BeeBees Sewing School...Good Idea?

I have decided after much deliberation that I am going to start up some private sewing classes!

I have a lovely sewing room all to myself and it would be nice to share it and teach!

This is a very new idea at the moment but I'm thinking of running 4 kinds of classes up until Christmas at my home in Worthing, Sussex.

All Classes are 3 day courses of around 3 to 4 hours per day. Each course includes your dress pattern and notions. So all you need to bring is your fabric and thread!

I can teach one on one lessons or in groups of three maximum. (The cost will be slightly more for one on one)

The Beginner Classes are: Make your own PJ Bottoms

Make your own Pleated Skirt

The Intermediate Classes are: Make your own Tunic top or

The Fabulous Christmas Party Dress.

Piemaker is making me a website over the weekend and the price is £110 for the 3 day course. ( The 3 hour ones I looked at were £75 to make hot water bottle covers!)

I am also available to help students who are doing GCSE or A Level projects but that will be a price per hour.

( I have a Btech Diploma in Fashion and Clothing and an A Level Textiles as well as being a home dressmaker and doing my degree in Fashion and Dress History. )

I am currently in the process of choosing patterns to use but as soon as I know I will post them up!

What do you think?

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Permalink Reply by Nora Ziel on October 13, 2011 at 4:30am

That sounds like a great idea!

I would probaly call them loungewear pants instead of PJ bottoms because the new sewists will want to show them around and you usualy don't show around your sleepwear ;-)

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Trish Blair on October 13, 2011 at 5:45am

Stevie that's awesome! hope you are a roaring success!

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Permalink Reply by Barbara Jugovac on October 14, 2011 at 4:54am

Awesome!

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Rosemary on October 14, 2011 at 7:25am

First off - congratulations on your bravery to open this venture.

Second - query, are you sure that a pleated skirt is suitable for beginners? unless it is a pleat a tube onto a waistband variety, I would have thought that an A-line might be better.

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Permalink Reply by Stevie on October 14, 2011 at 8:04am

Thanks for the lovely comments so far. The skirt is easy but teaches darts and pleats. The pleats are made up of two sewn together to make an inverted pleat. I have considered changing this but the pattern I had in mind isn't too challenging and I think it would be do able in 9 hours worth of tuition in a small group.

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Permalink Reply by Rosemary on October 14, 2011 at 8:56am

Sounds good from here, and they get to cover 2 details/skills in 1 item. When you said pleated skirt, I was imagining something very heavily pleated, which would be time-consuming whatever your abilities.

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Permalink Reply by Lisette Opishinski on October 14, 2011 at 8:35am

I think it sounds like an awesome idea. My aunt and I had tossed around a similar idea but I don't have the space since I still live at home.

Make sure they sign some sort of a waiver, in case they injure themselves while sewing. Otherwise anything that happens to them, they could sue you for, even something dumb like tripping over a cord.