Sewing Extension Course

Build your sewing skills and learn professional garment finishing techniques with our sewing short courses in Sydney!

Ready to move beyond the basics? Designed for students who have completed our Sewing Essentials Course or have equivalent experience, this practical extension course will help you tackle more detailed sewing techniques and create garments with cleaner, more professional finishes.

You'll learn how to work with facings, bindings, elastic, buttonholes, and zippers, developing practical garment construction skills through guided demonstrations and hands-on exercises. As you learn each technique, you'll create fabric samples to build your own sewing reference library before applying your new skills to a simple garment project using a commercial pattern.

By the end of the course, you'll have expanded your sewing toolkit, gained greater confidence tackling garment patterns, and developed practical techniques you can continue using across future dressmaking projects.

Learning outcomes

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

• Applying facings and bindings to finish garment edges
• Using interfacing and fusible products in garment construction
• Incorporating elastic into sleeves, waistbands, and other garment details
• Inserting dress zippers using appropriate sewing techniques
• Creating buttonholes, roule loops, and correctly positioned button closures
• Developing cleaner, more professional garment finishing techniques
• Building a reference library of sewing samples for future projects
• Applying sewing techniques to a garment project using a commercial pattern
• Developing greater confidence with garment construction and independent sewing projects

After completing this course, you may wish to continue your sewing journey with our Sewing: Patternmaking Essentials Course.

Course content

What will be covered in this Sewing Extension course?

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

Session 1: Facings, bindings and elastic applications

• Finishing garment edges with facings and bindings, including necklines, armholes, and waistbands
• Introduction to interfacing and fusible products
• Applying elastic to sleeves, waistbands, and other garment details
• Creating sewing samples for future reference

Session 2: Buttonholes and zippers

• Inserting dress zippers using practical sewing techniques
• Creating buttonholes and roule loops
• Understanding correct button placement
• Selecting a suitable commercial pattern for the garment project
• Preparing and cutting fabric for construction

Session 3: Garment project

• Applying techniques learned throughout the course to a simple garment project
• Working with a beginner-friendly commercial sewing pattern
• Developing garment construction and finishing skills
• Troubleshooting common sewing challenges
• Refining sewing techniques through guided practice

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

Intended audience

Who is this Sewing Extension Course for?

This course is designed for students who have completed our Sewing Essentials Course or have equivalent sewing experience and are ready to develop more advanced garment construction and finishing skills.

It is ideal for home sewists who want to build confidence using commercial patterns, improve the finish of handmade garments, and expand their practical sewing techniques.

Participants should be confident operating a sewing machine and have a basic understanding of sewing patterns and garment construction.

This course is not suitable for absolute beginners.

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd in 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

Please bring the following materials to class:

• 50cm of calico or plain medium-weight cotton
• 50cm of white lightweight fusible interfacing
• 1 pack of 12mm-wide bias binding (any colour)
• 2 reels of good quality sewing thread (e.g. Gutermann, Aurifil, Mettler) in different colours (not white, grey or black)
• 2 nylon dress zippers, 20cm long (no invisible or metal zippers)
• Fabric scissors (sharp and good quality)
• Paper scissors or thread clippers
• Tape measure (at least 120cm)
• Glass head or quilting pins
• Notebook, ruler, pen and pencil
• A sense of humour and a willingness to learn!

Needles: Standard domestic needles only—look for packaging marked 130/705 H. Size 80 or 90 is recommended for general use with sew-all thread.

Bobbins: Must be plastic and suitable for top-loading or drop-in machines. Look for packs marked compatible with Singer Drop In or Janome Drop In machines. Avoid “universal” bobbins.

Additional information

Please note the following:

• If bringing your own machine, please ensure it includes a zipper foot and buttonhole foot. It's a good idea to bring your manual too.
• For full-day classes, there will be a 30-minute lunch break midway. You’re welcome to bring your own lunch or grab something from the cafes and takeaway spots nearby on Darling Street.
• Please wear closed-in shoes for safety.