Registration opens:
October 30th, 2026 at 9:00am

Intro to Sewing Clothes: Festive Pajama Shorts

MakerSpace

Learn the basics of using a pattern, sewing machine, and garment construction.

Space is limited and registration is required. This is a three-part workshop and is designed for participants 16+ years of age. Each session is two hours. Some materials provided.

Students will be instructed on how to choose a pattern, determine sizing, and take individual pieces to sew their own pajama shorts. Instruction will be based on content found in Professor Pincushion’s Beginner Guide to Sewing: Garment Making for Nervous Newbies by Tova Opatrny. All instructions will be provided, so book purchase is not necessary.

Each session is two hours.

Students will be responsible for their own supplies of material (1 ¼ yards of cotton or flannel 44”/45” width), a package of 1” wide elastic, and all-purpose thread. Can be purchased at local retail outlets or from online retailers.

Class 1:
This will be an introduction to basic sewing terms, tools, and working with patterns. Instructor will go over how to choose a pattern, how to use a tape measure to get correct sizing, and how to read pattern information. Students will cut out their pajama shorts pattern and cut their pieces from their fabric. Sewing machines will not be needed in this class.

Class 2:
This class will be an introduction to the sewing machine. Instructor will be going over the different parts of the machine and how it works. Students will be given time to do a little practice on using the machine with scraps of fabric. Beginning construction of shorts will happen afterwards, along with instruction on iron/pressing. Techniques learned: sewing seams, matching notches and pattern marks, pressing.

Class 3:
This class will allow the students time to finish the construction of their shorts. Instruction will cover making an elastic casing and hemming. Also, we can go over what to do if you make a mistake in sewing and need to use a seam ripper. Techniques learned: sewing a curved seam, creating elastic casing, hemming, machine basting.

About the Instructor:

Tova Opatrny is the creator behind the YouTube channel Professor Pincushion, making high-quality video tutorials for beginners. Tova's work has appeared in HuffPost, Good Housekeeping, and Cosmopolitan, among others. She's written the book Professor Pincushion's Beginner Guide to Sewing: Garment Making for Nervous Newbies. 

Questions? Contact moo@deschuteslibrary.org