Patternmaking & Design
Suzy Furrer/Allison Page/Laura Loveland/Sara Alm/Heather Habig
The patternmaking and design course consists of 30 months of intensive skill building. The program enables students to become industry proficient in patternmaking, design and production. The course is self-paced and all students work through an assigned patternmaking text, Building Patterns, The Architecture of Women’s Clothing. The text was written by Suzy Furrer, the founder and Director of Apparel Arts. A small class size of 12 allows for individual attention. Students produce garments throughout the course and create an 8-piece line of clothing as their final project. No sewing or patternmaking experience is necessary, but some sewing experience is recommended. Students attend 3-hour classes once or twice a week. For more detailed information about the patternmaking and design course, click here. Required text: Building Patterns by Suzy Furrer
Construction
Pat Moyes
Students learn approximately 48 sewing techniques such as buttonholes, zippers, button fly, bias tape, mitered corners, topstitching, flat-felled seams, French seams, slot seams and many more. All students sew a sample of each and come away with a complete sample binder with notes and sewn examples. This class is for the beginning as well as advanced sewer. Students attend 3-hour classes once a week for 8 weeks.
Fashion Illustration
Paul Gallo
Get your creativity really flowing by learning the language of drawing. Communicate your artistic vision on a fashion figure and your technical vision in flat sketches perfect for production. You will learn fashion proportions, coloring techniques and tricks of the trade from a clothing designer who has been illustrating for 40 years. You will sketch women, men and children as well as accessories. Whether you are a beginner or have experience you will attain knowledge that will be useful for the rest of your career. Required text: Fashion Sketchbook, 5th Edition by Bina Abling.
Textiles
Suzy Furrer
The textile class will focus on identifying fabric types. Two hundred swatches of common apparel fabrics will be given out and discussed with regard to use, price and availability. In addition, we will cover how to source fabrics and how to work with fabric reps. This class will benefit the beginner to advanced students. Students attend 6-hour classes once a week for 2 weeks.
Draping
Allison Page
Students will start with the fundamentals of draping by draping the skirt, bodice and sleeve slopers. They will then move on to collars, necklines and flares. Fun and sexy cowls and twists will be covered in the latter part of the class. Students will learn how to transfer the draped muslin onto a paper pattern. Students attend 3-hour classes once a week for 12 weeks. Required Text: Draping for Fashion Design, by Jaffe/Relis.
Design Principles
Suzy Furrer
Design principles such as silhouette, line, color and texture will be our focus during this class. We will discuss spotting trends, identifying markets and tapping into creative outlets. The history of fashion from 1850 to the present will be discussed. Students will create a mood board over the course of the class.
Apparel Production Seminar
Madeline Rogers
Turn your design ideas into marketable products. In this intensive seminar Madeline discusses each stage of development in the apparel manufacturing process, from the creative and design end to setting up a business, sourcing, sample-making, production, marketing and sales. Your sample product will be used as an example and can be taken through each of the developmental stages. Students receive numerous sample forms as well as valuable information on sourcing fabrics, business start-up information and trade shows. Students attend 4.5-hour classes three days in a row. Recommended Text: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing, by Kathleen Fasanella.
Tailoring
Allison Page or Suzy Furrer
Learn to properly tailor a jacket or coat with impeccable results. Students cover pattern fit, building the inside of a jacket, pressing, welt pockets, notched collars, bound buttonholes as well a other techniques taught by an experienced tailor and teacher. Students can draft their own pattern or use a commercial pattern (list provided). Reserved for the intermediate to advanced sewer. Students attend 3-hour classes once a week for 8 weeks. Pattern and 1st mock-up should be ready on the first day of class.
Sewing Chiffon, Velvet and Charmeuse, & Seam Bindings
Lynda Maynard
Students will learn the basics of working with velvet, charmeuse, chiffon, silky and slippery fabrics. There will be a discussion of needles, threads and interfacings. Students will learn proper layout, cutting, marking and pressing techniques and well as sewing straight and curved seams, darts and zipper applications. After working with the difficult fabrics, Lynda will demonstrate applying single and double-fold bias bindings on neckline and armhole edges. Students will work with knits and wovens while attending 6-hour classes once a week for 3 weeks.
Couture Sewing School
Susan Khalje
Learn the fine art of couture sewing from couturier Susan Khalje. This course is a 6-day intensive devoted to creating a one-of-a-kind gown or other garment. During the session, you will plan your project and sew the creation. Couture techniques and details will be incorporated into each garment. An intermediate to advanced sewing skill level is required to benefit from this excellent course. Students can draft their own pattern or use a commercial pattern. Pattern and 1st mock-up should be ready on the first day of class.
