Sewing Level 1: Beginner

All proceeds from EcoEquitable's public sewing classes go toward our mission of empowering women with sewing skills and building connection and community; and supporting our local circular economy by redistributing fabric and sewing tools. We thank you for joining and supporting us!

This course is designed for people with no sewing experience or for those who have sewn in the past but need a refresher!

Available Classes:

• Fridays, March 21 - May 16 (no class on April 18) from 6-9PM with Coco
• Thursdays, April 3 - May 22 from 6-9PM with Coco
• Tuesdays, May 13 - July 8 (no class July 1) from 6-9PM with Coco
• Mondays, May 5 - June 30 (no class on May 19) from 5-8PM with Tamam
• Wednesdays, June 4 - July 23 from 6-9PM with Neethu
• Mondays, July 14 - Sept 15 (no class on Aug 4 or Sept 1) from 5:30-8:30PM with Sophie
• Thursdays, July 3 - Aug 21 from 6-9PM with Coco

Length of Program: 8 weeks 
Location: 404 McArthur Avenue, Unit "D" (end unit in the strip mall under purple banner)  
Max class size: 8
Min class size: 4

Important Notes - Please Read

*Once you register online, you will not receive an additional confirmation email from EcoEquitable. By registering, consider your class confirmed.

*Sewing classes take place in the main building beside our boutique storefront. For this reason, please arrive at our storefront under the purple banner 5-10 minutes before the start of your first class so you can walk over together.

*Any classes that fall on a stat holiday will be rescheduled and extended by 1 week to accommodate.

*In the cold and wet months, please bring indoor shoes.

*We require the minimum number of people to run the class otherwise it may be cancelled. Please see our Refund and Cancellation Policy below for more information.

*If you are purchasing this class on behalf of someone else, please include their name, phone number, and email address in the "NOTES" box of the checkout page.

*Don't see a date that works for you? Please check back regularly as more classes get posted!

About your Instructor(s):

Coco: Hi there! My name is Coco and I immigrated to Canada when I was very young. While I was growing up, I didn't have anybody to teach me sewing, so I decided to just teach myself. Over the past three years, I have really dedicated myself to building on my previous skills and learning as much as I possibly can about sewing. My sewing journey has taken me into garment making, quilting, pattern-making, alterations, and much much more. I look forward to sharing my knowledge with you and helping you make the crazy (or boring) ideas in your head a reality and helping you to avoid some of the mistakes that I had to learn about the hard way. One fun little thing I like to say is that sewing is all about creatively stabbing the fabric in a way that achieves the functional and aesthetic goals of your project. See you in class!

Neethu: Hi, I’m Neethu! I’m so excited to be your instructor for the Level 1 public sewing classes.

Sewing has been my passion since childhood, and after working as a Computer Programmer, I decided to follow my heart and turn that passion into a career. I’m a proud graduate of EcoEquitable’s Sewing for Jobs Program.

I really enjoy being part of a collaborative learning environment and believe that sewing is not only a skill, but also a beautiful way to express yourself. I’m looking forward to supporting you as you begin your sewing journey. Let’s learn, create, and have fun together!

 

Tamam: My name is Tamam and I am your instructor for this class! I am of Lebanese origins and a mother to three kids. I am a teacher and have been sewing for over 10 years. I am very passionate about teaching, gardening, and sewing.

Sophie: Bonjour, I am your quintessential French Canadian MamanOurs of four that loves her family and everything granola (reusing, sewing, repurposing, second-hand everything, etc.). I sew with a purpose and sew for community! I offer French, English and Bilingual courses, have been sewing for over thirty years, and returned to sewing after post-secondary education and having kids. I recently created the Teen Sewing Series after the pandemic as there was a need for courses in this age-group!

You will learn: 

• How to operate a sewing machine
• Sewing terminology and equipment
• How to read a commercial pattern 
• Learn about fabric characteristics and how to choose the right fabric for a garment
• How to identify fabric grain lines
• The use of different types of stitches and seam finishes using a sewing machine 
• How to properly press and iron garments for sewing
• How to take proper measurements 

In-Class Project:

In this course, you will learn how to make a pair of pajama pants or a skirt with an elastic waistband. Please note: The in-class project may be changed without prior notice by the Instructor.

Equipment:

EcoEquitable provides access to a sewing machine and most tools during the class duration. Students are welcome to bring their own sewing machine to class however it is not required. Fabric needs to be determined by the instructor.

For students to bring:

• Basic sewing kit
• Notebook
• Students are encouraged to have a domestic sewing machine, iron, and basic sewing kit at home to practice and/or complete their in-class projects. However, this is not mandatory to complete the class.

Refund and Cancellation Policy:

EcoEquitable requires a notice of cancellation via email in order to process a refund. 

• Written notice of cancellation 15 business days before the class start date, EcoEquitable will refund the class fee minus a $20 administrative fee.
• Written notice of cancellation 6-14 business days before the class start date, EcoEquitable will refund 50% of the class fee.
• Cancellations of 5 business days or less before the class is set to start are non-refundable.

If the minimum number of students do not register, EcoEquitable reserves the right to cancel the class, in which case students will be notified via email at the earliest possible convenience and issued a full refund.