How to Read Sewing Patterns w/ Shauna
This 90 minute class will take the confusion out of reading and understanding sewing patterns!
Using a sewing pattern takes the guesswork out of making your garment come to life but they can be a bit overwhelming to read and understand. This 90 minute course will leave you feeling confident to pick out and modify patterns to suit any project you want to tackle.
Patterns give you accurate shapes and measurements, saving time, reducing mistakes, and helping your projects fit the way they should. They’re also a great learning tool—guiding you through techniques while giving your work a more professional finish. Once you’re comfortable, patterns become a foundation you can customize, letting you create unique pieces with confidence, all without the complexity of drafting your own pattern from scratch.
This 90 minute class will take the confusion out of reading and understanding sewing patterns!
Using a sewing pattern takes the guesswork out of making your garment come to life but they can be a bit overwhelming to read and understand. This 90 minute course will leave you feeling confident to pick out and modify patterns to suit any project you want to tackle.
Patterns give you accurate shapes and measurements, saving time, reducing mistakes, and helping your projects fit the way they should. They’re also a great learning tool—guiding you through techniques while giving your work a more professional finish. Once you’re comfortable, patterns become a foundation you can customize, letting you create unique pieces with confidence, all without the complexity of drafting your own pattern from scratch.
In How to Read Sewing Patterns you'll learn:
- Pattern types and where to find them
- Paper Pattern sizes & How to take your measurements
- How to choose the right fabric type and amount for your sewing projects
- Decipher and easily work with sewing patterns (including how to assemble PDF patterns)
- Seam allowance guides
- How to make simple adjustments and modifications to patterns so they fit you better
- Understanding common terminology (nap, basting, selvage, grain, dart)
- Cutting and tracing tools
- Fabric and pattern layout
Shauna Hughes is the owner of Harvest & Hide (@harvestandhideco), specializing in custom leather goods and leather jewelry. With over 22 years of sewing experience, she brings a deep passion for sustainability and upcycling—transforming thrifted finds, closet staples, and fabric scraps into beautiful, functional pieces that avoid the landfill. With a strong community-focused mindset, Shauna enjoys helping people learn tangible skills, such as sewing and leatherworking, to build confidence in their ability to be self-sustaining. Outside the classroom, she runs a small homestead focused on regenerative agriculture and is in the process of establishing an in-house tannery to produce ethically sourced leather from start to finish.