Machine Sewing for Beginners - Gnomes - Mansfield Central Library - Adult Learning

Get ready to add a touch of handmade charm to your holiday season! Whether you’re brand new to sewing or just looking for a fun and festive project, this beginner-friendly class is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit. In this fun, hands-on session, we’ll guide you step-by-step through creating your very own adorable holiday gnome — complete with a fluffy beard, a pointy hat, and plenty of personality. No prior sewing experience is needed — just bring your enthusiasm, a few bits and pieces and some holiday cheer! This is a fun course that will open up the world of sewing machines to beginners and will also give new skills to those who have sewn before. You will be making your own festive or woodland gnome from felt and fabric using a variety of techniques from sewing machines and hand sewing to fabric adhesives and glue guns. We will start with an introduction to the sewing machine and to the materials we will be using and then we will get straight on with choosing our gnome and cutting out our fabric.

What you will need to bring to the course:

• ¼ meter of cotton fabric or felt for your gnome body. This can be patterned or plain, just think about the type of gnome you want to make; Father Christmas might be red a woodland elf gnome might be green or striped for instance

• ¼ meter for clothes, legs and arms

• Squares of felt for noses, feet and hands. Flesh coloured or whatever your imagination wants

• Squares of felt for boots, belts and stockings Black or brown or your choice

• Matching thread for your body fabric

• Any trimmings you feel you would like to incorporate into your gnome such as bells, buttons and ribbons

• Small bag of toy stuffing about the amount for a small cushion (please don’t use old cushions as the stuffing will be difficult to use)

• 250gms of rice to weight you gnome to make him sit up

• Hand sewing kit; needles, pins, scissors, thread

Beard material will be provided

When purchasing felt try to get the softer felt, some felts are treated to be stiff and don’t bend well.

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

Duvet covers and pillowcases 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.

Fat quarters are a great way to buy coordinating fabrics. A fat quarter is cut fabric usually measuring 50cm by 55cm, it is variable! Very often sold in bundles of 4 or 5 coordinating patterns and a lovely way to match colours.

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