Design (and Make!) your own Wardrobe

If you have always wanted to make the clothes YOU envision in your head, here is your chance! Using the techniques from her book, Design-It-Yourself Clothes, Cal will teach you how to draft your own basic patterns for a shift dress, lounge pant and a button-down shirt/jacket, based on the measurements of your unique body. Then you will learn how to take those patterns and stylize them into endless variations. For each of the three styles, you will make a muslin, fit and correct your pattern, and finally sew one or more finished garment(s). Before you know it, you’ll have a whole new handmade wardrobe! Students must be at least competent beginner-level sewers, and comfortable using a sewing machine. Intermediate and advanced sewers are also welcome and can take on more challenging projects. No previous patternmaking experience is necessary.

Sanborn Mills Farm has 2 sewing machines to loan out on a first come first served basis. To reserve please email marsha@sanbornmills.org

Skills and Techniques:

• Draft your own sewing patterns using your unique body measurements
• Make a muslin to fit and adjust your patterns
• Sew a finished garment for each of 3 styles
• Hack your basic patterns to become infinite additional styles and variations

Materials Fee: none

Special Tools or Equipment to bring:

• Sewing Machine + extension cord
• Notebook
• A pad of 18 x 24” paper, or a roll at least 14” wide (newsprint or drawing paper)
• Pencil, sharpener, eraser
• See-through 18” ruler
• Tape measure
• Scissors (for cutting paper)
• Clear tape
• 2-3+ yards medium-weight cotton, linen or other woven fabric* (for shirt/jacket)
• 2-3+ yards medium-weight cotton, linen or other woven fabric* (for shift dress)
• 2-3+ yards medium-weight cotton, linen or other woven fabric* (for lounge pants)
• 6+ yards total muslin (or other inexpensive cotton woven fabric, like old sheets or fabric from your stash you no longer love, which could potentially become “wearable muslins”) for dress, pants and shirt/jacket muslins
• 1+ yard (3/4” to 1” width) elastic (or enough to go around your waist)
• Thread (all-purpose) to match all fabrics
• 1 package single-fold bias tape to match dress (1/2” wide), or make your own
• Buttons, snaps, zipper or other closure for shirt/jacket
• Optional: 14” or longer invisible zipper to match dress (only needed for a more fitted dress)
• Optional: Invisible zipper foot for your machine (I recommend the YKK brand or the brand of your sewing machine) ONLY needed if doing an invisible zipper
• Basic sewing kit: scissors, pins & cushion, tape measure, seam ripper, tailor’s chalk
• *Fabric should ideally be pre-washed and dried (as you will want to wash your handmade garment) to reduce or eliminate shrinkage. Muslin and knits are optional to wash.

Workshop and Cancellation Policies: Please read our 2026 policies before registering for a workshop. https://www.sanbornmills.org/workshop-policies/