Objectives for Teaching a Sewing Class

Sewing classes teach valuable lessons that students can use in their own daily lives. There are certain objectives that any sewing class should teach to its students. From the basics of hand sewing to the use of sewing machines and advanced machine techniques, a sewing class should make sure that students understand not only how to use the equipment appropriately but also how to do so in a safe manner that will prevent injury.

Before students can do anything else, they need to be able to hand sew. The ability to choose the appropriate needle for the fabric, thread the needle and sew fabric together is fundamental for all sewing projects, so the very first objective for teaching a sewing class is hand sewing techniques. The basic stitches are the running or basting stitch, the back stitch, diagonal basting and the overhand or whip stitch.

In order to sew anything more complicated than a pillow, students need to know how to sew from a pattern, whether it is a store-bought pattern or one they make themselves. Students should be able to read and understand the pattern instructions, select the appropriate size from the pattern, pin the pieces to the fabric and cut the pieces out. Students should also learn how to transfer markings such as darting lines from a pattern to the fabric.

Machine stitches tend to be stronger and are sewn faster than hand stitches, so for big projects a sewing machine is often essential. For anything beyond the basics, an important objective for a sewing class is the ability to use a sewing machine. Students should know how to operate a sewing machine safely, adjust the thread tensions, set the stitch type and change the machine needle.

Sergers are used in professional clothing construction to finish seams on clothing and to prevent fabric unraveling. If students are going to construct garments for daily wear, they should be taught how to use a serger type of sewing machine safely. Sergers have exposed knives for cutting fabric as it is sewn, so students need to be very careful. This objective for the class is for more advanced students.