Skills Level: Beginner

Teens will learn about the process of designing and creating clothing through hands-on projects. Some of the topics that will be explored are fabric choices, designing a collection, and translating 2D ideas into 3D creations. The first three weeks of the class will focus on the initial stages of design, such as making mood boards and learning the ins and outs of fashion illustration. In the final three weeks of the course, students will learn the basics of using a sewing machine through making tops out of recycled denim.

All materials for this course will be provided, but students are encouraged to bring their own fabrics, magazines, or any other materials they want to bring for their work. No previous sewing experience is needed. This class is recommended for teens ages 14 and up.

About the instructors:

Shubhra Chandra has 25 years of experience in the field of women’s fashion design, development and global sourcing. She has worked for top U.S retailers. Her education includes fashion/ apparel design in both India and the USA. She was among the first of twenty-five students to be admitted to the joint program of F.I.T (New York, USA) and N.I.F.T (New Delhi, India), where she received her Diploma in Fashion Design. She received a Master’s degree in Clothing and Textiles, specializing in Apparel Design for Women from Michigan State University, with a minor in Theatre Costume Design. Shubhra founded her fashion business in 2008 (www.shubrah.com) and creates sustainable collections embodying her vision of elegance, eco-friendly business practices and fusion flair with minimal waste and environmental impact.

Cheryl Moreau teaches sewing and textile arts at HATCH, Watertown’s Maker’s Space, sponsored by the Watertown Free Library; see the website http://www.watertownlib.org/hatch.  She also teaches at the LexArt Sewing Studio, a new sewing and textile education program for this organization. Her special interests include textile history, knitting, fabric printing, and designing with everyday objects and scrap materials.

About the image: The piece featured in the class image is an example of upcyled, recyled denim, titled "Garbage Bin," from LexArt's Natural Visions show. The artist is Stevie Leigh Andrascik (https://remixbystevieleigh.com/).