I'm so excited to announce the launch of my newest E-Course, D.I.Y. Dress Up. My senior intern, Mallory, and I developed this class for women who want to learn to sew their own clothes. We created seventeen projects that vary in skill level from simple bows and belts to more complex dresses and purses! If you want to learn to sew from a beginners level or build confidence to make your own patterns and dresses, this course if for you!
Here's a quick review of all the sessions…
Session 1: Make Your Own Topstitched Bow. Learn how to topstitch while stitching up pretty bows for your hair or belts.
Session 2: Make Your Own Magazine Tote. Get comfortable with your tools and basic stitching technique as you make the perfect bag for magazines.
Session 3: Make Your Own Makeup Bag. Figure out that putting in zippers isn't as scary as you think while making a mess proof makeup bag.
Session 4: Make Your Own Jersey Headband. Have your first experience with sewing stretchy material to make the perfect hair accessory.
Session 5: Make Your Own Belt. Learn how to design a really unique belt that fits perfectly.
Session 6: How To Draft A Pattern That Fits Your Body. Fear patterns no more! This session will arm you with the tips and skills you need to begin pattern drafting and customizing store bought patterns.
Session 7: Make Your Own Paper Bag Skirt. Find out that hems aren't a scary as you thought they were.
Session 8: Make Your Own Chevron Top. Tackle the chevron trend and match stripes like a pro.
Session 9: Make Your Own Fringe Laptop Case. Insert padding and make perfect fringe with this lesson. We love this laptop case!
Session 10: Make Your Own Ruffled Skirt. Learn how to make perfect ruffles. Every girl loves a ruffle or two and this skirt is adorable!
Session 11: Turn A Tank Into A Pretty Dress. Find out the quickest way to make a perfect little dress from materials you probably already own.
Session 12: Make Your Own Jersey Tank Top. Make a cool breezy tank while learning to cleanly finish a stretchy edge.
Session 13: Make Your Own Lace Dress. Learn some tips on how to deal with tricky fabrics the right way.
Session 14: Alteration Basics. Love vintage? Learn three ways to fix up unflattering or damaged garments. We use these tips at Red Velvet all the time!
Session 15: Make Your Own Maxi Dress. This session will show you how to use elastic to keep up an extremely wearable maxi dress.
Session 16: Make Your Own Cardigan– Sewing sleeves can be really tricky. This lesson will break down how to set them with ease.
Session 17: Make Your Own Statement Bag. Use your new skills to make an advanced handbag with hardware.
Fashion Dictionary Learn to talk like a designer and read patterns like a pro!
Think Like a Designer Using inspiration without being a copycat! Learn to translate things that inspire you into your own design.
Hand Printing Learn hand printing techniques with Elsie. Get the look of screen printing without any special equipment.
Also included, Sewing Basics and Supplies.
The course is priced at only $29 US. We wanted it to be super afforable so that even our college student readers could enjoy it. I hope that
this course will inspire many of you to sew your first dress and become friends with your sewing machine!
Sign Up Here. XO, elsie
93 Comments
I just got it and I can’t wait to start reading, learning and sewing!
This sounds so fun! I’m on it!
http://thoreausdaughter.blogspot.com/
Ooh! That IS affordable! 🙂 Your e-courses rawk!
xo,
wink
Oh my goodness! SOOO much fun!
http://www.maydae.com
oh my! this is going on my e-course list to take after i finish the blog love one & start the dream job one! so much fun!
YAY!! I’m so glad its so cheap thank you for that!!!!! Now my husband won’t complain!! Can’t wait to sign up!!!!! whoo hoo!!!
omg 🙂 you ladies just read my mind. i’ve been wanting to modify and recreate my favorite hand-made vintage dress to possibly sell. and this course is so going to help me out! such talent and drive you have, elsie! xo.
Congrats Elsie this sounds amazing! It has been on my bucket list to learn sewing so I will definitly be enrolling soon! I’ve already taken two of your corses and I LOVED both of them!!! Woohooo!
xxx
http://gypsy-diaries.blogspot.com/
i’ll be back on pay-day! excited to get sewing 🙂
Oh my, so fun! And for such a great price too! I’m so excited!! <3
i’m with jessica-i’m on it come pay day!
Umm… silly question, but do you need a sewing machine??
oooooh! question: do we need to have access to a sewing machine?
This is wonderful!
Hi Mary Beth and Angela,
Yes, you definitely need access to a sewing machine! We recommend some in the course that are affordable. 🙂
This looks like such a great e-course! I am a beginner when it comes to sewing and I would love to learn more! Most of all, I love that you took into consideration your college student readers. With the tuition increases taking place, we do have to budget our money. But this course looks affordable 🙂 I’ll start saving up!
This-is-great! I’m SO signing up!!
Thank you very much for thinking about college students(here I am!!), the thought of missing this great opportunity would be unbearable to me!!! You girls are the coolest!!
