Sunday 5th February – How to use your Sewing Machine
Another date for this popular workshop.  The day is aimed at beginners to find your way around a sewing machine including; different stitches, changing the tension, the different settings, cleaning, changing needles, changing feet, threads, using different fabrics and of course threading and sewing!

• 
Class size limited to 5 people.
• 11am to 3pm.
• £35 payable in advance to confirm your space.

Sunday 26th February – Skirt Making Workshop
Want to learn to sew?  Fancy a new skirt?  Want to make a present for a friend?
Come to this one day intensive workshop and learn some sewing basics whilst making an A-line skirt.  This workshop will teach you the basics of reading a pattern and using a sewing machine.
Suitable for beginners and those with a bit of sewing experience.

• Class size limited to 5 people.
• 10.30am to 4.30pm.
• £45 payable in advance to confirm your space.

Sunday 11th March – Sewing with Knits
A combination of the winter and summer versions of this workshop depending on what you want to make!  Sewing with stretchy jersey fabrics can be tricky on a domestic sewing machine, so at this workshop I’ll show you the best ways to cut and sew knitted fabrics.  I’ll provide you with a choice of winter and summer patterns specifically designed for jersey fabrics for you to whip up something to wear by the end of the day. All you need to bring is some jersey fabric of your choice and matching thread.
This workshop is not suitable for complete beginners.

• Class size limited to 5 people.
• 10.30am to 4.30pm.
• £45 payable in advance to confirm your space.

Sunday 25th March – **NEW WORKSHOP** Cool Cushions
Cushions don’t have to be boring!  Cushion covers can be a great first project for beginner sewers and provide a blank canvas for more experienced sewers to explore new techniques.  At this workshop you’ll learn the basics of cushion making and we’ll move on to ways of making them a bit more interesting by adding piping, using recycled fabrics and customising with easy appliqué (I’ll provide you with some stencils to use) and pompoms.  Great for presents or to add a splash of Spring colour to your own place.
Suitable for beginners and those with a bit of sewing experience.

• Class size limited to 5 people.
• 11am to 4pm.
• £40 payable in advance to confirm your space.

Sunday 15th April – **NEW WORKSHOP** Wedding & Party Bunting
I have to confess, I’m hesitant about bunting!!  It can look awful, it can look twee, but I plan to show you how to make sure yours is neither!  I want you to make cool bunting so, it’s all in the choice of fabrics, mix of colours, scale & shape of your bunting and how you finish it off and decorate it.  We’ll go through some bunting basics and then look at ways to customise it by adding lettering, embroidery, using ribbon/tape and recycled fabrics.  It doesn’t have to be for a wedding or party though, you might just want it covering your house….!
Suitable for beginners and those with a bit of sewing experience.

• Class size limited to 5 people.
• 11am to 4pm.
• £40 payable in advance to confirm your space.

Sunday 29th April – Sewing Workshop
Want to come to a sewing class but can’t commit to a weekly session?
Come to this Sunday workshop and sew away to your heart’s content. Suitable for absolute beginners who want a kick start to their new sewing habit or more experienced sewers who want a bit more time to focus on a specific project.
Bring along a project you’re working on or would like to start and we’ll take it from there.

• Class size limited to 5 people.
• 11am to 4pm.
• £40 payable in advance to confirm your space.

Sunday 10th June – Pattern Cutting Workshop
Not sure if pattern cutting is for you?  Try this one day intensive workshop, suitable for beginners and students who have previously drafted skirt or trouser patterns.
At this workshop beginners will draft a skirt block and pattern and make a skirt toile (sample).  Students who have done some pattern cutting before will draft a trouser block and make a trouser toile.  Students who have previously drafted a trouser block with me will draft a one-piece dress block.

• 
Class size limited to 4 people.
• 11am to 4pm.
• £40 payable in advance to confirm your space.

Sunday 24th June – Customising Workshop
Had a spring clean?
Found lots of old clothes that could do with a bit of a revamp?
Bring them along to this workshop where I’ll show you some quick and easy ways to re-invent your old clothes and/or charity shop finds. Also bring some fabrics to use as the decoration, buttons, wool, ribbons, lace, anything you can lay your hands on! Some additional materials will be provided.
Suitable for all levels of sewing ability.

