Design Your Own Dress! Intro to Pattern Drafting with Blocks & GREAT BRITISH SEWING BEE Guide
Create your own sewing patterns using a personalised block and the Great British Sewing Bee Pattern Drafting book (included)
Size 0 - 32
Discover the Foundations of Custom Fashion Design
If you've ever dreamed of designing your own dresses — with the perfect fit and your unique style — this class is the ideal place to start! Our Introduction to Dress Design with Blocks or Slopers workshop is a friendly and practical entry into the world of dressmaking, focusing on using tried-and-tested basic templates (also known as blocks or slopers) to bring your design ideas to life.
What is a Block/Sloper?
A block or sloper is a basic, fitted pattern with no style details — it’s your starting point for creating endless design variations. Once you learn how to work with a block, you can draft dresses that actually fit your body, while playing with neckline styles, sleeve shapes, skirt silhouettes, and more.
In This Workshop, You’ll Learn:
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What blocks/slopers are and how they’re used in the design process
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How to take measurements and assess fit
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How to adapt a bodice and skirt block into your own dress design
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Simple pattern-drafting techniques for creating style lines, darts, gathers, or flare
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How to sketch and plan your design on a croquis or dress template
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Basic toile (mock-up) construction and fitting
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The Great British Sewing Bee Pattern Drafting book
💡 Perfect For:
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Sewists who want to move beyond commercial patterns
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Beginners in pattern drafting
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Dressmakers interested in design and personalisation
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Anyone who wants to understand fit and form better
You’ll leave the class with a clearer understanding of garment design, your own fitted block, and a first dress design concept you can develop further.
Included in the price of the workshop:
Sewing B
174 Derby Road
Stapleford,
Nottingham. NG9 7AY
Travel
There is limited on-street parking in Stapleford so we recommend one of the Broxtowe council carparks the nearest being Halls Road (2 minute walk) https://www.broxtowe.gov.uk/for-you/roads-parking-travel/car-parks/stapleford-car-parks/ The care park is £1.00 all day Monday to Friday and Free Saturday and Sunday (please double the machine in the car park)
If you are arriving from Nottingham or Derby via the Trent Barton I4 the stop is Halls Road.
Refreshments:
Tea/ coffee to make. Plus lots of cafe's very near to Sewing B to purchase coffee/tea and food.
