How to make sense of any home sewing pattern and use patterns to sew clothes you love.
Learn my systematic way to use sewing patterns, so you can achieve more sewing wins and fewer sewing fails.
Sewing patterns are the #1 tool to help you create the wardrobe of your dreams, but nobody teaches you exactly how to use them.
Learn my systematic approach to making sense of any sewing pattern, and never get stumped by another sewing pattern ever again.
Sewists often ask me...
How do I read and interpret measurement charts?
What do I do if the pattern doesn't come with a measurements chart?
Why do I keep making patterns way too big? Or way too small?
Can I sew up my garment in a different way than the pattern instructions tell me to? Why or why not?
I don't understand what a sewing instruction means. What should I do now?
I have a clear idea of the garment I want to sew, but I'm not sure which sewing pattern will work best to achieve my vision. How do I pick the right one?
I have a piece of fabric I'm dying to use, but I'm not sure which sewing pattern will work best for my fabric. How can I make sure my fabric and my sewing pattern will work well together?
My garments seem to turn out ok, but I always feel like I'm winging it. How can I build my confidence while working on projects so I have more fun and spend less time stressing?
Well guess what. I was right there with you!
I taught myself how to sew in an independent study class in high school using dollar-bin fabrics and $0.99 Simplicity sewing patterns, and I had all the same questions too! Sadly, after making several failed garments, I gave up fashion sewing for years. It wasn't until I needed an after-work hobby in my twenties that I gave sewing clothes another try. Turns out I liked it so much that I switched careers, became a professional sewist and patternmaker, and then opened Workroom Social to bring together my industry perspective and experience in adult-skills-training to teach grown-ups how to sew their own clothes at home.
And I'm still here with you—here to answer all these questions and more.
Sewing Patterns Mastered (TM) is the class I wish I could have taken when I first started sewing my own clothes. It's a class I'd still register for now, even with my years of experience, because I understand the importance of organization, systems, and problem-solving—and I love learning different ways of approaching these things.
In this class we build a foundation in how to use sewing patterns as a tool to create your own clothes, giving you the confidence to work with any of the thousands of sewing patterns available today. Being able to read, understand, and make confident decisions about your sewing pattern is the start to creating a successful garment—and when you encounter a sewing fail, because we all experience failure, if you can make sense of your sewing pattern, you will know exactly how and why your project went wrong.
Think critically about your project so you can make decisions with confidence.
Organize your project and develop your own sewing game plan to help you achieve more sewing wins and fewer sewing fails.
Read and make sense of sewing pattern instructions and sewing pattern markings.
Read and understand measurement charts.
Measure your sewing pattern and measure yourself.
Select the best sewing pattern for your fabric and desired design details.
Approach fitting a garment as you sew it.
Deal with dissatisfaction and disappointment in a project that doesn't go the way you hope.
This class is designed for...
Sewists who want to achieve more sewing wins
If you find yourself frustrated halfway through a project—stuck and not sure what to do next—I designed this class for you! Don't add another work-in-progress to the WIP bin. Learn how to tackle any sewing pattern using my system so you never get stuck again.
Sewists who want to feel more confident starting a new sewing pattern
If you start every new piece of clothing a little unsure, I designed this class for you! Whether you want more confidence matching the right fabric to the right pattern or choosing the right size for your body, I will teach you how to work through all the decisions you'll have to make when sewing up a new pattern.
Hobby sewists who aren't making their own clothes...YET!
If you quilt or do other hobby sewing and want to start sewing your own clothes, I designed this class for you! There are thousands of clothing patterns out there, and every company makes their patterns and instructions a little differently. In this class, I teach you how to organize your project and develop your own sewing game plan so you can successfully sew your own clothes.
Included in This Online Class
All students receive...
Video Lessons with Closed Captions
Lifetime access to all video lessons, which are available anytime you want to watch them.
3 Live Q+A Sessions with Jennifer
I'm excited to answer your questions about using sewing patterns together on Wednesday, November 4, Thursday, November 12, and Saturday, November 21. Exact times to be determined. Live sessions will be held on Zoom and recorded for student playback.
Planning + Organizing Tools
Printable and digital tools to help you plan, organize, and record details of your sewing projects.
Specs Calculator
Specs are measurements relating to both sewing patterns and bodies. This digital tool can help you make calculations to better understand how your body measurements relate to sewing pattern measurements.
Access to Discussions and Private Community
Students are invited to post questions in this course's discussion areas to receive feedback from other students and Jennifer.
Free Access to Future Updates
Developing a sewing class is like sewing a garment—you learn something from each project and identify improvements that can be made. Students will never be charged for future updates to this class.
Fall 2020 Class Schedule
Tuesday, October 6 through Friday, October 9 Early registration opens.
Wednesday, October 21 through Tuesday, October 27 If seats available, general registration opens.
Wednesday, October 28 Registration closes and class begins. Chapters 1, 2, and 3 available.
Wednesday, November 4 Live Q+A with Jennifer. Exact time to be determined. Questions about chapters 1–3.