• Class size limited to 5 people.
• 11am to 4pm.
• £40 payable in advance to confirm your space.

All workshops take place at MIY Workshop, 33 North Road, BN1 1YB, in the North Laine area of central Brighton.

As always, if you need more info or would like to discuss in more detail, email me at thiswasmadeby[at]gmail.com or give me a ring on 01273 775951 or 689108.  Look forward to hearing from you.

The new evening will be on Thursdays from 6.30-8.30pm and will be starting on the 2nd of February.

If you would like to join us, get in touch!

So, here’s the sign, logo, name for my new shop and here’s some of the progress being made over the last few weeks….

Amazing what a lick of paint expertly applied by Nicky (one of my students who also happens to be a decorating demon) can do!

Here’s the front room – now the “Sewing Room” complete with new screens, new lights, freshly painted, new cupboard doors and on site labourer (aka my dad!).

Labourer number 2 looking like he’s sawn off his thumb (luckily he didn’t)…..

….and the fruits of his labours in progress – some lockers in the “Cutting Room”.

And the view from the street.

So, MIY Workshop is on track for being open on Tuesday 10th January.  The first class will be Tuesday evening at 6.30pm.

There’s going to be classes and workshops as before, but more of them.  You will also be able to hire sewing machines and use of the 2.4m long cutting  table by the hour – I have 5 brand new Janome Sewist sewing machines, 2 brand new Bernina 1008 sewing machines and a Babylock embellisher.

You will also be able to become a member of MIY Workshop.

I’m working on a comprehensive timetable and price list as we speak.  Exciting isn’t it?!!

I hope to see some of you working on your creations soon.

If you live in Brighton you might have walked past what used to be Just Sew (33 North Road) in the last few days and noticed it starting to look a bit like everyone had moved out.

Don’t panic!  Everyone has moved out temporarily and I’m taking it over and running it myself.  From January it will be reincarnated as MIY Workshop (Make It Yourself Workshop).

I’m having tomorrow and Boxing Day off but then will be in there with rubber gloves, paint brush and hammer in hand (along with some willing glamorous assistants) getting everything ship shape for the 2nd week of January.

2012 will see plenty of new developments for MIY Workshop and Wendy Ward.

I can’t wait!

Classes have now finished for a few weeks and will start again on Tuesday 10th January in the same venue but under a new name.  More news on that over the next few weeks!

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year filled with sewing and creating.

Wendyx

First up my Alterations students at the Friends Centre.  Here we’ve got skirts made from trousers, customising with appliqué, dresses and skirts altered to fit better and shortened jeans.  And that’s only a small selection of what they achieved in 10 weeks.

Two students from my Drop-in Sewing & Dressmaking classes; Joy in a beautiful cashmere wool coat that was a labour of love with bound buttonholes, handmade shoulder pads and fully lined in silk, and Brenda in another silk frock made from a pattern taken from a favourite dress.

Productive results of the “Make your own Christmas Gifts” Sunday workshop; an apron, 2 cushion covers and a make-up bag.  Pretty good for a day’s sewing.

And students from Varndean in their perfectly fitting skirt toiles after my pattern cutting workshop.  Why they were so surprised that the skirts fitted so well, I don’t know!

Brenda in a silk frock that she made by taking a pattern from an old favourite dress.

Ela in a sunny skirt made from a bought pattern.

Kate in her winter skirt made from a bought pattern.

Jen’s creative use for her old band t-shirts!  Better than keeping them in a bag under the bed.

Good aren’t they?!

With a choice of 5 different styles of garment to make, here’s what today’s students produced:

A sparkly cowl neck top, a stripey cardi, a cosy shrug, a Bloomsbury inspired cardi and a bold dogstooth check cardi.

I’m now selling my leather necklaces, badges and Christmas decorations on http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/partners/afterwardbywendyward/products

There are more exciting developments afoot with my classes, but that will have to wait until another day…

I’ll be there on Sunday 27th November from 11am – 2.30pm, come and say hello!