Patternmaking Essentials Course
Take control of your garment making in this hands-on Patternmaking Essentials course designed for confident home sewers. Learn how to draft skirt, bodice and pant blocks using your own body measurements, then refine them through toile fitting to achieve a personalised fit you can rely on again and again.
Working from industry-standard templates, you’ll develop foundational skills in pattern drafting, fitting and construction. Throughout the course, you’ll sew calico toiles, make guided adjustments, and transfer your final patterns to durable cardboard blocks complete with seam allowances and markings.
With small class sizes (maximum 10 students), you’ll receive expert guidance and one-on-one support as you build the confidence to move beyond commercial patterns and create garments tailored to your unique shape.
Course Outline
- Skirt block: Take accurate body measurements, draft a skirt pattern, sew and fit a toile, and finalise a cardboard block.
- Bodice block: Draft and fit a bodice block using your measurements, refine the fit, and transfer to cardboard with full markings.
- Pant block: Create a personalised pant block, sew a toile for fitting, and complete a reusable cardboard pattern.
- Refinement: Finalise all blocks and explore additional elements such as sleeves, waistbands or pockets.
Schedule & Format
- Most courses run as four full-day sessions (9:30am–4:00pm).
- Evening format runs across eight sessions (covering approximately half a lesson per session).
- 30-minute lunch break for full-day classes.
Accessibility
- Classroom is located in an upper-level room accessible by stairs only. The lift is currently out of service.
Details
You will learn
- Take accurate body measurements for pattern drafting
- Draft and fit skirt, bodice and pant blocks
- Create and adjust toiles for improved garment fit
You will get
- Personalised skirt, bodice and pant cardboard blocks
- Expert tutor guidance in a small class setting
- Foundational patternmaking skills for custom designs
Appropriate for
Confident home sewers and sewing enthusiasts with basic garment construction skills who want to draft patterns to fit their own body measurements.
Preparation
What to bring
- 5m calico (150cm wide) or 7m (115cm wide)
- 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.
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Patternmaking Essentials Course
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