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As someone who has always been on the skinnier side of the spectrum, fresh clothes were always too big for me. Back in secondary school, whenever the new school year started, there was no doubt that a part of my uniform set had to be altered.
The saviour of the day was my grandmother - always prepared with a needle and thread to taper the school pants that made my legs look like walking canes.
Now that I am working in a fashion school, I figured, “What better way to give back than to sew clothes for my grandma!” TaF.tc’s Basic Drafting & Sewing (BDS) course was my best opportunity to do just that. Moreover, the final product that each student has to make is a blouse and a skirt, which works in my favour. After all, I have a treasured someone I could make the clothes for!
Taking the course during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that online learning was a necessity. Honestly, that caused me a little worry at first. How can a guy with zero sewing background, who had the luxury of getting his wardrobe altered his whole life, learn an entire skill through a computer screen? Looking back, I’m proud that I did not let my worries stop me, as the journey I had with TaF.tc was an enriching one!
If you’re wondering, “How can I learn from home, if I don’t even have a sewing machine?” Fret not, the logistics team at TaF.tc was quick to deliver a sewing machine to my home, 1 week prior to the start of the course. This gave me time to inspect the machine, and bring up any faults if they are to the team.
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We were required to get our own fabrics from external stores. This was perfect for me, as I could choose the designs that best suited my grandmother. We were recommended to get our materials from Sing Mui Heng, as we get 10% off as TaF.tc students! If you’re still unsure, here are 4 other places you can get your sewing needs.
There is also a student guide available that advises you on the type of fabric to buy. On top of that, we are also required to purchase a sewing tool kit. This will not just suffice for the entire duration of the course, but also beyond, whenever you want to create your own clothes from scratch!
Drafting and sewing the skirt covered the first half of the entire course. We had to first learn to draft the skirt’s pattern. It was quite easy to follow as there were multiple camera angles set up by the trainer, as she explained the instructions. As we drafted based on our own measurements, each person’s pattern came out uniquely. We were free to stop the trainer at any point in time to clarify the calculations of the different measurement points so that we could create the perfect fit.
When it came to sewing, threading the sewing machine was the most difficult part for me operating (traumatic flashback)!
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It was pretty clear that I did not have the most accurate of hands. Thankfully, my trainer, was patient, and guided me through the process with multiple angles on Zoom, which made my online learning experience seamless. She even recommended a tool that was easy for beginners to use when threading the machine.
Through the class, I realised that operating the machine wasn’t as daunting as it seemed initially - you will not be constantly thinking about the possibility of your fingers getting pierced by the speedy needle. It was very helpful that our trainer got us to test out with some scrap fabric and taught us to adjust the settings on our machine to a speed that we are comfortable with.
In my class, there was enough time for some students to create another set. Personally, I decided to focus on fine-tuning my garments as it was a gift for my grandma.
Prior to the assessment on the last day, we had to do a fit check as it will be used as a judging component. The feeling of seeing the garments that I’ve painstakingly made, on my grandmother, was certainly surreal. Though it cannot be compared to the many times she has sewn and altered my clothes, it was as if I was repaying a debt of gratitude, for her years of effort.
So can someone with no experience learn sewing? Absolutely!
As long as you put in the effort and determination, you are more than able to complete the course. The trainers, customer support and resources are also readily available as extra-support if you need them!
I’ve met a wide range of classmates, from those looking to up-skill themselves, to those wanting to enter the industry as seamstresses! So you can rest assured that you won’t be feeling alone in this course!
The exciting part is - your sewing journey doesn’t just end here! There are multiple sewing courses such as Intermediate Drafting & Sewing, and Cheongsam, that I can advance towards, to pursue my sewing goals. There is definitely something for everyone here at TaF.tc!
If you’re interested in our sewing programmes at TaF.tc, you can WhatsApp us or drop us a call at 6011 8066 to find out more!
