Sewing Weekender

The Online Sewing Weekender is BACK on the 1st and 2nd June 2024. It’s stuffed full of inspiration for a fantastic weekend. The event will take place online and features video content for attendees to watch and participate in, as they work on a sewing project at home. The videos will remain available after the Sewing Weekender too, so if you aren’t free that weekend you can still purchase a ticket and enjoy them at your leisure.

We’ve got an incredible line up of speakers this year (see below for the full scoop) and live Zoom sessions to chat to fellow attendees. Previously an annual in-person event in Cambridge (2016 – 2019) bringing 90 sewists together for a weekend of informal sewing, socialising, workshops and talks, the Sewing Weekender moved online in 2020 and hasn’t looked back. We have always given a proportion of ticket sales to charity and this year we are looking forward to supporting Furnishing Futures and War Child.

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

Ticket price is £20.50 (including VAT and Eventbrite fees). EARLYBIRD £2 discount on tickets is available until Monday 13th May at midnight. Refunds are not issued after payment is submitted. Tickets are non-refundable with 10% of proceeds being donated to charity. The videos will remain available after the Sewing Weekender too, so if you aren’t free you can still enjoy them at a later date.

The schedule

An email will be sent to you at 6am on Saturday 1st June. This will contain the full schedule for the weekend and links to all the video content. All the content for the weekend will be available immediately, so you can dip in and out and watch it as you wish. All the videos will remain available throughout the weekend. The videos will remain available after the Sewing Weekender too, so if you aren’t free on the 1st and 2nd of June, you can still purchase a ticket and enjoy the videos at a later date.

Speakers

• Ashley Cramp is here to help us with sewing room storage. I think we can all agree that sewing is not a minimalist’s hobby and keeping it contained is a constant battle. Ashley describes her sewing room storage as a ‘never ending obsession.’ She’s going to show us around her space and chat about some of her fantastic ideas to keep the chaos under control.
• Alys from Unpicked Studio is here to talk pattern hacking, something many of us love doing but that can be a little daunting.  Alys will show you pattern-cutting techniques such as adding volume, a yoke or pocket with these fun skirt designs.
• Alison Smith is back this year talking couture techniques. Level up your handmade wardrobe with some amazing finishing techniques from hems and darts to seams. Your handmade garments will be as pretty on the inside as on the outside.
• Sew Over 50, behind the keyhole. For those of you that love seeing where other people sew, you are in for a treat. We’ve got a whole host of people taking us on tours of their creative spaces showing us their pattern and fabric stashes and much more.
• Asmaa is here to talk lingerie 101. Often the hardest part of lingerie is knowing which fabrics to use, where to buy the bits you need and which pattern is best for you. Asmaa is going to guide us through all of this and talk about the different measuring systems too.
• Friday Pattern Company are here to hack their iconic pattern, the Donny Shirt. It’s one of their most popular patterns and they have done a brilliant transformation. We don’t want to say too much, but it’s going to have a new opening….
• Take a deep dive into Matchy Matchy Sewing Club. One of our favourite new indie brands is here to talk about how they got started. Learn how to use your scraps to create unique garments with their top tips for putting fabrics and patterns together.
• Fabric Godmother is here talking fabric design. Have you ever wondered how you even begin to design your own prints? Josie is going to talk us through the incredible process of design and manufacture and show us some of the amazing prints in her range.
• Sister Mintaka is here to help you with fabric. Have you ever wondered what sort of fabric would work best for a project? Sandeep is on hand to demystify it for you.
• Vicki from What Vicki Made is here to talk through her journey with body confidence and sewing. Recommendations for great patterns for a fluctuating shape and some resources to get help with fit.
• Jen from Jenerates is talking tools. She is going to show you how she’s repurposed household items to her sewing space for a better sew. This was the start of her business creating and re-imagining tools to make our lives easier.
• Alice & Co are back with another historical talk. This time we are taking an adventure into the world of facings and fastenings. Showing us some amazing samples, they will talk about the invention of the zip and how to add historical touches to a modern piece or upcycled garment.
• Little Rosy Cheeks is here to talk about the history of the clothes label. Many of us are absolutely loving adding labels into our handmade wardrobes but have you ever wondered why people started to use them?
• Made My Wardrobe are talking us through the realities of running a small indie sewing business. How they have managed to survive and pivot year on year to keep doing what they are doing.
• Atelier Jupe are here to talk hacking patterns. They are going to show us how to turn a loose fitting top into a belted summer dress with patch pockets. They will use their Billie pattern but the techniques can also be used on a pattern you already have.
• Mia, the queen of upcycling, has a fantastic project to share with us. She’s going to repurpose some old denim into a skirt.

