start sewing and make a beach bag

GROUP WORKSHOP PRICE: £95

GROUP WORKSHOP LOCATION: Art Centre Penryn

SESSIONS: 1

DATE: Saturday 21st June 2025

MAXIMUM PARTICPANTS: 6

LEVEL: Complete Beginner

HOW TO BOOK: Bookings through Art Centre Penryn

TELL ME MORE

This class is designed to teach you all the basic techniques you’ll need to start using a sewing machine. Mastering these techniques will give you confidence to use a sewing machine and will also equip you with the basics to start dressmaking. We will practise a few of the techniques on calico first and then jump into making your beach bag.

TECHNIQUES YOU WILL LEARN

  • Threading a sewing machine

  • Using pins

  • Sewing straight lines, curves and points

  • Techniques to finish the seam allowance

  • Hemming

  • Cutting out your fabric, using a paper pattern

  • Making a beach bag

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?

  • Calico fabric to practise techniques.

  • The pattern and instructions to make your beach bag.

  • The use of our equipment and sewing machines.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?

Supplies to make your beach bag:

  • 1m of fabric, sturdy, medium weight, woven, non stretch: cotton, denim or canvas fabric. OR you may want to use two colours of fabric (see photos), in which case, 0.5m of each colour.

  • 2.5m of webbing (for the straps), 3cm wide.

  • Matching or contrast thread

Alternatively, we will have limited colours of fabric and webbing available for you to purchase from us on the day. We will also provide matching and contrast thread for you to use.

Equipment:

  • Your own sewing machine if you would like to bring it, however we do provide sewing machines. If you are bringing your machine, ensure you bring the foot pedal and the various presser feet that came with the machine and the manual if you have it.

  • A basic sewing kit if you have it, including pins, scissors, tape measure etc. This is not essential as we have equipment you can borrow.

WHO IS THIS workshop SUITABLE FOR?

This class is suitable for absolute beginners who have never used a sewing machine before. We will be demonstrating every technique first and then you will have a go. This class is also suitable for people who are looking to get back into sewing but are feeling a bit rusty.

ABOUT YOUR TEACHER

Helen Shine is a skilled pattern cutter with over 12 years of experience in London’s high-end fashion industry, working with renowned designers like Victoria Beckham, Mary Katrantzou, and Karen Millen.

In 2019, she launched ‘Dot n Cross’, offering hands-on pattern cutting and sewing workshops. Helen is passionate about empowering others to create their own clothes, whether they are aspiring professionals or enthusiastic home sewers, by sharing her industry knowledge and love of the craft.

WORKSHOP LOCATION

This workshop is held at Art Centre Penryn, in the Art Room which is located in the School Room building.

Art Centre Penryn is a newly refurbished art space in the former Penryn Methodist Church in the heart of Penryn. The art room will support creativity for health and well-being and offer a range of courses, skills training and other opportunities for the benefit of local people. The vision is to convert the former church into an accessible, welcoming and high-quality contemporary art gallery showcasing work by local, national and international artists.

 
 

The class room/accessibility:

My workshops will be held in the Art Room.

Click here to be taken to their accessibility page.
Unfortunately the three steps into the School Room are too steep for a temporary ramp and therefore we apologise that it is not currently wheelchair accessible.

Address:

Art Centre Penryn
The Terrace
Penryn, TR10 8EH

Parking:

Commercial Road Car Park. 3-4 hours £4.70. 24 hours £5.10

Permarin Car Park. 3-4 hours £5.00. 24 hours £6.30

Please note: Saracen Car Park on Saracen Place is only a 3 hour short stay carpark and wont be suitable for my workshops as they will all require more time.

Travel:

By train from Truro and Falmouth
Penryn Train Station, 10 min walk

By bus from Falmouth, Truro, Redruth & Penzance
nearest stop: Penryn Spar / Seven Stars

By bicycle
Bike stands and electric Beryl bikes nearby by the Seven Stars bus stop

TESTIMONIALS

TESTIMONIALS

I learned so much. I am thrilled not to be scared of sewing machines any more! I loved this class, I thought I wasn’t going to get as far as we did and I am happy/thrilled with the results and skills learned today.

Harriet Winfrey - Introduction to Machine Sewing

Sometimes, going on a course whilst on holiday is a wonderful way to spend your time, especially if you go home with a new skill or hobby that enriches your life. With the idea of Cottagecore, the Great British Sewing Bee and ‘make do and mend’ being very much in the limelight now, what better way than to learn how to sew using a sewing machine?

I was greeted warmly by one of the shop proprietors, Jane, who welcomed me into her Aladdin’s cave of crafting goodies. Helen, our teacher for the day, also greeted me as we made our way to our desks. Helen is the founder of Dot N Cross, who hosts sewing and pattern cutting workshops across Cornwall. Having worked for the likes of Karen Millen and Victoria Beckham, she has spent 10 years working as a pattern cutter in the London fashion industry before relocating down to Cornwall. Safe to say, she knows a thing or two about sewing!

A course with Helen is a wonderful way to spend a day. Running an assortment of courses for beginners to experienced alike, from making a shift dress to mending existing clothes and crochet to knitting, there are a lot of courses to choose from, whilst there’s also flexibility to arrange your own private classes focussing on something specific, should you want to.

See the full review here

Boutique Retreats - Introduction to Machine Sewing

Yesterday I attended a 1-to-1 Beginners Sewing course with Helen and I am absolutely delighted with the result. I bought along the sewing machine that I had inherited from a relative and Helen figured out how it worked and then proceeded to teach me how to use it. The objective of the day was to learn some of the basics and to make a tote bag. You can see the result yourself in the photo. I keep examining it and am so surprised how good it looks! Helen is an incredible professional with amazing skills and experience. She's also a lovely and accommodating person and I enjoyed her company as well as all the learning. I feel very lucky to have had her as a teacher. It is definitely my intention to return to continue to my journey of discovery.

Louise Harding - 1 to 1 Introduction to Machine Sewing

The best thing I learned on the Introduction to Machines Sewing class is that I can sew!! After years of thinking I can’t. The lesson was very thorough, and I really enjoyed the day. Thank you.

Susan Saunders - Introduction to Machine Sewing

I attended the Introduction to Machine Sewing class, I was just curious to give it a try and I had a really good day. I had a finished item to show for it at the end and I learned a lot. In future I’d like to learn to make a more complex bag.

Ashley Gilder - Introduction to Machine Sewing

HOW TO BOOK

Bookings are through Art Centre Penryn

CANCELLATIONS

Art Centre Penryn is a small, non-profit organisation and our courses form a really important part of our income. Our courses are therefore non-refundable, but we offer the following options:

If it is more than 30 days from the course start date, we can offer a voucher worth the same amount for a future course. Within 30 days from the course start date, we cannot offer a voucher, but you could send someone else in your place, just email us to let us know.

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