Follow along… or take a class

Are you interested in sewing clothing for yourself? Do you love wearing simple clothing shapes, and want to make unique garments that fit and look just how you like them? Maybe you have a house full of beautiful fabrics and want to make basic garments that show off the materials.

Well you should know about this new book called The Act of Sewing from Sonya Philip. Her story is a great one, and this book is a great one. I am so glad to be able to share it with you all. To describe it in one word, I would call it “empowering.” Included are four patterns, instructions to sew them, and even more instructions to make them your own (size/fit adjustments, pockets, design embellishments).

But this post is not a book review, it’s an invitation to join us. We are working on plans for a series of classes based on the patterns in this book: a top, skirt, trousers, and shirt, presented by the author in order of difficulty. And as I make each of the garments, I’ll be writing about it here, on the Make It Sew blog.

I don’t have a specific plan/structure in mind for my own “Act of Sewing” project—it’s 2021, after all, and planning ahead, schedules and structures are not my favorite. Plus, like many of you, I have a couple of trips scheduled in the coming months (hello, vacation wardrobe). I will, however, make the garments in order, write about my experience and share photos of the process.

If you are interested in the in-person classes, perhaps you can help us schedule them. Generally, we’ll be making the top in August; skirt in September; trousers in October, and shirt in November. Would you rather do two sessions in the same week (Tuesday, Thursday, for example) or consecutive weeks (very likely on a Thursday evening)? Send me a note by email to let me know.

And stay tuned for the first post about The Act of Sewing top in a few days!