Patternmaking Essentials Course
Take your sewing skills further in this hands-on Patternmaking Essentials course designed for confident home sewers. Learn how to draft your own skirt, bodice and pant blocks using your personal body measurements—giving you the foundation to create garments that truly fit.
Starting with industry-standard templates, you’ll develop paper patterns, sew calico toiles (prototypes), fit them to your body and make accurate adjustments. By the end of the course, you’ll have a personalised set of cardboard blocks complete with seam allowances and construction notes—ready to use again and again.
With small class sizes (maximum 10 students), you’ll receive plenty of individual guidance as you build confidence in fitting, drafting and garment construction techniques.
Course Content
- Skirt block: Take body measurements, draft a paper pattern, sew and fit a toile, then transfer the final pattern to cardboard.
- Bodice block: Draft, sew and refine a fitted bodice block tailored to your shape.
- Pant block: Create and fit a custom pant block using calico and personalised adjustments.
- Refinement session: Finalise blocks and explore additional elements such as pockets, waistbands or sleeves.
Schedule & Pricing
- Most courses run as four full-day sessions (9:30am–4:00pm).
- Evening format available across eight sessions (covering half a lesson per session).
- Course fee: $719.
Additional Information
- 30-minute lunch break for full-day classes.
- Closed-in shoes must be worn in the classroom.
- Accessibility: Classroom is upstairs and accessible by stairs only.
Details
You will learn
- Take accurate body measurements for drafting patterns
- Draft and fit custom skirt, bodice and pant blocks
- Adjust toiles to achieve a personalised garment fit
You will get
- Personalised cardboard skirt, bodice and pant blocks
- Expert one-on-one guidance in a small class
- Comprehensive patternmaking and fitting techniques
Appropriate for
Confident home sewers and sewing enthusiasts with basic garment construction experience who want to draft and fit their own patterns.
Preparation
What to bring
- 5m calico (150cm width) or 7m (115cm width)
- Sewing tools including rulers, scissors, pins and measuring tape
- Notebook, markers, glue stick and sewing machine supplies
What to wear
Closed-in shoes required
Your Teacher
Sydney Community College
38 reviewsSydney Community College is a registered charity with a voluntary Board of Directors.
The College has a mission to offer innovative continuing adult education and training programmes that support individual efforts and facilitate sustainable social change.
We do this by:
- Providing quality continuing adult education opportunities for people to build practical and theoretical skills and develop knowledge;
- Leveraging from and developing community capacity and inclusivity;
- Developing innovative affordable and accessible skills training programmes;
- Partnering with like organisations to deliver learning opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and communities;
- Partnering with all levels of government to deliver education policy objectives.
Cancellations & Refunds
If the organiser cancels the class:
You are entitled to a full refund.
If you can't attend the class:
You’re welcome to send someone in your place.
OR
- A refund can be requested 10 days before class starts. An admin fee of AU$45.00 applies.
Terms & Conditions
At Sydney Community College, we know that plans can change unexpectedly. Whether it’s a shift in your schedule, a family emergency, or just a change of heart, we want to support you in the fairest way possible.
At the same time, we’re a not-for-profit organisation that commits resources to running each class—so last-minute cancellations can significantly impact our ability to offer quality, affordable programs.
That’s why we’ve created a simple, transparent policy that balances your need for flexibility with our need to plan and deliver courses sustainably. Our cancellation policy offers two clear options, depending on when you notify us:
Cancel More Than 10 Days Before the Course Starts – You can choose to receive a full refund, minus a $45 administration fee OR a non-refundable credit note valid for 12 months for the full value you paid for the course. This credit can be used towards any future course at the College.
Option 2: Cancel Within 10 Days of the Course Starting - You’ll receive a credit note valid for 12 months for 50% of the course fee you paid for the course. This credit can be used towards any future course at the College.
Please note that both refund and credit options are only available before the course begins. Once the course has started—or if you decide to withdraw after it has commenced—no refunds or credits can be issued. If you need to cancel your enrolment, just email us and we’ll take care of it based on the timelines above.
Have more questions about this class?
Tags:
Patternmaking Essentials Course
Book soon! 15 people viewed this class.
Be the first to know when this class has new dates! Add your email to the waitlist.
Your Next Adventure Starts Here
Join thousands of learners exploring new skills and passions. Whether online or in person, our classes are designed to inspire, connect, and bring joy to learning. Start your journey today!
Explore classes