Machine Sewing for Beginners - Festive Creations - Newark Buttermarket - Adult Learning

Celebrate the season with creativity and purpose. This beginner-friendly sewing class is designed for adults who want to learn the fundamentals of sewing while crafting beautiful, handmade holiday items, perfect for decorating your home, gifting to loved ones, or even selling. You’ll gain hands-on experience with essential sewing techniques as we create elegant projects like festive table décor, personalized stockings and seasonal gifts. Whether you're here to unwind, make meaningful gifts, or take the first step toward a creative business, this class offers a warm, supportive space to learn, connect, and grow.

This course is designed for all, from the complete beginner who has never touched a sewing machine to those who feel they would like a refresher or dust off rusty skills. You’ll begin by getting comfortable with your sewing machine, learning how to thread up and fill a bobbin, and making something simple like a reusable gift bag. As you progress, you’ll develop core techniques such as straight stitching, seam finishing, and basic construction methods.

The course also covers how to select and prepare fabrics and interfacing, use simple patterns effectively, and handle essential sewing tools with confidence. Throughout the course, you’ll work on a series of festive projects, including elegant Christmas stockings, reusable fabric gift wraps and bottle bags, and seasonal table décor like runners or napkins. You can even choose to make a festive gnome or elf! You’ll also have the opportunity to explore creative embellishments such as appliqué and trims to give your creations a unique, personal flair.

The course is very hands-on and project-based, guiding you through the sewing process. Each step is designed to reinforce and build upon the skills you’ve learned. Whether you're sewing for yourself, for gifts, or to sell, this course will equip you with the techniques and confidence to take your sewing further.

By the end of the course, you will:

- Have at least three festive decorations to take home

- Be able to work safely and confidently with a sewing machine

- Have a good understanding of transferable skills for future sewing projects

- Understand the importance of using the correct needles, feet and thread for the project

- Understand how simple patterns are used

- Be able to create and finish different types of seams

- Have an understanding of different types of fabric and thread and be able to choose the correct ones for your project

What you will need to bring to the course:

We will need for the first session:

- Half a metre of festive cotton fabric, something the same weight as a duvet cover, a pillowcase is ideal.

- Good quality matching thread, Gutterman is a good brand and sews well.

- Handy to have; scissors, tape measure, notebook and pencil

Later on we will need some of the following, depending on your chosen project;

- 2 – 3 metres of assorted festive-themed fabric or “fat quarter” bundle

- 1 metre Vlieseline Vilene 6624 Interfacing Medium OR Vlieseline Vilene F220 Recycled Interfacing Medium

- 1 metre of iron-on wadded Interfacing. Vlieseline H630 OR H640 Volume Fleece Batting is perfect

- 1 metre of Borsal-IN-R-Foam bag stabiliser

- Ribbons or festive trim to decorate (not essential)

Most of the projects can be made from fat quarters. A fat quarters is cut fabric usually measuring 50cm by 55cm, it can variable! Very often sold in bundles of 4 or 5 coordinating patterns and a lovely way to match colours.

Please do not choose fabric with stretch or heavy weight furnishing fabric

Duvet covers and pillow cases are a good source of budget friendly fabric and are lovely to sew.

If you are recycling fabric then please make sure it is clean.

All of the extras will be discussed in the first week and will be dependent on your chosen projects so do not worry if you do not understand the terminology yet, all will be explained and there will be time to get supplies by the following week