In the beforetime, all young ladies with rich parents learned to sew as a matter of course. Along with smiling, and admiring kittens, it was an essential accomplishment for the girl who needed to find herself a husband. Sewing was also essential for the young woman who had sixteen brothers and sisters and a father who worked up chimneys/down mines. Girls often used their skills in sweatshops or took sewing work into the house to earn a bit extra to buy the family a sheep's head for Sunday lunch.
Despite its fine history, the skill of sewing has fallen to neglect. These days, it is rare to find a young woman, and even rarer to find a young man, who can tell a cross stitch from a satin stitch. If this goes on, future generations will staple, rather than darn, and needle manufacturers will go out of business. You can help stop this doomsday scenario by taking a course.
There are various types of sewing classes out there - you can choose to learn how to run up a pair of curtains or go the whole hog and learn how make your own clothes. The Grafton Academy ( www.graftonacademy.com ) in Dublin 2, for example, runs a range of classes for the would-be fashion designer. One of the popular evening options is a dressmaking programme that runs for ten weeks.
Students learn to make up a commercial pattern in a fabric of their choice and are shown how to cut out, sew, fit and finish. Beginners are advised to choose a simple pattern of a skirt or trousers to enable them to learn basic sewing techniques while students at a more advanced level may choose a more complicated pattern such as a dress, suit or coat. Classes are held on Mondays or Thursdays and students are free to join at any time. The Bray Institute of Further Education ( www.bife.ie ) also offers a 12-week dressmaking course for the bargain price €120.
However, if you just feel that your windows need a little something, then why not consider a curtain-making course from the Mallow College of Design and Tailoring (022 22 768). You can also learn about curtains and soft furnishings - basically, cushion covers - with the Limperts Academy of Design ( www.limpertsacademy.com ) , which offers its courses at approved venues nationwide. However, this is not the course for you if you simply want a nice blind for the bathroom. Limperts take their courses seriously.
"This in-depth course is the first of its kind, which focuses on how to DESIGN curtains, rather than how to physically make them. And, by understanding the elements of curtains and how to combine them in a variety of ways, anyone can design stunning window treatments to suit each style and budget."
The course is more geared towards those who want to take their curtain know-how beyond their own four walls. According to Limperts, the three-to-four week course would be eminently suitable for those already working in areas such as sales advisors, interior designers and textile wholesalers, retailers and designers.
Experimenters in the art of sewing could also consider a course in embroidery. If you have afternoons free, then you could consider the Lacemaking, Embroidery and Crochet course from the Ashton School in Cork ( www.ashton.ie ), which takes place from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm on Wednesdays.
According to a survey from the US-based Home Sewing Association, sewing can bring health benefits, decreasing your heart rate and aiding relaxation. Whether this holds true when you cut the material wrong, stab yourself with the scissors and sew your thumbs together remains to be seen. If you are willing to take the chance, then why not consider a course? If the ones mentioned above don't suit, then you can search for your ideal class with the National Education Database… |
