There are other things that will be covered in the seminar–education in fabric, methods of finishing, reducing bulk, choosing the right styles, fasteners, trims, tools and many other things. You will learn how to research doll clothing so you appropriately dress dolls, whether antique or modern. You will be given some materials on pattern making to take with you.

Whether you are a total beginner or and advanced sewer, if you have never done doll clothes, sewing doll dresses presents its own unique problems. When you see poorly fitting doll clothes, they are almost always sewn by someone who tries to use the same sewing techniques and rules you would use for people clothes, and they just won’t ever come out right. Doll clothes require their own special techniques.

The Seminars are usually “one on one” –only one student at a time. However, there occasionally are two, and there is still plenty of one on one time. Each student does their own thing, completely independent of one another.

The seminar is for six days, you arrive the day before and leave either the last evening or the next day, depending on the convenience for you, so you have six full days of learning and sewing. We start about 9:30 in the morning, have a quick lunch around noon, work until five, take a break for dinner at 5:00 , then after dinner work until around eight-thirty or nine, depending on how we are doing for time. I provide lunch and dinner at no extra cost to you ( as long as you like what I fix!) You are free to provide your own lunch and dinner if you wish, at your own expense. If you need transportation for shopping I will gladly provide it.

This schedule gives you a lot of sewing/learning time.

All the materials you use in class are included in the price of the seminar if chosen from supplies on hand–there are lots of fabrics to choose from. You have the option of bringing your own fabric and trim, at your own expense of course,

Part of the seminar is a trip to the largest fabric store in the United States! (However, if you are well versed in fabrics, we don’t have to spend time doing this.)

If you want to go, we go to the fabric store the first day, in case you wish to buy some of your own fabric, trim,  or just learn about different fabrics and why you would (or would not) use them to make doll clothes. Drape,weight, scale and content are extremely important to creating beautiful heirloom doll clothes.

The trip to the big fabric store is an optional part of the seminar. It is great if you can arrive early enough on arrival day so we can make the trip to the fabric store that day. If you can’t arrive that early, we go the morning of the first day of the seminar to make sure you have everything you have in mind for the clothes you want to make.

It is very helpful for me know know ahead of time the type of dolls you are most interested in sewing for, so we can focus in that direction.

You may bring your own sewing machine or use one of mine. I frequently help students decide on a machine to buy.

You will learn a lot about sewing machines, rufflers, and sergers (if you don’t already know about these) and if you have no experience with them will have an opportunity to learn to use the machines in class.

It is important to be able to tell what types of fabrics and trims are appropriate for sewing doll clothes, and many other things that are different from making people clothes.

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The Fine Print

The cost of the sewing seminar is $3,500.00 (for one student–see special pricing for more than one ) Plus you pay for your own motel accommodations. We help you find the best, closest and most economical ones in whichever class you choose. If you come on public transportation and need it, we provide transportation while you are here back and forth to your choice of lodging within a limited radius (contact us for details) as well as arrival and departure from public transportation (airport, train, bus etc.), at no extra charge. If you have  your own transportation back and forth from the motel/hotel you can stay wherever you wish as long as you can be at the seminar on time in the morning and stay until finished at night.

Once the seminar is scheduled you will be asked to sign a contract and make a deposit that is non-refundable unless we cancel the seminar, in which case there would be a full refund of course. This deposit is to be made in the form of a check or money order. The balance of the seminar can be paid by credit card or PayPal if desired.