One-on-One Lessons
Learning to sew from a professional seamstress with 17+ years of experience is not the same as learning from YouTube. The difference: immediate feedback on what you're doing wrong before you've sewn twelve inches of crooked seam into your fashion fabric, direct answers to the specific questions your specific project generates, and instruction calibrated to how you actually learn rather than what the tutorial needs to cover.
Sessions run 2 hours and meet weekly or fortnightly depending on your schedule. Between sessions, Heidi provides specific assignments designed to build on what was covered and develop skills that carry forward. The pace is yours — there's no pressure to move faster than you're comfortable with, and no assumption that you need to cover the same ground as any previous student.
What's Covered
Lesson content is entirely determined by your goals and current skill level. Common tracks include:
- Foundation skills: machine operation and mechanics, thread tension, basic seam types, cutting accurately, pressing properly
- Garment construction: reading and modifying patterns, fitting adjustments, constructing fitted garments, working with different fabric types
- Costume construction: structured bodices, armour construction (foam and thermoplastic), working with stretch fabrics, adding functional elements
- Advanced techniques: corsetry principles, tailoring, historical construction methods, hand-finishing techniques
Project Consultations
If you're an experienced sewer who has hit a specific technical challenge on a current project, hourly project consultations are available. Bring your project and describe the problem — Heidi will work through it with you directly. This is often more efficient than a full lesson series for people who have solid foundations but need expert input on a specific problem.
The Monthly Sewing Circle
A regular group session at the studio where participants work on their own projects in a collaborative environment. The sewing circle provides access to Heidi's expertise and the collective knowledge of other participants without the commitment of a lesson series. Spaces are limited; contact to enquire about current availability.
Lesson Pricing
Frequently Asked Questions
For home practice between sessions, yes — but if you don't have one yet, Heidi can advise on appropriate beginner machines before you purchase. See also the sewing machine guide on this site.
Any level — Heidi has taught complete beginners (first time touching a sewing machine) through to intermediate sewers wanting to advance to tailoring or corset work. Lessons are tailored to your starting point.
Content is tailored to your goals. Typical tracks: foundation skills (machine operation, basic seams, pressing); garment construction (fitting, pattern work); costume construction (armour, structured bodices); advanced techniques (corsetry, tailoring, historical methods).
This depends entirely on your starting level and the complexity of costume you want to build. A determined beginner who practices between sessions typically reaches the point of making a simple costume in 3–4 months. Complex builds require more time.
A regular group session at the studio where participants work on their own projects in a collaborative environment. Spaces are limited and occasionally available. Contact to enquire about current openings.
Currently lessons are in-person only, as the hands-on nature of sewing instruction makes remote learning significantly less effective for most topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
For home practice between sessions, yes — but if you don't have one yet, Heidi can advise on appropriate beginner machines before you purchase. See also the sewing machine guide on this site.
Any level — Heidi has taught complete beginners (first time touching a sewing machine) through to intermediate sewers wanting to advance to tailoring or corset work. Lessons are tailored to your starting point.
Content is tailored to your goals. Typical tracks: foundation skills (machine operation, basic seams, pressing); garment construction (fitting, pattern work); costume construction (armour, structured bodices); advanced techniques (corsetry, tailoring, historical methods).
This depends entirely on your starting level and the complexity of costume you want to build. A determined beginner who practices between sessions typically reaches the point of making a simple costume in 3–4 months. Complex builds require more time.
A regular group session at the studio where participants work on their own projects in a collaborative environment. Spaces are limited and occasionally available. Contact to enquire about current openings.
Currently lessons are in-person only, as the hands-on nature of sewing instruction makes remote learning significantly less effective for most topics.