Get social

Live Zoom chat rooms
We will have five live Zoom chat rooms available throughout the weekend where anyone can join and share how they are getting on with their sewing project and sew along with other attendees.

Need help with a sewing project?
We’ve got a sewing helper who will be on hand in our private Facebook group for attendees. Ask a sewing question and she’ll dive in and help you!

Don’t forget to keep up with all the fun by following the hashtag #sewingweekender on Instagram and sharing what you are making.

Choosing a project

Remember that the Sewing Weekender is an informal sewing event. You can pick any sewing project to work on over the weekend (and share your plans and progress with us using #sewingweekender). You’ll want to start planning your makes for next weekend and if there is a pattern you’ve been lusting after then now is the time to pounce! Search thousands of sewing patterns from indie designers and commercial pattern houses in our online sewing pattern shop.

How to book

Tickets to The Online Sewing Weekender 2024 include:

• Online digital entry on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd June 2024
• Access to online tutorials, talks, activities and sewing help
• Access to a private Facebook group for attendees
• A digital goodie bag from contributors

10% of proceeds from tickets sold will be donated equally to the following charities: Furnishing Futures and War Child.

Attendees who have booked a ticket will receive an email confirming their ticket purchase with further details. Full details will be emailed to you in advance of the event with links to access the digital content and Facebook group.

Ticket price is £20.50 (including VAT and Eventbrite fees). Refunds are not issued after payment is submitted. Tickets are non-refundable with 10% of proceeds being donated to charity. Please ensure that you are available to attend prior to booking.

Charities

10% of proceeds from this event will go to these brilliant charities:

Furnishing Futures: This charity helps women and children who are escaping domestic abuse to start to rebuild their homes. Many are placed in accommodation with no basic furniture including flooring, beds, curtains, sofas or white goods. We all know what a huge impact where you live has on your mental health and we are delighted to be able to support them this year.

War Child: This incredible charity helps children who are living in conflict. For more than two decades, they’ve been driven by a single goal – ensuring a safe future for every child living through war.

Contributors

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the bloggers, vloggers and makers who have generously given their time to helping us create The Online Sewing Weekender 2024. Thanks to them we hope to raise lots of money for charities that are doing vital work to support us all.

All photos are copyright of the maker(s) featured.

FAQ and policies

Who comes to the Sewing Weekender?

We welcome everyone to join The Online Sewing Weekender from around the world! Makers of all abilities will be joining us from beginners to the advanced.

What do I need to join in?

You will need internet access and a computer, phone or tablet. You will need access to YouTube, Zoom and Instagram to take part in all the activities. An Instagram account is recommended; no account is required for Zoom or YouTube. If you want to sew over the weekend you will need access to a sewing machine and your usual supplies. We also recommend you are well stocked with tea and cake for the duration!

How long do I have to watch the videos and join the activities?

An email will be sent to you at 6am UK time (BST; 05:00 UTC) on Saturday 1st June. This will contain the full schedule for the day and links to all the video content. All the videos will remain available throughout the weekend, so you can dip in and out as you wish. The videos will remain available after the Sewing Weekender if you don’t manage to watch all of them at the time.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Refunds are not issued after payment is submitted. Tickets are non-refundable with 10% of proceeds being donated to charity.

Photography

Photographing and/or videotaping of activities will take place throughout the weekend. The Fold Line may publish the photos and recordings online or in other places for marketing and sales purposes. Attendees agree that their picture and sound may be used by the organisers and their partners without granting any additional permissions. Please contact hello@thefoldline.com if you have any concerns or questions about this.

Damaged Property

The Fold Line is not responsible for attendees’ damaged property through the use of digital media applications.

For any further questions please email hello@thefoldline.com.