Friday, June 7 – Sunday, June 9

In this Weekend Workshop, Cal Patch will guide you through drafting a pattern (using your own measurements!) for a custom shift dress, with or without sleeves. You will make a muslin to test the fit, alter the pattern if necessary, and then sew a real dress. Skills to be taught include taking accurate measurements, drafting a sloper, installing invisible zippers, hemming, bias tape facings, and more. This classic and versatile style can also become a blouse or tunic, with infinite sleeve variations. Students must have some sewing experience and be comfortable using a sewing machine.

The Workshop

The cost of this Workshop is $475, which includes Friday festivities, lunch Saturday & Sunday, 14+ hours of sewing instruction, use of Shop equipment, and lots of exclusive surprises and treats.

*Please review our Weekend Workshop Policies.

The Weekend merriments will begin Friday evening – a casual cocktail party starting around 6 pm at Stitch Sew Shop. Mingle with Cal and our fellow Workshop attendees (minimizing that dreadful first day of school feeling Saturday morning!) and pick up any last minute supplies you might need for the weekend.*

Saturday will bring a full day of making, beginning at 10 am. Lunch will be included, as well as some mid-afternoon pick-me-ups, and we will sew until 6 pm. Dinner reservations for the group will be made at a local favorite restaurant (Dutch treat), a pleasant walking distance from the Shop.

Sunday, return to the shop at 10 am, and pick up where you left off. Lunch will be provided, and you may depart as your schedule permits. The Shop is open until 6 pm on Sunday; you are welcome to stay and sew as long as you like.

The Sewlebrity

Cal Patch has been a maker since she was a Girl Scout in the seventies. She sews, crochets, spins, embroiders, knits, prints, makes patterns, dyes… hence the name of her clothing label: *hodge podge*.

Cal has been teaching the textile arts since 2000, at shops and retreats across North America, and now offers online workshops in Pattern Drafting, Sewing and Crochet via Creativebug. After seventeen years of being a New York City dweller, Cal now resides in the Catskills where she is becoming a crafty farmer and growing her handmade wardrobe.

Her first book, Design-It-Yourself Clothes, Patternmaking Simplified, was published by Potter Craft. You can see what she’s up to at http://calpatch.com

The Weekend

Weekend Workshops at Stitch Sew Shop are designed to be a delightful escape. Located in picturesque Old Town Alexandria, Stitch Sew Shop is a sanctuary for the modern maker, and this workshop will be extraordinary.

Stitch Sew Shop is located just minutes away from Reagan National Airport (DCA). It’s a short taxi or metro ride to Old Town from the airport, and it’s unlikely you will need to rent a car if you plan on staying in Old Town. AmTrak station is collocated with the Metro at the King Street Station.

There are many great lodging options very near to the Shop. Within a comfortable walking distance are many hotels, including: Hotel Lorien, Hilton, Embassy Suites, or Hilton Garden Inn. If you are interested in sharing a room, please let me know and I will put you in touch with other interested attendees.

If you are local to the area, Stitch Sew Shop is an easy 10-12 minute walk from the King Street Metro Station. If you’re planning to drive in, there is metered on-street parking, as well as a paid parking lot a few blocks away.

• *Including fabric! ! If you find the perfect fabric for your project at Stitch Sew Shop on Friday, I will wash it and return it to you bright and early Saturday morning, just in time for the workshop.