Creative Dressmaking: A Pattern Hacking Membership
Flash back to 2017, when I was living near the Barbican in London. Walking from the tube (metro) station to our flat, I was stopped by a woman. She was a lecturer at Queen Mary’s University in London, and pretty much chased me down the street to ask about the trousers I was wearing.
They were my own design and not the kind of trouser you would buy in a store, but she wanted a pair. Would I make them for her? If not, could she buy the pattern and have someone else make them for her?
Her excitement at something I had designed and made was infectious, and it reinforced my desire to help others achieve the same.
And while it has taken some time to ‘fine-tune’ what that help looks like, today I am so excited to share information about my Creative Dressmaking membership with you!
What is Creative Dressmaking?
Let me start by stating something from the outset. I used the term ‘dressmaking’ because it felt more in line with who this is membership is created for – people who want to sew clothes that are unique, for themselves or family and friends.
Generally speaking, those people are women, but they could be men too. They are not professionals or anyone wanting to be a fashion designer. My previous thoughts on a membership have erred on the side of appealing to fashion design students, but that’s not where the joy sits for me…
The joy is in gently guiding and teaching people who sew (or want to sew) to develop the ideas they have for a garment into reality, using pattern making and sewing techniques in a way that fits their style.
How Will Creative Dressmaking Work?
The membership is subscription based, so you have access to it for as long as you are a paying member.
Each month, members will receive access to a new project, and while I have many projects lined up, I do want to work with member requests as much as possible, to make it more member-led.
Projects are broken down into four weeks.. but there is no time limit on how long it takes you to complete each project – work at your pace if you prefer to work more slowly, my guidance is within the member area, so I’ll be on hand and you’ll never feel like you’re left behind.
So, let me explain how it works.
Week 1: Project Inspiration
I’ll be providing a small variety of visual inspiration for that month’s project. I’ll include images that are more ‘modest’ versions through to more extreme and ‘avant garde’ versions.
This means that if a member prefers a more minimal style or a more flamboyant and experimental style, they’ll have guidance on how to tackle it.
As an example, the image below is a longer length shirt by Dior from 2021. If a member wanted to replicate it as is with their fabric of choice, that would be considered a more ‘modest’ interpretation.
On the other hand, another member may decide that the collar is too basic, the sleeves too boring and that they wanted more fullness from the waist down. I would be guiding that member on how to develop a new collar style, a new sleeve style and how to pattern extra ease into their starting pattern from the waist down.
I’ll also share starting pattern suggestions – these could be a commercial pattern that I would use as a starting point or a specific sloper or block. I’ll also share things you need to consider when choosing a starting pattern or sloper too, so that you don’t make more work for yourself!
I will also be providing guidance on proportions and design principles that should be considered… someone who is just shy of 5” in height will want to change the pattern differently to someone who is 6” tall!
Week 2: Patterning
This is the week when I share how to modify the pattern – often referred to in the sewing community as ‘pattern hacking’. I’ll take the existing pattern in my collection, or the sloper that I know works for my body, and I’ll show you how to develop it – at full size, no half scale demo! – into a new pattern for the month’s project.
We’ll consider things like grainline position, seam allowance amounts – which vary based upon what we’re sewing and even what seam type will be used!
Once we have all the decisions made, we turn our development pattern into our working pattern and move onto week three’s task.
Week 3: Toile and Fit
Now that the pattern is created we can go ahead and make a mock-up, or ‘toile’.
We’ll use calico, muslin or another fabric suitable for prototyping the project to make sure that the proportions are on point, and the fit how we want.
If members need additional guidance on fitting their project, we will have an open discussion for fit issues, so there’s no feeling alone during this trickier step.
We’ll look at fabric choices and I’ll also share garment construction suggestions too for those who are less experienced with sewing.
Any modifications for the pattern should be done after the fit test so we can move onto week four.
Week 4: The Finished Project
It’s final garment week! This is the week that we sew up the project in our fabric of choice. I’ll share my finished project and the notes made along the way to guide you, and I’ll also be checking in with members on how they’re doing inside the discussion forum.
Members Call
There will also be one call per month for members to ask questions and get advice. I suspect it will be in week two for those members who struggle with pattern development, and that is the main focus of the Creative Dressmaking membership.
Discussion Forum
Finally, there is a dedicated discussion forum within the members area. As well as project requests/suggestions, you’ll also be able to submit your project for feedback before you start the patterning process, ask for help developing your pattern, get help with your fit check, thoughts on your fabric choice and construction help specific to your project.
Who Is Creative Dressmaking For?
The membership is for anyone who is fed up with seeing the same sewing patterns released over and over again. Or seeing the same clothes on repeat in stores, that are ill-fitting and poorly made.
The person who joins Creative dressmaking is excited to develop an idea they had into a final garment that they can wear with confidence and pride. You don’t want to be wearing more of the same… you want to be different, and Creative Dressmaking is going to help you achieve that.
What Do You Need To Join Creative Dressmaking?
While you don’t need to be an experienced sewer, you do need to know how to turn on your sewing machine and sew some basic seams. (If you don’t, you should start with my online Learn to Sew course first!)
Other than knowing how to use your sewing machine, it is suggested that you have…
Basic Pattern Templates / Slopers
These will be used as the starting point of projects:
- A bodice sewing pattern or sloper/block that you like the fit of
- A trouser/pant sewing pattern or sloper/block that you like the fit of
- A skirt/dress sewing pattern or sloper/block that you like the fit of
I will not be teaching pattern drafting methods in Creative Dressmaking (my online pattern drafting classes are here if you need help with that) but the projects can be made with a suitable base pattern from a sewing brand you like.
Pattern Making Tools
To develop your base template into new patterns for the projects you will need some basic pattern making tools.
My post covering 14 basic pattern making tools is a good one to read through but the bare bones would be a:
- Paper for pattern making
- Pattern making / graders ruler
- Pencil
- Tracing wheel
- Glue stick or tape
A Fabric Stash
While you do not need to have a vast fabric stash – I don’t – you will need access to fabrics for projects. I do draw inspiration from fabrics in my collection but oftentimes when an idea strikes, I source a fabric specifically for a project, so I would encourage you to also be open minded in this respect too.
Eagerness To Learn and Experiment
There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ when it comes to creative pattern making (which is what the essence of Creative Dressmaking is)… so a willingness to learn and experiment is important, because we learn more from doing than not.
Internet Connection
Creative Dressmaking is completely online, so you will need an active internet connection to access the materials and discussion forum.
Member calls will happen via Teams so while you don’t need the paid version, you will need to download the Teams app on devices or access via a web browser to join. It is up to you whether your camera is on or off, but calls will be recorded and access will provided to existing members at the time of the call.
What Is The Cost of Joining Creative Dressmaking?
I have tried to keep the cost as low as possible while respecting the time I will be investing into the membership.
For this first intake, the price is £20 per month or £200 per year. If you are on my email list at the time of launching – 27th November through to December 12th 2026 – then you will have received an email with a discount code, please check your emails to use that for a big discount.
When Creative Dressmaking reopens in 2026, it will be higher in price to more accurately reflect the time I will be spending helping my members.
So, if you’ve always wanted to work with me, this is the cheapest way to do it and the only time I will be offering access to me and my brain at this ridiculously low price.
A final note – if you join at the current low price, you lock in that price. When I put up the price in 2026 (and any successive increases) you will always pay the price you joined at, so that may also be something to consider too.
How to Join Creative Dressmaking?
If I’ve whetted your appetite and you’re interested in joining, the Creative Dressmaking membership page is here.
Please feel free to drop any questions below, and I’ll see you on the inside!