Thursday, November 5 Chapters 4, 5 available.
Thursday, November 12 Live Q+A with Jennifer. Exact time to be determined. Questions about chapters 1–5 with a priority on chapters 4–5.
Friday, November 13 Chapters 6, 7, and 8 available.
Saturday, November 21 Final Live Q+A with Jennifer. Exact time to be determined. Questions about chapters 1–8 with a priority on chapters 6–8.
After Friday, November 13 You keep lifetime access to class and class materials. Go back through the class as much and as often as you like!
About Your Instructor
Hi! I'm Jennifer, founder of Workroom Social, and I am so excited to bring you my first, independently produced online class.
At Workroom Social we teach adults just like you how to sew clothes that fit their individual styles and unique body shapes and sizes. After ten years of teaching sewing, I started to think critically about the questions our students ask, and I realized that most of their sewing problems could be solved with a stronger understanding of the first part of the whole clothes-making process—how to use sewing patterns.
Sewing Patterns Mastered is the class I wish I could have taken when I first started sewing my own clothes. I taught myself how to sew in an independent study class in high school using dollar-bin fabrics and $0.99 Simplicity sewing patterns.
After racking up multiple sewing fails—making garments that couldn't fit me, were constructed incorrectly, and quite frankly, looked terrible—I told myself sewing clothes wasn't for me and stuck to quilting for the next 10 years. It wasn't until I needed an after-work hobby in my twenties that I gave sewing clothes another try. Turns out I liked it so much that I switched careers, became a professional sewist and patternmaker, and then opened Workroom Social to bring together my industry perspective and experience in adult skills training to teach people how to sew their own clothes at home.
Since then I have used hundreds of sewing patterns, and I've developed a systematic way to work through any sewing pattern, made by any company. And now I'm teaching you my step-by-step method in Sewing Patterns Mastered.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is exactly what I need! How do I register?
Early registration is now open for through Friday, October 9, 2020. Click the Sign up now button below to sign up.
How long will I have access to the class?
Students receive lifetime access to the class and class materials. Early registration students also receive free lifetime updates to the class.
Is this a live online class or a pre-recorded online class that I can watch on-demand?
Sewing Patterns Mastered is a hyrbrid live/pre-recorded online class. All the lessons are pre-recorded so you can watch them whenever it’s convenient for you. Students get lifetime access so you can take the class 5 times if you want! Or take it once, but start it in December. The choice is yours. Do what works best for you. There are 3 live Q+A sessions in November with me and your fellow classmates. These lives sessions are only offered during your enrollment period. Because of this live component, there is closed enrollment and a class schedule through November. That means you can’t watch the whole class on October 28 all at once. I made the class in this format because I want to have a connection with each class cohort, and I understand that everyone’s schedule is a little different. I want students to have the opportunity for live experiences with the flexibility of an on-demand class structure. Live sessions will be held on Zoom and recorded for student playback.
I see a schedule for this class. Do I have to follow the schedule?
Sewing Patterns Mastered is a hyrbrid live/pre-recorded online class, which means you don't have to follow the schedule for your enrollment. All the lessons are pre-recorded so you can watch them whenever it’s convenient for you. However, there are 3 live Q+A sessions in November with me and your fellow classmates, and these are only offered for your enrollment period. Each live session is held on Zoom and will be recorded and uploaded to the virtual classroom, so you can watch them when it's best for your schedule.
Will this class teach me how to sew?
No, this class will not teach you how to sew. It will teach you how to read, understand, and use sewing patterns, which is an important part of successfully sewing your own clothes.
Will this class teach me how to make adjustments to my sewing pattern to alter the fit?
No, this class will not teach you how to make sewing pattern adjustments or fit sewing patterns to your body. It will teach you how to read and understand measurement charts. It will also teach you how to measure yourself and sewing patterns. These are all important skills needed to fit your handmade clothes.
Can't I find this information on YouTube for free?
You can find some of the information in this class for free online. However, as an expert sewist and an expert in adult-skills-training, I used real student feedback to carefully design this class to teach you a systematic way to make sense of any home sewing pattern. When you register for this class not only do you receive the class materials, which were specifically developed to teach this topic, you also get help from me and your fellow students in our online class community. And don't forget! By registering for this class, you are supporting a small business too.
I really want to sew my own clothes, but I don't actually know how to sew yet. Is this class right for me?
Sewing Patterns Mastered teaches how to read, understand, and use sewing patterns as a tool to create your own clothes. It does not teach how to sew. With that in mind, this class would be a great complement to a sewing skills class. Check out our sewing classes at workroomsocial.com/classes. If you'd like a recommendation for online sewing classes, email me at [email protected], and I'll tell you my favorites.
What if I want a refund on my class registration?
Due to the nature of digital products, Workroom Social does not offer refunds on class registrations. All class registrations are final sale. You can read more about our Terms, Conditions, and Refunds policy at https://workroomsocial.com/terms-and-conditions.
