Beginners Dressmaking Course
Online booking will be available on Monday 2 March.
Sew your own summer dress in this new five-week evening course.
Join tutor Freya for a five-week dressmaking course where you’ll learn how to sew your own clothes using a wonderfully simple pattern from Freya’s own ‘Handmade Wardrobe’ collection.
Over the course of five evenings, you’ll learn how to take accurate body measurements, choose the correct size, and cut your fabric with confidence. We’ll work with a lightweight woven fabric that’s ideal for dressmaking, sewing the simple dress step-by-step.
This course is suitable for confident beginners. Participants should be comfortable using their sewing machine, including threading, basic stitching, and changing settings, but no previous dressmaking experience is required.
The course includes the pattern to sew a simple shift dress with optional sleeves, which will fit up to a size UK 24.
Please note: You will need to bring your own sewing machine and 3m of lightweight woven fabric with you for this project. Freya recommends a cotton lawn or a lightweight denim.
About the tutor:
Tutor Freya Gilbert is the owner of Crafty Sew and So and has been sewing for almost 20 years, sewing everything from her dream wardrobe to homewares and accessories. She loves teaching people to sew, sharing her obsession and creating handmade joy. As well as teaching award-winning beginners sewing and craft workshops, Freya develops a range of sewing patterns and subscription boxes.
Further information:
Participants must be aged 14+. Under 18s must be accompanied by a paying adult at all times.
This five-week evening course will run on Tuesdays. 5:30pm – 8:30pm, starting on 28 April, with the final session on 19 May 2026.
If the course/workshop you’d like to book is sold out, we do operate a waiting list – simply contact our box office team on 0116 252 2455 / arts-centre@le.ac.uk and ask to be added to the waiting list. We’ll then contact you if a place becomes available, with absolutely no obligation to accept it if you’ve made other plans!
Please ensure that you agree to our updated Terms & Conditions before booking as courses/workshops are non-refundable if cancelled within 21 days of the start date for any reason.
We aim to make all our sessions as accessible as possible and carers/PAs are very welcome – just remember to book their free place when you book your session. If you’d like to talk to us in advance of booking or attending your sessions to discuss your access needs, our Box Office team is here to help! Email arts-centre@le.ac.uk, pop in or call 0116 252 2455, open 7 days a week.
We have four blue badge parking spaces outside Attenborough Arts Centre, plus double yellow line roadside parking very close to the building for blue badge holders for up to three hours if our parking spaces are occupied.
Free parking for all customers is available after 5pm on weekdays and all day at weekends in the University of Leicester car park next door to Attenborough Arts Centre on Lancaster Road.
The closest public car park for parking at all other times is Victoria Park, 5-10 minutes walk from us (near De Montfort Hall).
