Sustainable Sewing & Upcycling Course

Reimagine your wardrobe and sew more sustainably with our sewing and textiles short courses in Sydney!

Got fabric scraps, unworn clothes, or unfinished sewing projects tucked away? Instead of letting them go to waste, bring them along and learn how to transform them into something new.

This sustainable sewing and upcycling course is all about giving existing textiles a second life while building your skills and confidence. Through hands-on projects, you’ll explore how to deconstruct garments, work with reclaimed materials, and turn what you already have into practical, well-made pieces.

Across four sessions, you’ll design and create your own upcycled projects—learning techniques such as patchworking, appliqué, and fabric manipulation. You’ll also gain a better understanding of how to plan your projects, combine materials effectively, and make thoughtful design decisions when working with limited or irregular fabrics.

You’ll complete at least two original pieces, such as reworking old jeans into a tote bag or transforming fabric scraps into a cushion cover or wall hanging. Along the way, you’ll develop approaches to sewing that are more resourceful and mindful, with techniques you can continue using at home.

This course is designed for those with basic sewing experience who are ready to explore a more creative and sustainable approach to making.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this Sustainable Sewing course, participants will have developed practical skills and knowledge in areas such as:

• Understanding the differences between upcycling, recycling and downcycling
• Identifying textiles with potential for reuse
• Deconstructing garments to recover usable fabric and trims
• Applying techniques such as appliqué, patchworking and fabric slashing
• Designing and completing multiple upcycled sewing projects
• Adopting more sustainable and resource-conscious sewing practices

Course content

What will be covered in this Sustainable Sewing course course?

During the course, participants will be guided through key concepts, techniques and approaches that typically include:

• Understanding upcycling, recycling, and downcycling, and identifying reusable fabrics from old clothes and textile scraps
• Deconstructing garments and linens to recover fabric, trims, and stabilisers
• Planning and starting an upcycled project using techniques such as patchworking, appliqué, and fabric slashing
• Developing a second project, combining fabrics, pattern making, piecing, and finishing seams
• Applying zero-waste sewing strategies and decorative finishing techniques
• Finalising and presenting projects, and developing approaches to continue upcycling at home

Content may vary slightly depending on class pace, participant interests, and instructor approach.

Intended audience

Who is this Sustainable Sewing course for?

This course is suitable for confident beginners with basic sewing skills who are interested in exploring sustainable fashion and creative sewing projects.

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd on the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)

Accessibility: This class takes place in an upper-level room accessible by stairs only. The lift is currently out of service. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Course materials

What to bring

• Sewing machine (optional – machines available at class)
• Thread, bobbins, and machine needles
• Fabric scissors and snips
• Glass-head pins
• Rotary cutter and self-healing mat (optional)
• A3 paper, pencil and sticky tape for pattern drafting
• Old garments, fabric scraps, trims and other upcycling materials
• Light to medium weight iron-on interfacing

Additional information

Please note the following:

• Please wear closed-toe shoes for safety
• If bringing your own machine, ensure it is in good working order
• Please note this class takes place on the second floor and is only accessible by stairs