As you get further down the line on your dressmaking journey, you will want to make your garments fit you better and therefore may well want to learn how to adjust patterns.  

We have some fantastic tutors here at Stitching Kitchen: Helen Stewart has a wealth of costume making experience.  Helen is crazy about historic costume and is currently studying art history as well as teaching here.  

Clare Grey who creates couture garments and has many years in bridal alterations.  Claire is tired of fast fashion and wants us all to have the superpower to alter what we already have to make best use of our existing wardrobe. 

Lindsey is our stretch or sewing with knits expert.  If you have any questions about your overlocker or coverstitch machine she is the one to ask.  Lindsey regularly teaches the made to measure leggings class which is about altering a patter to fit you perfectly and also will take you through any alternations needed while making the stretch garments.

We also have regular visits from Emma Smith with her background in textile production and working across the country as a dressmaking tutor for the last 3 years.  Her calm teaching style and passion for dressmaking is a match made in heaven.

All of our sewing tutors can help you progress your skills.  Helen and Claire in our dressmaking for Mind and body sessions which run on Wednesday evenings and some Sundays.  Emma is coming to teach several garment workshops and a bodice fitting session in 2025.  

Dressmaking for mind and body – click here: 

Lindsey made to measure leggings – click here: 

Emma Smith workshop – click here: 

To support you further with your pattern cutting journey I thought I may give you some resources which I have found useful over the years with my favourite YouTube channels.  These dressmaking content creators also have some free resources which can be a good way to learn how to improve your dress making knowledge and become more confident with moving darts making adjustments and measuring yourself so here goes…

Sarah from The Sewing retreat has a lot of content on her you tube channel, she explains things clearly and her wealth of experience in pattern cutting is clear to see. She also has a really free resource which gives you a flavour of her online teaching but is also a good starting point in learning a bit more about pattern cutting.

The Sewing Retreat You Tube

I’ve recently found Cornelius Quiring he has an interesting style – I’ll let you decide if you can watch him – but his knowledge is really good and although he’s primarily focused on sewing for a male physique, his explanations and tailoring knowledge are fantastic. 

Cornelius Quiring Youtube

With a far more flamboyant style is Tricia from the creative costume academy.  She is a professional seamstress US based has a wealth of costume making facility experience and her free online boot camp often includes dart manipulation, which I found really useful. 

Creative Costume Academy 

I love the body inclusivity aspect that Lottie Lee-Gough brings to her sewing tutorials is wild Orchard sewing as she talks a lot about creating garments that fit your body as it is today and embracing it’s changing form.  I have learnt a lot from her including measuring the high bust to select the right size and then adjusting for a larger bust if needed.  Her you tube channel is not up to date but you can find her on Facebook.

Wild Orchard Facebook

I hope you find this blog post useful and the resources it helpful but please let me know if you have other resources that you found on YouTube or online to help with your dressmaking experience to date.  If there are any topics that you would like us to cover in a workshop at Stitching Kitchen please get in contact, we are always looking to adapt our workshops to suit our customers needs.