Clothing Construction

Unit 1: Fashion Strategies
Unit 2: Sewing Equipment
Unit 3: Patterns
Unit 4: Pattern Sizing and Fitting
Unit 5: Fabric Selection, Preparation, and Notions
Unit 6: Layout, Marking, and Cutting

• View Syllabus

• You will need

  1. Access to a sewing machine and the sewing manual (this is the manual that came with the sewing machine).

  2. Access to a serger sewing machine (and the serger sewing machine's manual) or a way to sew an overlock stitch (with permission from the instructor). If you are interested in becoming commercially involved with sewing, learning to use a serger is a good idea.

  3. My Sewing Kit (see below).

  4. Access to a digital camera.

You will want to go to local fabric stores for your supplies. Those that work in local stores can provide sewing and sewing supply tips you may not be able to get online. You will also want to keep your eyes open for newsletters, coupons, apps, etc. for a local store that will provide discounts on the supplies you need to buy for this course. (The photos in this course are not meant to promote any particular brand.)

You will need the following:

• batting (enough to stuff a fabric doll)

• binding (about 26″; the color should coordinate with the fabric for the medical doll gown)

• bobbins to fit your machine

• buttons (at least one for lesson 2)

• elastic (1/2 inch wide and 1 ¼ yard long; used for the pajama pants pattern)

• hand-sewing and machine-sewing needles

• 6-inch seam gauge

• interfacing

  • one 6″ × 6″ square of non-fusible interfacing

  • two 6″ × 6″ squares of fusible interfacing

• a steam iron and ironing board

• fabric

  • 1 yard of scrap fabric

    • You will need 24 squares that are 6″ × 6″. Cotton or polyester would work best for these assignments, but you may use any type of fabric

  • 1/3 yard of 36″ or 45″ woven cotton of poly-cotton in skin tones

    • used for the medical doll in unit 6

  • 1/3 yard of fabric

    • used for the medical doll’s gown in unit 6

  • 3 yards of one of the following fabrics: flannel, laundered cottons, gingham, chambray, lightweight poplin, seersucker, pique, laundered silks/rayon, challis, batiks, cotton interlock, or jersey

    • used for pajama pants pattern for the final portfolio project

• marking pen or pencil

• pins and pin cushion of choice

• scissors and shears

  • Shears are like scissors, but they are larger with a handle that allows room for more fingers and a bent shape that makes it easier to cut fabric.

• seam ripper

• sewing machine and sewing machine manual

• tape measure

• thread

  • Get thread to match the projects you are creating for this course. The thread you use with the scrap fabric will not need to match it.

• tracing wheel and paper (enough to trace the doll pattern in unit 6)

• optional: pinking shears and thimble

This course has a pretest to help measure your progress in the course. There are additional helps in the course resources folder such as an appendix, PDFs of the course content, a course wiki and a virtual red carpet where you may post your creations.