Craftsy Couture Dressmaking Techniques Class Review

Flashback Summer: Craftsy Couture Dressmaking Techniques Class Review

A few months ago during a Craftsy class sale, I bought the Couture Dressmaking Techniques class taught by Alison Smith.  It wasn't until recently that I dove in and started watching each session because I wanted to be sure I could dedicate proper brain power and concentration to really learning the techniques Alison covers.  WOW, have I learned a lot!

Flashback Summer: Craftsy Couture Dressmaking Techniques Class Review

The class has seven sessions that cover all sorts of couture techniques for finishing seams, boning, sewing curved seams, pressing, setting in sleeves, and making your clothes looking generally a million percent better than they did before.

Probably my three favorite tidbits I took away from the class have to do with fabrics, darts, and pressing.  Alison covers which fabric pairings work for underlining and lining garments, and she even explains the reasoning behind it to help you make your own educated pairings.  BLEW MY MIND.  I've always been a bit unsure of which fabrics to pair up, and I knew very little about underlinings.  This section was hugely helpful to me.


Flashback Summer: Craftsy Couture Dressmaking Techniques Class Review

Next, the darts.  She talked about all things darts: sewing, balancing, stitching down, and pressing them.  I tried balancing, stitching down, and pressing some darts on a pair of pants I'm working on in the way she recommended, and they are probably some of the fanciest darts I've ever done!  MIND BLOWN AGAIN.


Flashback Summer: Craftsy Couture Dressmaking Techniques Class Review

Then my last favorite thing had to do with pressing in general.  At first I thought this Alison lady was crazy in the things she suggested, but when I tried it… it was like magic.  Now I need to get all the tailoring hams and rolls and everything, just for the ironing habit I'm going to have.  It makes a HUGE difference in how a garment looks.

I haven't even gone over half the things I learned!  She made boning accessible, sleeves much easier, and… Overall, I would HUGELY recommend this class to anyone that wants to take their sewing up a level.  It's great for learning techniques to make your clothes look better, and it's also helpful for making your clothing more durable and long-lasting.  As a vintage sewist, I would say it's a must-have class.  We love the clothing that has survived for decades, often due to many of the techniques Alison shares.  It can not only help you recreate vintage with the same quality high-end originals have, but it can also help repair and alter vintage in an era-appropriate way.

The class is on sale right now for $44.99, and you can learn more about it on the Craftsy site here!

Soon I'll show you guys the project in these pictures, too!  You can probably guess what they are if you've sewed for a bit, but I'm going to keep you in suspense for the reveal!

Craftsy has not collaborated with or compensated me in any way for this post.  Though, if they'd like to, I'd certainly welcome it.

Flashback Summer: Craftsy Couture Dressmaking Techniques Class Review

5 comments

  1. Thanks for sharing, Emileigh! I have a whole slew of ideas lined up and fabrics ordered and waiting to be made into a bunch of vintage-inspired clothing for this fall and winter, and I am itching to take this class so that I can do the garments justice! I'll keep this reference in my back pocket for now, and hope to use it in future :)

    xo,
    -Charlotte
    boyerfamilysingersblog.com

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  2. a very interesting review!! although I don't know if it would be so useful for a historical costume like me (read victorian) sadly

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    1. I think it would be very helpful to you, Tiffany! A lot of these couture techniques are old school skills, not modern. Lots of handstitching and pressing, which works for any time period!

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  3. Thanks for sharing Emileigh! I have a copy of the Couture Sewing Techniques a friend gifted to me my first semester of fashion school...and I've yet to use it. I think once I save up some, I'll buy this craftsy class, it seems very helpful!

    Carla, TinyAngryCrafts

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  4. How wonderful that this course is proving so helpful for you. It sounds fantastic.

    Happy sewing!
    ♥ Jessica

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