Love,
Seri!
what a great idea for an e-course! and love the affordable price. i will most likely be signing up for this. just need to make some time in my schedule for it!
Well, now you made me look. Your other e-courses are definite must-haves, so I’ll have to save up to get them all!
This is great! So I have a sewing machine, and I’ve never once used it 🙁 I just took it out of the box. Will this class go over how to use it for someone who never has used one before?
Thanks,
Kim
Super awesome! I totally just switched majors from Graphic design to Fashion design and merchandising so this is perfect!
this looks great! i have been wanting to learn how to sew a lot of these things, and your other e-courses are great, elsie! i can’t wait to sign up 🙂
Oh my GOSH!! This is amazing! I can’t wait to sign up!
What a great idea! So many people seem to be intimidated by the idea of sewing…especially sewing clothes.
The deer bag is so cute!
♥ Gina Michele
CrochetClouds.com
My boyfriend will pay it for my birthday. Yay! 🙂
Oh. My. Goodness. I am SO excited to take this course!!! 😀
i have been waiting for this! just signed up and can’t wait to set up my sewing machine and get sterted.
This is great! I’d love to do the course, though I am not very comfortable with my two left hands. But I’ll keep this in mind!
http://thesignaturebow.blogspot.com/
This looks so useful, and your projects are so cute!
Bisous,
Rachel
http://lovealamode.wordpress.com
P.S. I’m hosting my first giveaway today (an online shopping spree!) and would love if you stopped by to enter 🙂
Amazing! What a wonderful idea 🙂
Your blog is more than adorable. This post is overwhelmingly inspiring and fun! Love!
http://www.paigelyse.blogspot.com
Elsie this is EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for. Thank you a million times over! I’m signing up straightaway.
I think I am going to have to buy a sewing machine just to do this. It’s like a wish come true! 🙂
Thanks Elsie and Mallory!
Looks AMAZING! You must have worked long and hard on this one! I will definitely be signing up!
Yay!! I *just* bought a sewing machine this week, I can’t wait to dig in and make clothes!
Well, I certainly wish I knew how to use and hadn’t sold my sewing machine! It’s a love hate relationship, I keep getting them and selling them out of frustration. I wish I could take this course it looks so fun!
Oh well, I’m going to recommend it to one of my good friends and in the mean time sign up for the Retro Beauty School course, I’m pretty excited about it
oh. my. GAWD! that deer purse is probably the coolest thing i have ever seen. i may have to save my pennies so i can join.
when I think of you Elsie it always goes “I dont know how she does it”.. Everything is just wow.
Great e-course!
Kisses from Hong Kong,
Nicole
Instabuy!
Love! Can’t wait to sign up for this course! Thank you for making this affordable! I saw this post just now when taking a break from sewing some clothes for a job that I took despite a significant paycut. You could not have offered this at a better time!
this is great! Just what I have been needing in my life. Def doing this 🙂
Buying this immediately! I have a sewing machine that I’ve been too afraid to learn to use… This is the jump start I needed!
is this date specific or can you start/finish whenever? i’m going to be moving/traveling the next few weeks but this course seems so fun!
Oooh! This is so exciting! I’ve been wanting to learn how to sew and make my own patterns for quite some time, so needless to say I’ve already signed up!
This sounds so fab – and helpful. My grandma {who was also named Elsie} taught me to sew and how to use a sewing machine when I was 10…but it was simply the basics.
So many times I have thought about how I wish I would have tapped more of her knowledge or how I would have been more appreciative of all she knew when she was still living…I think I just assumed she would be here forever.
Anyways, a different Elsie teaching, me sewing techniques – sounds like fate :).
YAY, this class sounds so amazing!
I’ve been thinking about sewing a dress for weeks but it all just seems so overwhelming. This course would be perfect.
xoxo
Hi Elsie,
just a few questions. I told my mum about this and we’re both super exited about it but we’re also pretty busy right now.
will this be offered all the time and available to people anywhere in the world?
thanks! 🙂
I can’t sew for peanuts but would love to do it. can I still access it from Down Under
just thought I’d let you know I blogged a link to this awesome page 🙂
This skirts are so cute. ^ ^
This looks brilliant, and affordable! I’m a skint teen and this is still less than my monthly allowance. Thank you Elsie & Mallory.
i love your blog, pictures and your textes! i visit your blog every day it gives me inspiration for my drawings and my blog too.
you are verry beautiful and i hope you will visit mind : http://polinsblog.blogspot.com
<3
Wow sounds great! I’ve just started sewing clothes for myself with a few clothkits outfits, but it would be really great to pick up some more skills – especially the ones on drafting and customising patterns as I’ve got one of ‘those’ bodies which never quite seems to fit the norm (not that the norm really fits anyone).