Couture French Jacket Class
Susan Khalje
If you have always admired the French couture jacket which has been popular since the 60’s, this class is what you have been waiting for. Work with your fantastic tweedy or nubby wools and include trims and buttons for an authentic look. Get enough fabric for a straight skirt and you will have a suit that never goes out of style. An intermediate to advanced sewing skill level is required to benefit from this class. Students can draft their own pattern or use a commercial pattern. This class is a 6-day intensive. Pattern and 1st mock-up should be ready on the first day of class.
Knits Class
Sara Alm
Students learn to draft and construct leggings and a basic fitted t-shirt with choice of 3 neckline finishes. Topics will include analyzing knits and their relation to negative ease, proper seam and hem finishes, and how and where to stabilize your garments. Through the curriculum students will have created a knit bodice and sleeve sloper. A moulage sloper and a serger are required.
Intro to Serger Class
Sara Alm
Learn to have a working relationship with your serger through proper threading, tension, differential feed and stitch width. More than 16 seams finishes will be taught, including rolled hem, flatlock, blind hem, easy belt loops, elastic casing, securing stitches, and more. Students will sew samples of each technique on various types of materials and complete a sample binder with notes. This class is good for anyone new to sergers or frustrated with their serging history. You must have your own serger for this course.
Very Basic Sewing
Sara Alm
Very Basic Sewing is for the beginner sewer with little or no experience with a sewing machine. Students will learn the ins and outs of the sewing machine (machines provided in class) and how to read a pattern. Students will sew a simple robe.
Tech Pack Workshop Integrating Illustrator and Excel
Eileen Jang
This workshop will teach the basics of Adobe Illustrator as they relate to drawing garment flat sketches. The Illustrator basics will include how to use Bezier curves, layering techniques, and other various tools that will produce simple garments that are drawn using a croquis as a guide. The second part of the workshop will integrate Illustrator and Excel to produce a working tech pack. Required: Laptop computer loaded with Adobe Illustrator CS3 or CS4, and Microsoft Excel.
PWStudio
Heather Habig
PWStudio is patternmaking software for individuals and small businesses. It takes you though the entire garment-creating process from design and drafting to grading and markers.
Required: PC/Windows laptop with PWStudio 30-day trial version installed. (Information will be sent)
Fashion Industry History
Paul Gallo
Learn the story of our industry from when Rose Bertin was creating clothing for Marie Antoinette to the present day through hundreds of photographs, drawings and lectures from a designer who is truly in love with Fashion. You will discover the icons and trends from every decade,you will have a reference point that enriches your career and you will have so much fun.
Manufacturing Practics
Suzy Furrer
In this class, students will focus on how to present a production-ready pattern, including proper notching, labeling, and seam and hem allowances. Students will learn different methods of copying ready to wear as well as industry grading. We will review the language and procedures of apparel industry, including tech pack requirements, manufacturing and discuss what an employer requires of a patternmaker, designer or tech designer. You will be asked to draft patterns so some experience is suggested. Homework required. .
Handbags I: Construction Fundamentals
Lynn Shade
Learn the essentials of handbag construction by making a fabric handbag start to finish. Students will work from a provided pattern to make a fully lined bag with 2 hand straps, a shoulder strap with an adjustable slider attached to D-rings, magnetic snap closure, a firm base and interlining for stability, purse feet, and one or more pockets. Learn techniques and materials for a professional finish as well as tips and tools for efficiency. We will also discuss recommended information sources for future bag-making. Prerequisites: Basic sewing skills
Students will bring fabric they’d like to make the bag in. A sketch of the pattern as well as fabric suggestions will be sent after signing up. Interfacing and hardware will be provided.
Handbags II: Patternmaking
Lynn Shade
Bring your handbag idea and create a pattern for a bag based on your design while learning more about handbag materials. We will analyse and address the structural needs of each bag including how fabric selection, interfacing, interlining, and hardware affect the pattern. Learn shaping techniques, pocket types and location possibilities, different types of closures, and the implications for construction of various approaches. The class is taught based on woven fabric handbags but there will also be some discussion of lightweight leather and vinyl. will Also discussed will be how to assess usability needs and analyse designs for ease-of-use. This class is the ideal way to take your handbag skills up to the next level and is required for Handbags III: Pattern Refinement and Advanced Construction. Prerequisite: Handbags I: Construction Fundamentals or equivalent experience and basic sewing skills
Handbags III: Pattern Refinement and Advanced Construction
Lynn Shade
Bring your pattern drafted in Handbags II along with fabric & materials, and leave with a detailed plan for making your bag with high-quality construction techniques. Students will perfect their bag patterns by creating a medium-fidelity prototype in canvas. We’ll discuss approaches to well-crafted fit and finish for linings, pockets, hardware, and more. Class includes a special hands-on practice in zippers: changing length, removing teeth, replacing sliders, applying stops, and handbag-specific advanced zipper application techniques. The goal, dependent on pattern complexity, is to finalize the pattern in class and start sewing the bag in final materials. After completing this class you’ll have the key knowledge to create patterns and construct first-rate handbags.
Prerequisites:
Handbags II: Patternmaking