individually.

I like it being a small group as we can chat while we work and it's not as much pressure, if that makes sense. I'm not sure I'd go for a private lesson in my own home, but I love the small group format. Perhaps you could go to a home but teach a group of friends?