Sewing Machine 101: Make Your First Dress
A course by Juliet Uzor, Seamstress and Content Creator
Learn how to use a sewing machine and start creating unique outfits from scratch
Creating your own clothes with a sewing machine is a powerful skill. It’s an opportunity to free yourself from the fast fashion industry by making unique clothes that fit your body type. Juliet Uzor is a self-taught dressmaker who is passionate about showing others how to make bespoke sewn outfits.
In this course, discover how to create a unique, made-to-measure dress from scratch. Learn how to operate a sewing machine, moving from the basics to creating the final finishes for your garment. See how to adapt a pattern to your size and learn Juliet’s tips and tricks for kickstarting your clothes-sewing journey.
What will you learn in this online course?
26 lessons & 9 downloads
What's included in this course?
Meet Juliet Uzor, discover her dressmaking journey, and learn why she decided to stop buying clothes and make them herself. Learn about her love for fabrics and the fabric designers she admires. Get an overview of what you’re about to learn in the course.
Get familiar with the tools you need to make your dress. Discover the main features of a sewing machine and learn about its basic functions. Go through the main stitches offered by your sewing machine and learn how to use them correctly. Then, it’s time to start sewing! Create straight and curved lines, sew fabrics together, and see how to finish the raw edges of your fabrics.
Prepare your sewing pattern and learn how to identify and cut the correct size for your body type. See how to choose and prep your fabrics before learning how to cut your pattern. Create your facings with an interfacing and sew the raw edges of your fabric.
Start sewing the bodice of your dress, then prepare and sew the skirt before adding the finishing touches to your neckline pattern. Get an in-depth look at how to construct buttonholes and buttons, adding finishing touches to your dress that leave it ready to wear.
See how to fix and avoid common sewing machine problems as well as how to keep your equipment and fabrics maintained. Discover Juliet’s tips for matching bold and patterned fabrics and finish the course by seeing how to vary the pattern used for your finished dress.
- 98% positive reviews (464)
- 27,443 students
- 26 lessons (5h 5m)
- 9 additional resources (3 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, German, Spanish (Latam), French, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Indonesian · Romanian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Learn how to sew a button-down midi dress using a sewing machine.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone who would like to learn how to sew clothes from home, especially those who have trouble finding the perfect size or fabric type for their body.
Requirements and materials
No prior sewing knowledge is required to take this course.
You will need an iron, fabric scissors, chalk, button, threads, pins, iron-on interfacing, fabrics, elastic, and most importantly, a sewing machine with its basic tools.
Reviews
Juliet Uzor
A course by Juliet Uzor
Juliet Uzor is an elementary school teacher based in London with a passion for sewing and inspiring others to create their own fashion pieces. She is a self-taught seamstress and the 2019 winner of BBC’s reality TV show Sewing Bee.
Juliet shares her passion for sewing through a diverse mix of content that includes writing a blog, creating video tutorials, sharing tips on Instagram, and writing clothes-sewing columns for a series of British craft and sewing magazines.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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What Will We Do in This Course?
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U2
Becoming Familiar with Sewing Techniques
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Tools and Materials
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Getting to Know the Sewing Machine
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Main Stitches
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First Steps for Sewing
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Seam Finishes
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U3
Preparing the Fabric
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Preparing the Sewing Pattern
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Choosing the Fabric and Preparing to Sew 1
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Choosing the Fabric and Preparing to Sew 2
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Fuse Interfacing to Facings and Finish Raw Edges
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U4
Sewing the Garment
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Sewing the Bodice 1
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Sewing the Bodice 2
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Sewing the Bodice 3
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Preparing the Skirt 1
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Preparing the Skirt 2
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Preparing the Skirt 3
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Neckline Finishing 1
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Neckline Finishing 2
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Buttons and Buttonholes
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Finishing Touches 1
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Finishing Touches 2
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U5
Taking Your Garment to the Next Level
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Common Sewing Machine Issues
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Tips for Matching Bold and Patterned Fabric
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Tips for Varying the Sewing Pattern
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FP
Final project
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Sewing Machine 101: Make Your First Dress
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and covers foundational sewing, patternmaking, and garment construction skills with step-by-step guidance.
You’ll need a basic sewing machine, cotton fabric, thread, sewing needles, pins, scissors, measuring tape, marking chalk, and a pressing iron to get started.
You’ll learn how to draft sewing patterns by hand, operate a sewing machine, choose fabrics, sew garments like dresses and tote bags, and finish raw edges professionally.
No prior sewing experience is required. The course starts with the basics and gradually builds up to more advanced sewing skills.
The course teaches you how to identify fabric fibers, evaluate fabric weight, drape, and match fabric types to specific garments for the best results.
Yes, you’ll learn how to thread your machine, wind bobbins, change needles, adjust stitch settings, and perform basic maintenance for smooth sewing.
Yes, the course covers sewing projects such as midi dresses with buttons, elasticated sleeves, pockets, and even winter coats.
La verdad que me pareció un gran curso, súper completo y Juliet me pareció súper carismática
Buen curso, facil de seguir sus explicaciones.
Ce cours est excellent pour les débutants. Les explications sont très claires, faciles à comprendre et à suivre. Je suis très satisfaite d'avoir acheté ce cours !
Está bien explicado y se puede seguir, pero creo que hay algún problema con el patrón. No puedo aprovechar el vestido porque es muy grande a pesar de usar la talla que aparecia en la tabla según mis medidas. Sé que se puede reducir y modificar el patrón, pero no esperaba necesitar hacerlo porque las medidas parecían bastante cercanas.
Excelente curso, buena traducción de audio, profesora muy clara en sus explicaciones, y paso a paso fácil de seguir. Estoy muy feliz con este curso.