Oh wow, this looks amazing, Elsie and Mallory!! I already do quite a bit of sewing, but think I’ll pick up the course because the inspiration is bound to be amazing. Congrats on the new venture – I’m sure it’s going to be a HUGE success!!
This sounds great. I have a question though. What the price range of the sewing machines you suggest? Just wondering because I definitely value your opinions but am unsure if I can really afford the e-course and the materials.
A QUESTION – I’ve never done any E-courses online so I have no idea how it goes. Is it like a skype video chats at certain time or it’s just us reading step-by-step instructions? Ive ALWAYS wanted to sew and never even found anything that affordable. Im super excited and I hope to get your answer soon so I could make up my mind definitely. Thank you Elsie! You Rock 🙂 xoxo
Do you have to follow this course in a certain time frame or is it on your own time like Dream Job????
I am SO excited I can’t wait to give this a go
I’m verrry interested! But yes, do you need a sewing machine? I’ve never used one before 🙂 And how long does the entire e-course take? I mean how long does it take to watch the entire thing? Love xx
Thankyou so much!!! For doing it in the first place and for the amazing price! I have to wait a week until there’s money in my bank but I’m so excited 😀 xxx
FROM ELSIE-
I’ll be posting a little Q & A on Monday, so if you have a question just leave it for me here!
So happy about the response to this class! I’ll be sure to answer all your Qs in a blog post!
XO, elsie
How long is the e-course accessible after I purchase it?
Really cool! I just bought a sewing machine, which is the first step. Following this will be the second! And as a student, I think it’s really nice that you keep it so cheap! Thank you 🙂
i don’t think i can pass this one up! i really MUST start using my sewing machine again! even though I’m not a beginner sewer, I think this course will at least help motivate me to work on cute projects!
So exciting! Can I choose wich sessions I finish? If I´m interested in pattern making but not so much in making a headband etc?
i’ve signed up today & soooo looking forward to start sewing, yay! I’m happy that there’s a new e-course from RVA, i always find them very inspiring ♥ XO. Vera
ps i also made a blogpost about it http://seniwithlove.blogspot.com/2011/07/just-joined-this-awesome-e-course.html
Oh I’ve wanted to start making my own clothes for so long!
I hate being unemployed 🙁
Maybe I can get this soon
This is amazing though your such an inspiration
xxxx
this is the first e course i have been interested in! i love that deer bag!! ARGH!!!!!!!!!!
I bought this yesterday and just completed the first project! It was easy and so much fun!
This is SO SO so fantastic, well done Elsie + team! I already know how to so (very basic) but I have several girl friends who really want to learn, and this will make the perfect gift!!! Yay exciting! x
I soo want to do this course! I love the deer handbag, it’s adorable!
dang, and i just bought 3 e-courses..
dang you, elsie. ;]
I would love to sign up! Is this a skype class or web videos? when does it start?
thanks!!
This looks amazing!
like Marina, I’d also like to know a bit more about how it works. looking forward to the Q&A 😀
you’re amazing! I think it’s incredible that you take your time to do this for all of us.
before i was even done reading i knew i would be getting this and then i got to the price and was shocked. so excited, this is affordable and exactly what i need right now! love it!
Omg looks so much fun, I must try this!
Is this an your own pace ecourse?
It sounds awesome!
Question:
Is this a go-at-your-own-pace course or is it a group-guided project, or what?
I’m interested but wouldn’t be able to get started for a few weeks after finals!
Also:
Would it be ok if I documented the projects on my own blog, crediting you for the e-course?
Thank you!
Oooh, this sounds very exciting! I can’t sew to save my life …but I really want to get better at it!
This is SUCH a great idea. I’m so excited about this!
Kacie
http://acollectionofpassions.blogspot.com/
This is exactly what I have been looking for!! So so excited!
Wow, that is a cute and unique idea!! Love this.
oh what a great price!!! i am one of your poor college student readers, so as soon as i have bought my sewing machine i will be signing up!!
I am in Australia and have been wanting to take a sewing course for a while now but most are at least $250 here. Naturally whilst reading the start of this blog I thought the same – but I’m delighted to see how very affordable it is!! I’ll definately be signing up! Squee!!
i signed up for the class and linked back to this post on my blog.
http://jolifetoday.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/10-bits-of-awesomeness-diy-wishlist/
i’ve finished up the first half dozen or so projects in the e-course and am LOVING it! it’s building up my confidence and making me practice lots. i’m starting to realize that in time i am totally going to be able to make my own clothes!! thanks so much, elsie & mallory – for such an affordable, fun & empowering course!! xoxo
Still in love with that statement bag. <3
it seems that the link no longer exists, where can I find this amazing class?
Does anyone know how to find this the link says the page is not found? please help dying to check this out…..
Hi Andrea,
this course is no longer available. I posted last month that we were retiring it. So sorry!
Elsie