Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome! Let's get to know each other.

  • 2

    Resource Videos

  • 3

    Getting to Know Your Machine

    • Understanding the dials and buttons

    • How to wind a bobbin

    • How to thread your machine

    • How to Sew

    • Sewing Practice
  • 4

    Project 1: Big Pocket Pillow

    • Introduction

    • Big Pocket Pillow PDF Instructions

    • Materials + Tools

    • Measuring + Cutting

    • Pinning + Sewing

    • Finishing It Up!
  • 5

    Project 2: Tool Roll-up

    • Introduction

    • Tool Roll-Up PDF Instructions

    • Materials + Tools

    • Measuring + Cutting

    • Pinning + Sewing

    • Finishing It Up!
  • 6

    Project 3: Messenger Bag

    • Introduction

    • Messenger Bag PDF Instructions

    • Materials + Tools

    • Measuring + Cutting

    • Pinning + Sewing

    • Finishing It Up
  • 7

    Troubleshooting

    • Introduction

    • I've lost my thread!

    • Why do I have 4 threads?!

    • My fabric is stuck when I'm done sewing!

    • My fabric isn't moving through the machine!

    • Why is this long thread stuck under my presser foot?

    • Why is every few stitches extra long?

    • Oh no! The foot on my machine fell off!

    • There's a hole in my seam!

    • Why is my bobbin thread loopy?

Learning to Sew is Easy...

with kid tested projects and an experienced teacher at your side!

Get started now

Our teaching philosophy...

After 5 years of teaching kids and adults how to sew we feel strongly about a few things...

  • Sewing should be fun. There's no way around that. It's colorful. It's playful. It's an opportunity to create!

  • Learning the "right way" to do something is important, but appreciating that sewing takes practice and is a journey is even more important! We believe that the most important things a teacher can offer are expertise, patience and encouragement-- whether we are teaching you in person or virtually!

  • There is not one way to explain something that everyone understands. Our brains all work differently and the same words don't always work for everyone. We use video, graphics, and descriptions, often explaining the same concept in several different ways, to help your child learn the technique.

  • Repetition is important for true learning and to reach our goal of independent sewing! Our projects are skill building. Each project practices the skills learned before it and adds new skills at a methodical pace!

Watch Intro Video

Meet Laura!

Owner and Lead Teacher

In case you too were wondering...

here are some of our more frequently asked questions!

  • How old should my child be for this course?

    That's up to you! Our after school classes are for ages 8 - 16 so that's who we have in mind when we created this course. However, we've had mature 6 year olds complete it successfully and adults enjoy it as well!

  • Are these projects just for girls?

    We strongly believe that ANYBODY can sew ANYTHING they like, no matter their gender. That being said, our projects are all "gender neutral".

  • How many times can we watch the video?

    The videos are yours to watch as often as you need to for the lifetime of the course! There is no set expiration date and you can repeat to your hearts content!

  • What do we need to complete the course?

    For this course you will need: -A sewing machine (if you're purchasing a machine check out our: Choosing a Sewing Machine which is a free video within the course). -Basic Tools (check out the Basic Tools video, also free!) -Materials. These are not included and we currently do not offer kits. However you can find the "shopping list" in the Welcome section (also free content so available before purchasing the course)!

  • Do I need to be with my child while they follow this course?

    Once again, that's up to you! The course doesn't require adult involvement, however safety is always a priority. We go over safety A LOT in this course, but sadly we can't jump in if your child isn't using the sewing machine or iron in a safe way so it may be a good idea for you to be nearby until they get the hang of it.

  • Will there be more projects available?

    Yes! We have over 60 projects in our in-studio project library and will be releasing 25 of them in a curriculum as well as some extra fun projects for different seasons and holidays. This first course will be the only one to offer the essential beginner skills: winding a bobbin, threading a machine, steps of sewing, troubleshooting and many of the resource videos. Join our newsletter at http://www.hartfordstitch.com/newsletter to keep up to date on the latest video releases!

  • How long does the course take to complete?

    That's totally up to your child! If your child were to learn how to sew and complete this classes at the studio it would take about 10 hours of class time (this is approximately one of our after school sessions). Of course everyone sews at different rates so your child may take longer or shorter!

Our Course Focus

  • Skill Building

    Learning to sew is a matter of mastering one skill after another! Our projects are created to introduce, practice and repeat the important skills your child needs.

  • Creative Expression

    Each project allows room for children to allow their creativity to shine through! At the end we discuss how they can recreate the same project with different creative twists for more practice and sewing fun!

  • Real Life Skills

    And I don't just mean handsewing a hole closed. Learning to use a sewing machine and iron will extend way past this course. Learning to plan the steps of your project in a sequential way? Invaluable to every day life. Add in real life applications of algebra, geometry and measurement? Who knew sewing offered so much!

  • Independent Sewing

    There will come a time when your child can sit at the sewing machine, deftly thread it, troubleshoot their own mistakes, take an idea they have and turn it into reality. There is nothing more empowering than reaching that point of independent sewing!

About Our Studio

Our in person studio is located in West Hartford, CT, right outside Hartford. We opened in 2015 with a love of sewing and a general idea that others may learn to love how to sew! Turns out we were right! (Pre-pandemic) our studio welcomed between 30 to 40 kids and 20 to 30 adult students per week. Our kids classes included weekly after school classes, kid and grownup classes for our little friends, parties and camps. Our adult classes range from intro classes to advanced garment making! If you're in the Hartford, CT area please let us know-- we'd love to meet you in person!
Check out the Hartford Stitch website

Dear Educators and Groups...

we have an option to you!

This e-course is for personal use only. Each course registration, including all downloads, is good for one home. If you're interested in teaching using our method and patterns please reach out to us and we can give you more information about our Educator Bundle!
Contact us!